Weaving a Story
Posted on May 21st, 1998 by Akira

Chapter One

“Resistance is futile,” echoed the ominous cybernetic voice. “Your life as you know it is over and you and your culture will be assimilated.”

The bridge crew of the U.S.S. Saratoga watched in fear and awe at the looming image of the Borg called Locutus appeared on the view screen. They knew the face as the famous French captain Jean-Luc Picard and it stunned them to see his image mangled by the cybernetic implants and bland gray discoloration of his skin. Locutus glowered and stood unmoved and unwilling to give mercy to the Federation races, who amassed at Wolf 359 to defend their way of life. In a blink the image of him vanished and the massive Borg cube filled the screen and instilled the terror into the minds of the crew.

Cadet Akagi Kensuke stood ready at his station. He breathed heavily and attempted at all costs to focus on his job as assistant engineer. Yet, he found himself wandering back to thoughts of Earth and the Academy. He stared down at his console, but the image of the cube carrying thousands of drones and built up of ominous looking gray and black metallic lattices and grids unnerved him. Still he forced himself to breathe calmly.

“Cadet.” called a strong baritone voice. Kensuke clutched the side of the console to keep himself from making any sudden violent moves. He twisted his head up and looked. His commanding officer Benjamin Sisko stood in front of his console.

“Yes sir!” Kensuke called out shakily while standing at attention.

“Calm down cadet.” he said very softly. “We’ll get through this- alive.” He added and gave a broad grin. Kensuke slowly formed a grin in return and shifted his focus back to his station. He continued to breathe deeply and work on his console to finish the diagnostics.

“The Borg has arrived into our sector!” cried tactical.

“All Hands battle stations!! Raise shields and weapons to maximum power!!” Called the Captain and needless to say the thumping hearts of the crew beat faster than the reactions in the dilithium chamber.

“Helm, take us in full speed.” The captain demanded with lacking enthusiasm.

“Aye sir.”

‘We can win’, Kensuke thought to himself. ‘We can win.’ The words fell away from his mind as soon as the ship beneath him gave way. His fingers flew quickly has he bypassed damaged power relays and helped to assign the damage control teams. The vessel rocked once again and the screaming began. He forced his head down and listened for the instructions.

“The Borg have us in a tractor beam!” shouted the Helm officer. Tactical responded by firing phasers. Nothing. The phasers failed against the lattice of metal. The Borg cutting torch easily drilled through the shields. Tactical tried every trick. They fired phasers in multiphasic frequencies and spread torpedoes. Nothing. Kensuke managed a miracle by redirecting power to the weapons. Nothing. The ship rocked and explosions bellowed around them. Fires erupted all around. Still they continued at the order of the Captain. Nothing. Kensuke and the tactical officer were growing desperate.

“Captain! Shield failure! The-” the tactical officer burned and clutched the console as it electrocuted him.

“Tactical is down!” someone screamed. “Tactical is down!” Kensuke looked up as the ship quaked again. “Fire the torpedoes full spread!” he heard Commander Sisko call. The ship rocked again and smoke bloomed into the bridge. Kensuke waved it aside as he stumbled through the thick fog and through the jungle of bodies and fallen machinery. Someone grabbed his leg and screamed, “Hellp! Helllp Me!” Kensuke cried out and kicked the hand away. He fell but recovered in time to feel the next shock against the vessel and waves of screams like souls burning in Hell.

“All hands abandon ship! All hands abandon ship!” cried the Captain before another explosion engulfed him and sent his body flying. Kensuke watched wide-eyed. Everything transpired to quickly!

“All hands abandon ship!” cried Sisko.

Kensuke blinked and found himself by the tactical console and quickly struck the keys to fire the weapons. The phasers were off-line. He managed to fire a quick spread of torpedoes. Sisko grabbed his shoulder.

“Come on Cadet! No time to be a hero!” he yelled and threw him into the gangway. He followed. “I’ve got to get to my wife.’ Kensuke gave up his place and pushed the Commander ahead of him. He saw briefly as Sisko looked back with silent thanks. He then disappeared down a hallway lit by a dancing orange glow.

The crew continued to file through the corridors. As they did the Borg beamed in parties of drones. Without the ability to fight back the crew started to scramble and climb over each other trying to escape the Hell. Kensuke watched as the Borg mercilessly attacked and sucked the life out of his fellow crewmates. He tried to fight them back by hitting them, as a weapon did not avail itself at the moment. His attempts once again proved futile. Suddenly, he felt the vampire-like fangs shoot into the back of his neck. The probes slithered down his spine, and he cried out as he felt his skin erupting as the nanites reprogrammed his interior to serve the Borg.

Soon images from the Collective filled his thoughts and Earth, the Academy, friends, and family all fell like rocks into the bottom of a murky pond. The propaganda rung through his head, “Resistance is futile. You have succumbed. Welcome to the Collective number 5,238 of 6,000.” As the thoughts entered his mind there were several more explosions and he found himself staring aimlessly at the ceiling of the Saratoga. His crewmates abandoned him and so did the Borg.

 

Chapter Two

The Enterprise warped en route to Wolf 359 after listening to the subspace broadcast over the outcome of the battle. Riker knew that the Federation Starfleet lost only because the Borg had captured and assimilated the knowledge that Picard held. Now all of Starfleet knew as well. Riker swiveled his chair around and stared out into the elongated stars. For the moment Commander Shelby stood on the bridge in command. He did not fully trust her but allowed her to continue. He needed the time to sort out the details and events that transpired over the last few days.

Shelby looked around the bridge. She smiled. The Captain’s chair was comfortable and if Riker took the job she could have the occasional benefit of taking the seat. Yet, Riker would never consider the idea.

“Mr. Data you have the bridge.” she called out. Data turned around and nodded and watched puzzled as Shelby left via the turbolift.

Shelby stood in the turbolift and halted it half way to her destination. She pulled out an isolinear chip from her pocket and ran her fingers over the smooth glassy surface. Her fingers read the engraved Starfleet symbol, which identified it as a highly classified chip. Qucikly, she placed it into a PADD she carried with her, and accessed the chip and read the contents. It took only a few minutes. She smiled and closed the document and removed the isolinear chip from the interface jack and placed it back into her pocket. The turbolift resumed toward sickbay.

The turbolift came to a stop and the doors spread open revealing the door to the sickbay. She walked briskly across and entered. Looking to the left and right and only finding a sole nurse in her sights she engaged him in inquiry.

“Excuse me, where is Doctor Darrow?” she asked a passing medic.

He pointed to a room and walked away without saying a word. Shelby nodded and walked with the same vigor and drama the short length to the door. Her slender finger pressed against the glass surface of the keypad leaving a slight impression of her fingerprint. The door opened and she walked into the morgue where Doctor Emily Darrow currently worked. As she approached she saw Emily’s head poke up for a brief moment.

“Doctor.” said Shelby.

“What the hell do you want?” retorted Emily without looking up. “I didn’t ask to see you, again, ever.” she sneered.

“Emily why don’t we allow bygones to be bygones and get to the matter at hand.” she continued with a businesslike manner.

Emily glared at her but continued with her studies. Shelby frowned.

“Emily you knew the risks when you signed up.”

“Signed up! I didn’t sign up! You manhandled me! Threatened to destroy my research and then forced me into this compromise.” she whispered.

“It’s for the better isn’t it? You get to continue and serve on the most prestigious ship in Starfleet. Right?”

Emily only stood and nodded. “Whaddya want?”

Shelby removed the isolinear chip from her pocket and dropped it by Emily.

“You’ll find what you need in cargo bay fourteen. You will not be caught. Is that understood?”

“Sure, but I don’t think the noose would fit around that fat head of yours Commander.” she said chuckling.

“It means the same for you, a-”

“Dishonorable discharge from Starfleet and death. Don’t worry, I’ll try and keep my head out of the noose and consequently, and unfortunately, yours as well.”

Shelby stared and Emily returned the gesture. Without a word she left Emily to her task. Emily picked up the chip and read it as soon as Shelby left.

“Computer,” she began. “Time to arrival at Wolf 359?”

“E-T-A to Wolf 359 is nineteen minutes and thirty-two seconds.”

Emily nodded to no one in particular. She signed her report and gave it to Doctor Crusher’s first assistant. She had close to fifteen minutes left to leave sickbay, and attend to her business in cargo bay fourteen. She tried not to contemplate about the deed she had to commit. It violated all of Starfleet’s rules and regulations, but she had no choice.

She exited with seven minutes to spare. She left as soon as seven minutes hit feeling luckier at that time than any other. She briskly made her way to the cargo bay smiling and nodding to the crew as they passed by her. The doors swished close behind her and a resounding deep clink signaled her safety from prying eyes.

She skirted several grey, metallic boxes and felt her way across some blue plastic barrels. She came across another series of grey crates and read the serial numbers coming to the last one. It stood three-fourths of her height with retangular panels bulging out in a uniform tile pattern. She located and touched the keypad and accessed the crate with the code she memorized minutes before. The side of the crate opened along with several other panels. It revealed a transporter console and a miniture particle buffer tank along with many fiber optic connections. She inserted the isolinear rod into the console station and read the schematics and started to put everything together.

Emily quickly went to work. She attached the fiber optic cables from the crate to the cargo bay’s transporter console and rerouted the security checks and protocols into the crate’s console. It would allow her to complete her task in complete secrecy. Next she bypassed several junctions and connected the create to the lower scanning levels of the sensor network and shielded the scanner as low frequency, faint, EM noise undetectable to regular scanning routines. With a minute to spare she stood at the console and began.

The scanners worked perfectly as it created a electronic picture of the battlefield littered with Federation, Klingon, and Romulan ships. Suddenly, before she continued she removed herself from the console and retraced her steps back to the doors to seal them closed while appeasing her mind. She walked back and reinitiated the scan. The first several ships shown no traced her of targeted subjects. The Melbourne, Constance, and Atlantis shown no traces. As she came across her next target the U.S.S. Saratoga she found four samples and quickly beamed them into the crate’s matterstream buffer. When the four bodies were loaded in she quickly erected the EM fields around each signal holding them intact. She smiled knowing that the new transporters had worked. The special trialeminite alloy of the crate easily masked and dampened any traced of the contents. When she completed her job she replaced and cleaned up her dirty work and stepped back into the corridors of the ship. She smiled and nodded to all that came by on her way to sickbay. They never suspected anything deviating from the normal.

 

Chapter Three

“Speeding things up…”

A week after Emily finished her job for Shelby the Enterprise docked at Starbase 313 in the Turel Sector. The cargo container along with a quarter of the cargo carried by the Enterprise was transported off and onto a cargo freighter called the S.S. McPherson, a Federation science vessel.

Shelby asked Darrow to transfer to the Prometheus, a Federation galaxy class vessel with a low lying job of patrolling the internal systems of the Federation. Emily accepted the assignment under the fact that she would be able to continue her research in a theoretical branch of neural science dealing with digital-to-neural and neural-to-digital transfer.

Darrow arrived on the Prometheus to find that the McPherson had delivered the cargo container holding the Borg drones and Shelby required her expertise to study the drones. Emily was assigned to work along side Doctor Evert Signaru an idea which she despised and vehemently rejected, but her complaints were filed and ignored and eventually she learned to work along side Doctor Signaru.

There were four Borg drones and a sanctioned project by Starfleet Research and Development Hostile Prevention Division called Project Akira. The Project was build around the idea of retrieving information from the Borg drones for use of developing a knowledge base on the Borg Collective and the possibility to find a way to create new weapons to counter the Borg. This advance would give Starfleet a major advance in defense technology against their greatest foe leaving the Klingons and Romulans at the mercy of the Collective. Project Akira needed new technology to penetrate the Borg minds to collect the knowledge without reviving the drones. Project Akira also called for a physical understanding of the Borg, and the nanites which developed the nanostructures within the biomass of an organic entity to create a nanite with capabilities to counter the effect of Borg nanites in a direct physical contact.

Doctor Signaru worked on creating a method to defend against the Borg nanites while Doctor Darrow continued her research to access the drone mind. Using the reports from Doctor Beverly Crusher she was able to finish her research in developing a method of accessing the Borg mind. In accessing Captain Picard’s mind only the Borg subfunctions were accessed to gain access to the Collective controls. Darrow needed to advance those ideas further to collect the memories and history of the Borg Collective from the individual, since the drone would also contain the memories of all the Collective. Also technical specifications and other pieces of knowledge were stored within the physical brain of the individual using a Borg digital-to-neural process. Darrow’s project was completed and under the direction of Commander Shelby the information from a drone called Akira zero-two was collected and returned to Starfleet Intelligence for review under several technical advisors and cryptologists. Her technique is based on her previous research into neural to digital interactions, Doctor Crusher’s and Mr. Data’s rudimentary research, and the in-depth study of the technology behind the Borg with the help of Doctor Signaru.

Doctor Signaru continued his work on collecting the nanites from Drone Akira zero-four and studying the physical biological make-up. With his work completed a method of reversing the Borgification process was implemented and testing on Drone Akira zero-three began. Testing on Drone Akira zero-three failed, and several complications needed to be smoothed out before Drone Akira zero-two and zero-one could be revived.

Drone Akira zero-two was revived first by the interest of Doctor Darrow. The physical removal of Borg technology was easily implemented. With the DNA purified again the trace concluded the subject to be named Akagi Kensuke, a Starfleet cadet. Unfortunately, the testing and other complications caused his brain to suffer damage despite their efforts.

 

Chapter Four

“And the Expert says…”

Doctor Michael Teller of Starfleet Psychiatric Research stepped aboard the Prometheus from his unregistered shuttle. He went straight for Doctor Signaru and Doctor Darrow standing by the airlock entrance way.

“Doctors.” he said extending his hand.

“Doctor Teller.” said Emily shaking his hand first. Evert did like wise.

“Congratulations on your paper. I hear the committee was very, very astonished by your discovery and advancements.”

“Thank you.” said Emily beaming.

“Now where is this patient? He’s a former Borg drone I understand?”

“Yes, right this way Doctor.” said Emily. The trio walked down the hallway to the science research laboratory.

“Excuse the mess.” said Evert looking around half embarassed. Fiber optic cables laid all over the tables along with optical circuit boards and various tools, scanners, and PADDs. Even so, Evert pushed a pile of PADDs, and computer pieces off a desk allowing Teller to have a place to set his briefcase down.

“Thank you.” said Teller as he did so. Emily quietly waited for him by a doorway leading into Kensuke’s room. Teller pulled out his notePADD and pen and followed Darrow into the small room.

“What’s his name?” Teller asked.

“His name is really Akagi Kensuke, but he doesn’t remember that. We call him Akira. He understands and acknowledges that name.”

“What did you want me to do?”

“I want you to give me an opinion.” said Emily.

“What would that be?”

“Is he worth saving?”

Emily and Evert sat outside of the small room as Doctor Teller continued his analysis of Akira. Emily tapped a PADD against the desk loudly. Evert listened to the rhythm and relaxed.

“Calm down Emily.” he finally said breaking her tapping.

Emily sighed in disgust. She hated to wait for things to happen. She pulled herself out of the chair, swept her hand across her hair and began to pace the room. She picked up odds and ends and placed them on the counters. Evert started to laugh.

“What?” she called.

“Calm down.” he said. “Can’t you take it easy for a moment?”

“What’s taking them so damn long?”

“You know your cute when your mad.”

“It should only take ten minutes to tell if he’s to schzoid to save.”

“You’re not even listening to me…”

“You know… I know what he’s going to say when he gets outta that room. He’s going to tell me that Akira’s not worth saving and it’ll be all of this time…”

“Spend agonizing over something that was worthless.”

She shot a glance at him.

“Remember Akira’s speech node might be hindering him from telling the Doctor what he needs to know.” said Evert.

“Yeah, yeah…”

Suddenly the door hissed and Teller stepped out inbetween the two doors.

“Doctor!?” said Emily hurriedly.

Teller stepped back trying to avoid Emily’s exuberance.

“Well, I don’t believe it’s worth it.” said Teller. “I don’t know how your going to get him to improve. He’s a lost cause. Now if you’ll excuse me I must go eat dinner.” he left the room and Emily standing in shock.

“Well, I was right.” said Evert.

Emily started to fume as she turned around.

“But, but!” yelled Evert swing across the desk he was sitting on. “But! Em! Em! Isn’t that want you wanted to hear?!”

“What?! Why…”

“Listen! You want him to tell you that you can’t do it and then you’ll get to prove that old goat wrong by saving Akira anyway.”

“I can’t save Kensuke. He’s right the memories are to degraded.” said Emily.

“I said Akira, not Kensuke.” said Evert. He sighed. “So you’re just goina’ give up?! Emily, that’s not like you. You asked Teller here because he’s the best there is, and if you could prove him wrong then you could do anything! That’s why you asked him here!”

Emily thought for a moment.

“I’m right again, aren’t I?” he said with a smile.

“Shut up Evert and help me!” she said motioning to Akira’s room.

They entered his room and looked at Akira. He was alseep again.

“How do you propose to do this?” asked Evert.

“I’ll transfer my memories into his mind.”

“Then he’ll be you. I don’t like that. I can handle one Emily Darrow.”

“Allright, some of your memories too.”

“I don’t like that, my memories and thoughts belong to me. Maybe we could fabricate them. Besides it needs to make coherent sense. You can’t just have one set of memories and then suddenly have a second conflicting set. It would drive him insane.”

“All right, all right, I can use the file format from the download procedure and use the holomatrix to program a new set of memories. Meanwhile, we can uplink and download the abstract parts of our minds into him to improve his language and thinking abilities.”

“Good, just one problem.”

“What’s that?”

“Your not a good fiction writer. I looked at your PADD while you were sleeping that one day.”

Emily’s eyes widened. “How dare you!” she cried as she lunged toward him.

 

Chapter Five

“Reborn from the ashes of Akagi Kensuke…”

Needless to say, Emily Darrow and Evert Signaru were successful in reintegrating a new personality into the body of Akagi Kensuke and gave him a new lease on life in the process. Emily sat and wondered for a long time after she had completed the transfer and suppression processes with his mind. Did she do the right thing? Kensuke would be only a dream within Akira’s mind. Kensuke was the one they had to save, but instead they replaced his existence with Akira. Akira would harbor his own emotions, thoughts, and ideas. Well, rather he would harbor a combination of Emily’s and Evert’s ideas and naturally develop his own in time, but they would only be extensions of Evert and Emily’s ideas. Eventually, Shelby informed Emily that Akira had to be transferred and that the memories of the Prometheus had to also be suppressed. Emily agreed and allowed it to be done. She gave him up to Michael Teller and soon Teller and Akira returned to Earth to complete a psychological evaluation and process of reintegration into society.

By the end of that year Emily was nominated to take the coveted CMO position at Starfleet Medical and the medical board voted her into office. She accepted and left the Prometheus and Shelby forever. Shelby’s parting words were, “No need to thank me. Your welcome, Emily.” Both Emily and Evert married on Earth at that time. Emily continued to keep track of Teller and Akira’s progress never assuring herself fully of the decision she made. A year later she retired and continued to follow Evert as he ventured off to an outpost called New Australia to continue his work in biological warfare and genetic and viral creation.

Teller concluded his medical evaluation with Akira. The knowledge that Akira held made him applicable for Lieutenant Commander in the field of Engineering, which was what Akagi Kensuke would have become. Instead Starfleet assigned Akira to Deep Space Nine as an assistant to Chief O’Brien. Several months after the Dominion came into existence and the first utterances of the name “War Nations” appeared Akira was reassigned to the U.S.S. Atlantis as the new Chief of Engineering proving his worth as a Starfleet officer on the station.

 

Chapter Six

“7 months later…”

In the time span of seven months Akira has seen a multitude of events happen to the crew and vessel from the scientifically bizarre to major political events to the animal instinct of his crew members under states of delusion and normality.

Doctor Ray Durst boarded the vessel during a drydock operation to meet with Mr. Akira about the events that have transpired in the past. Mr. Akira allowed the appointment to be scheduled for that time period.

“Mr. Akira.” said Durst as he met him at the doorway to his quarters.

“Ah, hey, Doctor… Durst?” said Akira uncertain. “Is that right?” he said extending his hand.

“Yes, Ray Durst.” he said accepting and shaking Akira’s hand. “Where shall we begin?”

“In my quarters will be fine, unless you want to go somewhere else?”

“It will be fine here.” said Durst entering. He took a seat and Akira did the same. “Well,” he began setting a shiny, small, metallic, rectangular device on the table between them. It was a digital recorder. “Let’s begin, shall we, I just need to make the index first.”

“Okay.”

“Computer, input the stardate, Earth date, time, and the subject is Mr. Akira, and this interview is conducted by Doctor Ray Durst, Starfleet Medical Psychiatric Ward, San Francisco.”

“Index recorded.” said the computer.

“Well, Mr. Akira it’s been around seven months. How are you?”

“I’m fine.” he retorted with a smile.

“That’s good. Now I want to ask you about the events that have transpired since we last talked.”

“How’s Teller?”

“Oh, he’s retired and moved on. Now, let’s discuss the Furies incident. Your Captain has it that the Furies engaged the vessel and did overcome the ship with fear.”

“Yeah.”

“What happened to you?”

“I was down in engineering, my first assistant… Claude … that bastard … anyway … went to sit at my desk and suddenly this wave of fear and anxiety came over me. I didn’t know what was going on, next thing I know someone’s, several someone’s are talking to me.”

“Yes, I have the report from the medic who reported to engineering, Doctor Brooke Dolan. She says here that, you had phased out of reality.”

Akira shrugged and said, “I don’t what happened. I remember I hear an angelic voice.”

“You mean her voice.”

“Must have been, I was seeing something akin to dying, seeing Heaven, God…”

“You have a fear of angels, God, and the such?”

“It’s that whole cultism mentality. I’m Atheist. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, mind you.”

“Oh, of course not.”

“I mean the Commies were Atheist, but I’m not a Commie.”

“I understand, high proponent of the Capitalist way. I understand. Now … let me see. This vessel faced the War Nations at the border between the two territories, and was wrongfully framed.”

“Right.”

“All right, but” said Durst looking at his notePADD. “Let’s start with New Australia. There was a distress call from the station, and when you boarded you met Doctor Emily Signaru and her family?”

“Yes, Well… actually I witnessed her husband commit suicide, and she was ready to kill us. The await team consisted of Mr. Shane Johnson, Mr. Kang, my first assistant Ami Ursal, and several others, who unfortunately never made it.”

“I see.”

“What happened…”

“Some biological experiment went wrong that caused the crew and inhabitants of New Australia to turn into zombies, or zombie-like. That’s how I put it.”

“Right.”

“I dunno how it happened, but it got onto the ship and next think I know the half the crew is having sex in the hallways.”

“Oh… god…” said Durst. “Really?” he said in disbelief.

“Oh yeah. It came about because of the virus. A strand of it must have mutated and spread through the vessel.”

“Um… is this… how all of the children…”

“Yeah.”

“All of them…”

“Oh yeah.”

“And you?”

“I was fine.”

“You were. No sexual desires or…”

“None… I ended up helping Doctor Yanus. I did have a very awkward encounter with the Captain and Commander, which is a very…”

“Moving on.” said Durst coughing loudly. Akira got the picture. “Afterwards you were left in charge, when the Captain and Commander were imprisoned by the War Nations council.”

“Yeah, those were fabricated charges.”

“Noted. Well, you were left in charge according to the Captain’s duty log.”

“Yes I was.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Well, after the Captain and Commander were taken we were reassigned by Starfleet to fight in another engagement along the border. The war was just beginning right then. We engaged the War Nations ships and one of the vessels launched a trilithium dreadnought toward Earth and several other targets. Needless to say, Captain Blackthorne and Commander Stecker escaped and with their help and the use of a Galaxy class ship and the dreadnought was destroyed. Commander Stecker also gave birth to her child, I believe.”

“Ah… Well, thank you for saving all of us.”

“I’m sure the Captain will agree, it was nothing.”

“I’m sure.”

“Anything else happen after that?”

“After what?”

“After the dreadnought was destroyed.”

“Oh, I left the bridge, putting MaryJo in charge, and went to… engineering” Akira lied. “Sorry can’t remember everything. I went to engineering eventually, after making a check of the vessel.”

“Okay.”

“Finally, DCPP.” said Durst.

“Yes, our DCPP was installed by Ami Ursal, my first assistant, and it began to believe it was god, and took over the holodeck.”

“Yes, I have reports from the U.S.S. Yeager and U.S.S. Enterprise along with other vessels and stations that were apart of the testing. Incredible. I read your technical report and evaluation which I found interesting, along with your first assistants, and the Doctor Dolan’s.”

“Well, it was basically screwing with us.”

“Now, Doctor Signaru seems, seemed to have an understanding.” suddenly Durst stopped. “Oh, wait, Doctor Signaru’s conscious merged with yours…”

“Yes.” Akira said smiling.

“Okay what happened?”

“Well, I had asked both Dolan and Emily to help stabilize the computer personality. I thought taking a psychologist’s approach would be more helpful. Dolan is certifiable as an onboard psychiatrist, and Signaru is, or rather, was certifiable in computer cyberpscyhodynamics, which is the field created around this branch of digital neural science.”

“Right.”

“Well, the DCPP messed with us and eventually I entered into the computer’s matrix. That experience was incredible. I actually felt like… I was omnipotent in there.”

“Like God?”

“Well, all right that’s exaggerating it. I was able to see everything happening on the massive neural network. I was able to materialize myself on the Enterprise and they soon came to our aid. Doctor Signaru followed me into the neural network, and she’s telling me that Ami soon did afterward while our bodies lay comatose in sickbay.”

“It’s said here that the Nurse Luann saw your first assistant attempt the uplink.”

“I suppose so, yeah she did it against orders from the CMO. Of course Ami tells me that she was passed out on her desk. Eventually Ami did, but to no avail, and it was the handiwork of both Doctors who finally revived me. Doctor Signaru sacrificed her life and merged her personality into me to save me. It would seem as the computer found a more conventional way for a neural-to-digital uplink possible.”

“Incredible.” said Durst astounded. “Well, let’s take a short break, and we can begin with the crew…” he said turning off the recorder.

 

Chapter Seven

“The Intrepid crew of the Atlantis…”

Durst returned from the bathroom and a drink and sat down again.

“Sorry, couldn’t find the bathroom.” he said.

“I know, that’s a bitch.”

“Now, let’s begin with the crew.” Durst reached over and turned on the recorder. “Let’s start with the original crew.”

“I didn’t know them very well.”

“You mean Doctor Thomas Riley, Doctor Jeffery Sprint, Senior Lieutenant Likrat, Ms. Kala Sabin, and the like.”

“Yeah.” said Akira uncertain of those names.

“Well, what are your thoughts on the Captain and Commander?”

“I think the Captain is argumentative, but a man of action, but overall I don’t like him so much. The Commander… I find her accent annoying.”

“She’s German?”

“Right. I’ve never talked with her much. The occasional hello, goodbye. You know… The Captain and Commander argue a lot between themselves and at the most possibly worst times like in the middle of a battle they’re having a petty argument. Well, I say it’s petty.”

“How so?”

“Well, it’s about, it’s not even about what’s happening.”

“Do you like them?”

“I would have to say overall, not really.”

“How about the Ambassador?”

“Who’s that?”

“Nevermind.”

“No, no… we have an ambassador? I’ve never met him.”

“Her, she’s the Captain’s wife.”

Akira blinked.

“He’s married?”

“Yes.”

“Well…” said Akira trying to think.

“Jaina Blackthorne. Ambassador to Starfleet…”

“What does she look like.”

“How should I know, I’m not on the ship. Look let’s just go on… The Counselor, she’s a new member to the vessel, what do you think of her.”

“I don’t like her.”

“Why?”

“She’s a counselor. I think she’s a Freudian counselor too. You know she’ll turn everything you say…”

“Yes, yes, I know… believe me she is not. So you dislike her on the basis that she’s a counselor?”

“That’s right.”

“Mr. Shane Johnson?”

“Nice guy, he’s a computer guy…”

“Good!” said Durst. “How about Commander Maryjo Keane?”

“I left her in charge of the bridge that one day, but I don’t speak with her much. I know she’s married now.”

“But you could like her as a fellow officer.”

“Probably not. I probably would never connect with her. I mean she’s a family person. I’m not. I don’t think I would like her…”

“All right… Lieutenant Jonathan Keane?”

“I was his best man at the wedding and hosted his bachelor’s party. Overall I don’t know him to well, except that he married.”

“Ms. Rufian?”

“Who?”

“Let’s move on!!” cried Durst annoyed.

“Mr. Kang?”

“We drank a lot. He was upset over something. I dunno what, but I’m guessing it’s the Captain and Commander. Did I mention they had a child together? I mean the Captain and Commander…”

“Let’s not travel that road.”

“Okay.”

“Now, Mr., oh sorry, Ms. Nadia Kiapen?”

“Mr. Kiapen.” sneered Akira. “Yeah, I know about her…”

“What about her.”

“I dunno, but when I find out…”

“You just dislike her because…”

“Because I dunno! I just call her that.”

“That doesn’t make any sense!” said Durst rubbing his head.

“Does it have to? Not that there’s anything wrong with that.”

“Of course not.” said Durst.

“Then let’s move on!”

“Doctor Brooke Dolan?” said Durst.

Akira shrugged.

“What!!!!! You’ve worked with the Doctor more than anyone else and you can’t thinking of anything to say about her!?!? You have to have some feeling other than dislike!”

“She’s a Doctor.” said Akira quietly.

“I KNOW THAT!!!!” said Durst flipping out.

“I… I can’t say, I… just don’t… she’s…” he said struggling to find something. “I’m not so fond of the medical staff!” Akira finally blurted out.

“Ahhh!!!” cried Durst as he started to pace. “She saved your life!!!”

“How?”

“DCPP? The Furies!?”

“Oh, well… Debt repaid for the Furies…” he said pointing his finger at Durst.

“What about Doctor Carnegie?!”

“Hardly know him!”

“Nurse Luann!?”

“Who?!”

“Bert!?!!!”

“Who’s Bert!!!” cried Akira. “I’ve never heard of a Bert!!!”

“Bert, the freakin’ Deuterium Fuel Gauger!!!” sneered Durst angrily.

“Who?! What?!”

“That’s it!! I give up!!! You sir, are still screw up!! They should lock you up!”

“For being antisocial?!!?”

“Exactly!! You struggle to find a nice think to say about the crew you serve with!!”

“I don’t even know half the crew!”

“Exactly!!!! You don’t like most of the crew you do know!!”

“Well, yeah, not that there…”

“NOT THAT THERE’S ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT!!! I KNOW THAT!!!!” screamed Durst at the top of his lungs. “I give up!! Is there anyone on this bleedin’ starship you actually enjoy the presence of!!!”

“Um… oh, there…”

 

Chapter Eight

“Jesus, you’re the most level headed person I’ve ever met…”

Durst sat across from Ami Ursal and began the recorder again. He quickly spoke the index information and began with Ami.

“So tell me about yourself.” said Durst.

“I graduated the Academy, top ten percent of my class, well I was at the bottom of that top ten percent, but I was assigned this post on the Atlantis. My parents pretty much had me play sports, I was never good at it. They asked me to play an instrument, I still sometimes do. It’s the piano by the way. Whenever I can get into the holodeck. Um.. I enjoy art and sketch on occasion because I can’t find time to paint and my parents also pushed me into engineering.”

“That’s it?”

“Yeah.”

“Nothing traumatic?”

“Nope. Well, we’ve been in combat several times. It wasn’t so traumatic now that I think about it.”

“It says here, that the former first assistant was an Anti-Federation and War Nations sympathizer and he lead a mutiny onboard the vessel.”

“Yeah, it was horrible. He killed a lot of the engineering staff. I was shocked, but I’m over it now.”

“No bad memories, or?”

“Well, I had a nightmare or two, but nothing I couldn’t overcome. I kinda fear dying and death, but I guess you kinda get immune to it over time.”

“Right.”

“After the former first assistant left you became the new first assistant.”

“Yeah.”

“And that’s when you met and befriended Mr. Akira.”

“Well, I always knew him, I just never spoke with him. I handed him reports and such.”

“You’re a good worker?”

“Yes. I do everything on time. Always make sure I can get the job finished.”

Durst nodded.

“What do you think about Mr. Akira.”

“Well… we’re friends.”

“Let’s start from the beginning of this friendship.”

“Okay.”

“How did you meet?”

“I went to his quarters to deliver the damage report of the vessel. He was there and I started out of his quarters and he just asked to talk with me. So I sat down and we started talking. I guess he just needed to offload. Well, we connected, and we’re friends.”

“Really.” said Durst smiling.

She nodded. “Well… okay I kinda…” Ami stopped. “This is all confidential right? You won’t tell him?”

“Of course I won’t tell him, and yes it’s all confidential.”

“We’re friends, but I have feelings more than that for him.” she said looking away.

“That’s a natural evolution for a friendship between a man and a woman.”

“Although, I don’t think he notices, I think he likes someone else.” she said. “I’m not jealous or anything, I hope him all the best, I really do.”

“Well, who is it?” said Durst remembering the events that transpired from the last interview. He came to interview Ami with the understanding that Akira didn’t like the crew, or that he might be masking his true feelings. Ami’s testimony to him would give him a better understanding.

“I can’t say.” said Ami. “But I know. He’s alluded to it before.”

“You know.”

“Yeah, I know.” she said smiling. “But it’s friend-to-friend confidentiality. I can’t tell you.”

“She’s a real person onboard this ship?”

“Yes.”

“Is she…”

“Look, I can’t tell you, or give you any more hints at the moment.”

“All right, all right. Well, I’m done here. I just have this to say, you, young lady, are the most level headed person I have ever met. I, being a psychologist, have met many people but you are the most level headed. No vendetta, no hatred, and you truly care for you friend and your job. I hope you the best of luck and please watch out for Mr. Akira.”

“Thanks Doc. I’ll watch out for Akira, and I guess everything else is in order.” she lied with a smile.