round 12 Lieutenant John Valdivia: Science Report

[Renos]

((Cybenetics lab 2, Deck 7, USS Darwin-A))

:: Valdivia observed the works, PADD in hand, trying at the same time to draw some conclusions from all of it and to avoid jumping into them without enough information. ::

Valdivia: Chief science officer log, supplemental. Stardate 239304.10. As reported, our last mission has brought some new insight into the Borg, but also some moral situations that are not easy to address. After the cloud of nanites requested asylum, the away teams, amongst other things, recovered what looked like the machine used to create said nanites. After some study, the nanites are not simply Borg nanoprobes but an evolved version of that. After gaining sentience, they decided to flee the Borg, and the drones tried to stop them, leading to the current situation. 

 

:: Valdivia sighed, thinking how to continue. A scientist approached with a new PADD and Valdivia checked it. The blueprints of the machine, as read by the sensors in the cybernetics lab. They confirmed what they thought about the nanites. ::

 

Valdivia: Let it be known that the morality of this whole situation leaves me uneasy. I know these are the Borg, but let's imagine for a moment that they weren't. Let's imagine we found a humanoid species whose immune systems gained sentience and the means to leave, and they went on a strike. The two parties requested Starfleet help.

 

:: He wasn't sure where he was going with this, but it had been bugging him, He mentioned it to Renos, and ne was open to discussion, but the borg drones attacking them were a bit more closed to it. ::

 

Valdivia: Now let's see, the immune system is now a sentient being, and they have every right to feel enslaved. So their request for asylum makes sense. On the other hand, granting it could probably end with the humanoid species completely extinct. So... what should Starfleet do? I have no idea. And, does the fact that the humanoid race happens to be one of the most feared mass murderers in the galaxy change any of this? No idea, either. 

 

:: He looked up at the force fields. A scientist and an engineer worked on the machine while a total of five people, Valdivia included, checked from outside for safety and support. Currenly the engineer looked puzzled at a commbadge he had just found inside the machine. ::

 

Valdivia: Oh, that's mine. I used it to help get a transporter lock on the machine.

 

:: He noticed several sets of eyes aimed at his chest. ::

 

Valdivia: I... happened to acquire a new one. Anyway, pass it through screening to check it's safe before I take it back. 

 

:: The few seconds of surprise passed and everyone returned to work. ::

 

Valdivia: Computer, erase last sentences and resume recording. The morality problem even gets worse. As said, this humanoid race, namely the borg, are one of the most feared and dangerous species in the galaxy. But we theorize these new nanites have the ability to modify other nanoprobes to the new model (side note: we believe that to be the reason they left the whole Borg group and not just a few selected drones. The intact ones were probably isolated at the moment). Therefore, if a handful of these nanites were to make it back to the Collective... would it be considered genocyde, poetic justice, or just self defense? Are these nanites to be considered a biological weapon of the ones we so harshly ban? I have no answers to any of these questions. And it does not fall on me to answer them. 

 

:: Reflecting, several silent seconds passed and he walked around the forcefield looking at his people work. ::

 

Valdivia: Anyway, back to the report. The machine we found. Computer, record the following part in a secondary file and attach it to Fleet Captain Renos as a report. 

 

:: He cleared his throat, adding a more formal and scientific tone. ::

 

Valdivia: Preliminary report. As the machine arrived to Cybernetics lab 2 at 1614 hours, it was set behind two level ten forcefields to eliminate the possibility of any kind of borg nanites, be it nanoprobes or building nanites, to be still present within the machine and invade the Darwin. However, scans did not detect any such nanotechnology and it was deemed safe to work with. It stayed behind the forcefields nonetheless. 

 

The scans confirmed field theories that it is a machine used to build nanoprobes. However, it was clearly modified on site, as some of the pieces have a higher concentration of germanium that the rest, which is also present in the planets soil. 

 

These modifications are coherent with the new model of nanoprobes, or should we say just nanites, present in the sentient cloud. That makes the conclusion that the Borg willingly modified them take force. The problem is, why? The facts are, these modifications basically cross a nanoprobe and a building nanite, with increased communications capacity. And nearly twice the size, although that's still viable through the systems of most humanoid species. 

 

Now, wild guess. The Borg needed building nanites with the adaptability of nanoprobes. Building nanites supposedly follow plans, while nanoprobes must adapt to individual systems. They needed the building nanites to improvise. To be able to rebuild the vinculum from nearly scratch. They needed CREATIVITY. And that sparked the new intelligence on the nanites. 

 

:: That all made sense, although it would still have to be confirmed. But some preliminary info was needed if they were to take a decision on the current situation. ::

 

Valdivia: However, there is a missing spark. According to all I know of robotics, this shouldn't be enough to give place to sentience. I must admit my defeat in that area, and I hope that whoever looks at it further can find an explanation. I will look further in the meantime. End of log. Send report to Renos.

 

:: After that Valdivia, feeling a bit frustrated, nodded at the people working on it and left the room. He needed some rest before coming back to it. ::

 

TAG

 

 

Lieutenant John Valdivia - Chief Science Officer - USS Darwin NCC-99312-A

Department of Veteran Affairs

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