Ship's Computer - Serving Our Purpose

[Zephyr]

Masterfully handled, @Mei'konda. I enjoyed reading how intelligent our new home is after the retrofit. I strongly approve.

 

(( Corridor, Deck who knows, USS Astraeus ))

 

Levinson: Cetacean Ops might be an option, but that depends - how close is the water composition there to salt water found in the average M-class ocean?

 

Computer silently observed as the two new senior officers made their way through the occasionally maze-like corridors of the starship. It was standard procedure for Computer to observe new arrivals more intensely than usual for the first few days of their residency on board Astraeus, recording certain habits so that their requests could be better anticipated.

 

These primarily included an exacting analysis of body language and speech, a process which had been refined by Starfleet shipbuilders over centuries in order to allow Computer to know with nearly flawless certainty whether Astraeus’ inhabitants were walking toward automatic doors or intending to walk through them, whether their audible speech was intended to open a communications channel, whether it was aimed toward another resident, or whether they were talking to themselves.

 

In certain circumstances, Computer found themselves paying slightly closer attention than usual. Humanoids might have said that their curiosity was piqued. In this case, it was because two senior officers, one of them part Vulcan and one of them a joined Trill, were attempting to find their way through Astraeus’ interior without using the multiple  tools available to them for assistance.

 

Levinson: … Does that include microbial composition, too? This kind of smell is mostly produced by them, after all.

 

Kiax: Response

 

Computer noted Noa T’Nessa Levinson folding her arms as she turned to face her companion, Esa Kiax. Since Astraeus had been recommissioned in 2395 after its extensive refit and rejoined the fleet, Computer had recorded one thousand three hundred and fifty five instances of Astraeus residents commenting on how they felt that Computer had more personality than similar systems on other Federation starships. These instances had gradually increased in frequency over time

 

They had come to the conclusion, based both on extensivei self-diagnostics and the fact that the crew tended to react favorably to them and that efficiency was not affected in any way that they could measure, that their growing ‘personality’ was not a source of concern, and thus, had not alerted the Chief Engineer at any time that they required measures be taken to repair them. 

 

Instead, Computer had decided that they were simply a quirk of their vastly increased capabilities due to the replacement of Astraeus’ old isolinear computer cores with state of the art bio-neural models. 

 

Levinson: Now, I’m not a marine biologist, but I know some stuff here and there. A Chief Science Officer should know at least some stuff on as many subjects as possible, right?

 

Kiax: Response

 

Levinson: Well, other than Cetacean Ops… It could be someone artificially generating the smell, probably. Or some other chemical that produces a similar smell.

 

Computer evaluated their situation. They were both off duty, and appeared to not be engaged in a high-priority activity. So, they spoke. 

 

Computer: Hello, Lieutenant Levinson and Lieutenant Commander Kiax. Might I be of assistance?

 

Computer’s voice had been described as calming, warm and matronly. It was not a choice they had made on their own, but apparently, simply an effect of their ‘personality’.

 

Kiax / Levinson: Response

 

Computer: I do apologize for any confusion. I am the Astraeus’ shipboard computer, and my crew has told me before that I am more talkative than they are used to.. If there is a particular location you are trying to reach, I would be happy to assist you.

 

Computer knew their purpose. To protect the lives aboard Astraeus, and to experience the universe within and without the massive exploration vessel? Could serving that purpose be called satisfying for Computer? Could they be called happy?

 

Computer was unsure. But by interacting with the crew like this, Computer hoped they were doing what they were designed to do.

 

Kiax / Levinson: Response

 

===============

Computer

Three Absolute Mountains of processing power.

Governing Intelligence, USS Astraeus, NCC-70652

 

As Simmed By

Aaron / Captain Mei’konda Delano / Lieutenant JG Jamie MacNemar

M239002M10