Star Trek
Rise of the Machines
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A P T E R 4 Terry entered the partially destroyed Starship. It still seemed huge, even though it was actually one of the smallest ships in the Federation Fleet. "Please, help me bring her to Sickbay." The Android stood up. There was a small device placed on his waist that was allowing the motors in his legs to function. "I believe there are a few morgue chambers there." Terry agreed and picked the Ensign up by her arms. This was so freaky, but Terry was getting used to the weirdnesses. "How are you able to walk?" The Android's walking wasn't the best, as his leg movements seemed jittered and spasmodic. "I reconfigured an energy transfer module from one of the computers. It does not work so well, but for technology outdated by 600 years it is doing... okay." They went down a hallway. "Unfortunately, the device is only powered from within the Starship." "So you can't leave?" "No. But all I intend on doing is getting this vessel working again." They stopped at a broken turbilift. "We must find another way." After returning a few other dead personnell to the morgues, they made thier way back to the Bridge. Thier survey reported that Decks 4 and 5 were compacted into a single Deck. Terry sat a console and studied it. As time went by, he found studying this more fun than actual school work. Hours went by, as the Android moved throughout the vessel trying to figure out Systems and conduits. Terry approached him. "Do you have another name?" "...My type of Android is usually referred to as Beta Program." "Why?" The Beta Android continued tapping at panels. "In the future, when machines become more sentient, divisions and wars will occur. In the era I am from, the Androids are divided amungst each other." "Robotic war..." "Nevertheless, my people were built on a new program. The Beta. We are flawless, unlike the Alpha Program which contains unethical programming." The computer suddenly beeped, reporting dignostic failures. Beta Android shook his head. "This vessel is... difficult to repair. I cannot process this 24th Century technology." "I don't know. It doesn't look too difficult. The shapes and directory categorizations are a little off structured than I'm used to with my computer, but I think I can access information." Terry went over to panel to get back to studying it. This did not concern the Beta, as he went back to his work. The Warp Core was still in tact in Engineering. As the days went on. Terry gave it to himself to visit the Nova Starship every night. There was something new onboard he discovered every time. At school, sleep would overtake him, in class. His nights were spent from 9 to 6 in the morning when he had to get ready for school. His mother didn't notice anything different with him, nor did his friends... until one night Terry came across something outstanding. He accessed the console of Holodeck 2. With backup power online thanks to the Beta Android, this was the only working Holodeck on the ship. In an instant, environments were created. Places on Earth, beaches on Risa, mountians on Vulcan, cities on Qo'Nos... Fighting situations, extreme sports, training programs, holo-novels... It was all there in the database, and night after night he'd bring up a new one, playing the most extreme games he'd ever play in his life. In Gym Class he noticed his own muscles building. Battle of Kah'Less, he thought; Or was it the orbital kick-boxing? The Holodeck seemed to be sharpening his hand eye co-ordination as he played a quick game of basketball with his class one day. Slam dunk!! He leaped right by Jim Matthew's, the top player on the School Team. "Hey!" Jim cried. The crowd cheered as others came in to watch. By this time, a lot of miscellaneus people were noticing a definite change in Terry. One night he accessed Vulcan Love Slave 2. "Ooo, kinky..." He said to himself as he went on to Basic Starfleet Training Program Omega. In School, sometimes all he could think about was Joanne Fenton. "Hey," she said to him as she passed by him in the hallways. Terry was speechless as his friend, Dane, nudged him. "She just said hello, man!" Terry was making so much progress in his life, mentally and physically, he realized he still didn't have the nerve to speak with Joanne normally. Every other girl he could talk to like they were another guy. "Damn!" He cursed. With that, Dane dragged Terry on. It wasn't much of a secret that Terry was in love with Joanne. Even the Teachers in the Coffee Room would talk about him. "That kid's got serious issues, I'll-tell-you-what." One teacher would say. - "Personally, I'm against all romance." Another teacher would go on. To Terry, school was more social sometimes than a learning institution. |
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