driftfleet | (no subject)

Who: Dr. Crusher
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Marsiva
When: Now

[The first thing Beverly becomes aware of is how cold she is. Something must be wrong with the environmental controls. She rolls over on her side and opens her eyes. Time to call Geordi-

Suddenly she sits up in alarm. This is not her bed. These are not her quarters. And this is certainly not the Enterprise. A big picture window on the other side of the room, open to the familiar view of a star field flying past, tells her that this is a starship of some sort, at least, though the design is not like any she’s ever seen before.

Reflexively, she taps the place on her chest where her combadge would normally be located. Upon discovering its disappearance, she clutches at the empty space on her uniform. Take some deep breaths. One, two. Okay, what’s the last thing you remember? They were all in Will’s quarters, playing poker, and Deanna was triumphantly revealing a royal flush, then … nothing.

Standing up, she begins to search the area for anything that might give her a clue as to what’s happened. That’s when she finds the communicator, sitting on a small table near her bunk. Tentatively, she turns it on, ignoring for the moment the disconcerting fact that she knows exactly how this device works, despite its obvious differences from Starfleet communicators.]

Hello? If anybody is listening, this is Dr. Beverly Crusher of the U.S.S. Enterprise. I am trying to get in contact with my ship. Please respond.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Well, there's Commander Data, who's the first android to serve as an officer aboard a Starfleet vessel, and Dr. Selar, whose species values logic and reason and learning above all else, and maybe especially Hugh, who like you, is both a biological and mechanical being.

Hugh?

Yes, Hugh... [She pauses, not sure if she's ready to explain the Borg right now.]

Hugh is a cyborg. We helped him rediscover his individuality after it was taken from him.

What do you mean by 'individuality'? Did he have his own brain?

Physically, yes. But he was forcibly added to a ... hive of cyborgs that share a collective consciousness. When we first found him, he had no sense of himself as a singular, autonomous person.

[ She's making a face. That sounds awful, even though there are some similarities with ELNs networked to their ship.

She's always been too individual, anyway. ]

[ELN's expression is a very appropriate reaction when it comes to the Borg.]

I know. He did manage to help free some others in the collective later, but... there are countless numbers of people still under their control.

Well, I'm not like that. The majority of my genome matches human.

Hugh was once fully human. What happened to him... I am glad you have not experienced such a thing.

A large measure of individuality is necessary for the purpose of the ELN line.

ELN line? Are you manufactured, then?

Yes. Biologically, with appropriate genetic randomization.

I see. [Clearly she is uncomfortable with this, so she shifts topics.]

What is your job at home?

My function is as a communications officer and coordination specialist. I also had significant duties in repair and maintenance.

Multi-talented, I see! Do those talents extend beyond ship duties ...any instruments you might play or sports you enjoy or maybe art of some sort?

No.

[... okay, then.]

Nothing you do for fun?

I'm supposed to find my duties fun.

"Supposed to"? That's very different from actually finding them fun.

[ She folds her tiny arms. ]

Are my abilities insufficient?

I'm sure they are quite sufficient. But well... I'm a doctor, and a good one. I suppose I could be satisfied with just that, but I've always wanted other challenges, other interests to pursue. Variety is the spice of life, after all.

[ She's at a bit of a loss for what to say, so she repeats what she has been told, what she has always known: ] The ELN series was created to be companionship for sentient interstellar craft, for long journeys through light speed. Without companions, the sentient ships were unstable.

[ a beat. ]

With it, they're just boring.

[ No, she's not happy. ]

[Oh, now we're getting somwhere! She'll have to ask more about these sentient ships later. They sound fascinating.]

You see? This is where a hobby might come in useful ... it's hard to be bored when you're engaged in learning a new skill. Besides, you never know when some skill that is seemingly unrelated to your job might come in handy.

[She thinks for a moment.]

Have you ever played chess? It's a game based on logic and strategy, you would probably be very good at it.

ELNs who develop skills unrelated to their jobs are placed in other jobs.

Or culled.

[Now it's Beverly's turn to look shocked.]

They cull you? Simply for showing an interest in new skills?

[That's ... barbaric.]

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