0001: A New Beginning

[crux_mods]

Whatever your activities before, they're interrupted by a sudden lurching feeling, like someone's put a hook into the pit of your very being and yanked. There's a brief burst, a brilliantly twisting tunnel? And then silence. Stars fill your vision, along with bodies, machines, and not much else before everything mercifully goes black. The shock of it, more than the lack of air.

And then, there's sound. There's not much at first. Beeping. Lots of beeping. Some of it is irritatingly loud, and apparently it's the cause of a lot of excitement. When vision returns, the first thing to note would be alien writing blinking in your field of vision, displayed on a monitor or a clear bubble somewhere. Alien, but familiar enough for you to read "Awakening". Whatever that means, you're apparently not alone, as people in black and white uniforms are rushing through the large room you're in, the room filled with people hooked up to all kinds of machines. Of course, some of them don't look entirely like people.

All of a sudden, a haggered face fills your field of vision. "Great Shades of Elvis! Another one! Look, please remain calm." The poor nurse turns and starts to fiddle with some of the machines surrounding you. "There's been an accident, but you're okay. Try to stay quiet and don't disturb the other patients. Someone will be with you in a moment." They turn away to shout across the room, as if that wouldn't disturb anyone. "Hoi, Oglaf! Mark this one as alive so Security can take them for the briefing!" He gestures at some official looking people in red and black uniforms assisting other patients into wheelchairs. "Just flag one of them down, they'll take you to the briefing. We'll explain everything. Just don't panic, you're in good hands." He grins and pats your shin. "Welcome to the Fleet, eh? 'scume, someone else is starting to budge and I gotta make sure it's not some poor sot swallowed his tongue again." With that, he leaves you alone with your thoughts and the bright lights.

[Medical Arrival | Hangar Arrival | Briefing | Post-Briefing 1 | Post-Briefing 2]

Comments

[crux_npcs]

Well, that was quick and painless. Something they can appreciate.

"Thank you for the honest answers. And, yes, the briefing will supply you with more information. Please hold on."

There's a long pause, and then a data readout of Data is inputted. Down to the materials used in his construction. Someone has taken care in scanning him, it seems. According to the results there, nothing seems to be seriously damaged or missing. They don't seem to be cheating him, at least. "Are our records correct in that this is your body, Lt. Commander Data?"

[positronically]

That's the nice thing about dealing with a being with no emotions: He's not going to become combative or rude or angry.

He scans the specs, looking them over in every detail. Especially the positronic pathways. It wouldn't do to come back to his self without a properly working mind, after all.

"That is correct. However, I will admit that I am troubled by the implications, here. The neural net of my positronic brain is a very delicate system. I will need some reassurances that it has not been damaged. Is it safe to assume that you simply downloaded my consciousness? Or did you physically remove my brain to hook it into your computers?"

[crux_npcs]

"We just downloaded your consciousness. Your positronic systems were more delicate than we're used to, but our own legal code says that we can't study a non-hostile intelligent being's systems without their permission." If he'd been a human-killing murder machine, they could have picked him apart cheerfully. But since he wasn't, well. "Everything is in place. There might be some residual damage from your transport, but we didn't pick up anything too out of place. You're more familiar, however."

It's a few more minutes before they finally ask, "Are you satisfied? We can begin the installation at any point."

[positronically]

"I am satisfied. You may begin."

He definitely didn't like being without his body, it wasn't exactly a new sensation, but never one that he ever became easy with.

[crux_npcs]

"Please hold."

It's about ten minutes real-time. Possibly longer in the computer. But after that, Data's suddenly in his body again. No fuss, no muss. There are some wires still attached, but they're being professionally removed by personnel in all-black uniforms, while a trio in black and red watch him carefully. An armed trio, at that.

A short, rather hairy individual suddenly leans over Data, shining a light in his eyes. "Visual input fine? Can you hear me?" He snaps his fingers a bit, moving the light to see if Data's eyes track it.

[positronically]

Data is used to working with human limitations and human speeds, so he occupies himself by running through his encyclopedic knowledge of just about anything he can think of. It's a diagnostic, in a way, to make certain that the download (and subsequent re-upload) did not erase parts of his memory.

And even if it did, he wouldn't remember them being gone. So he's unconcerned for now.

Data's pupils do constrict against the light, an automatic function built in to his photoreceptors. But he does not blink, nor does he attempt any 'funny business.' Although he does raise one mildly intrigued eyebrow at the three armed guards.

"I can hear and see you, thank you. Am I to assume from your questions and from the armed guards in the room that your society is currently in a conflict with artificial intelligences and androids?"

[crux_npcs]

The dwarf, satisfied, hops down. "Give us a bit of a twitch, then. Make sure your motor control is good." He shuffles around in a tool bin, muttering before answering Data's question. "Long time ago, we were. Had a bunch of AIs, androids, robots, the lot. Then they decided they should be in charge."

He holds up another device, scanning Data from head to toe.

"Started a robot rebellion. Nasty stuff. Confederation's been twitchy around you sorts ever sense. Leastwise until you lot convince us that you're not planning on organic genocide." He peers at the readouts carefully, poking at the screen with his fingers. "We know you sort ain't all bad, but after you lose a few planets it's hard for people not to get on edge. You know how it is." Or... maybe not, judging from Data's total lack of emotion in earlier responses.

[positronically]

He watches the man hop down, and tilts his head at him. Blinking twice, Data does indeed perform a little 'twitch,' deliberate and awkward, his whole body spasming once before he falls still again.

"I think I understand. You will now please tell me how I came to be in this place, and what the stardate is, and our relative position to the Terran solar system."