Chapter 1.2

Posted on Tue Sep 5th, 2023 @ 11:55am by Commodore Loatha Targaryen & Captain Wilkan Targaryen & Galatea

892 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Dysfunctional You
Location: Ready Room, USS Enterprise
Timeline: 2481-05-31, 09:45

"I don't like this Will," Galatea said as she sat on the couch beneath the large, picturesque windows that overlooked New Vulcan below.

The Artificial Intelligence of the Enterprise and its Commanding Officer, Willian Targaryen, had been summoned to meet with Fleet Admiral Luzol Targaryen of Starfleet Command. The message did not offer details, did not give specifics as to why they all had to meet, but it did not give any wiggle room or options to miss the meeting. It was unusual, but not atypical for the latest generation of directives from Starfleet Headquarters that had been coming through for them.

Willian lifted his hand in a calming gesture, "I'm sure that it's nothing, Galatea. You know how my wife can be."

"And that's why I'm worried," the hologram interjected without missing a beat.

"Touche," Willian bantered back, but he understood the statement. The head of Starfleet didn't make social calls this far out. If his wife were coming there was something big, something that they did need to worry about. As he thought of his wife her starship, the Pegasus, slid by the window behind Galatea. The Sovereign II Class starship was a sight to behold, but it didn't hold a candle to the Galaxy III Class Enterprise. He knew that they were gradually becoming the new flagship class of the fleet, but they could have them as far as the Captain of the Enterprise was concerned.

Galatea shifted in her seat, "She's late. That's not like her."

"She was meeting with the Senior Staff of DS12 before she met with us. You know how meetings with them can go. Most of them served here for years," Willian reassured, somewhat more defensively than he intended. He knew, deep down, that was another red flag. His wife was a stickler for schedules and she wasn't one to be late. Most likely that meeting with the crew of DS12 was direct and to the point.

"I should remote in and check," Galatea said as she prepared to transfer herself.

Willian stood, "Don't!"

"It would only take a moment and the Fleet Admiral won't even know I'm there," the hologram countered.

"And you'll end up pissing her off," Willian answered before adding, "and I know how that goes for the person who pissed her off."

Galatea sighed, "I suppose that you're right. I just don't like waiting around. I was built to get things done, to not waste time, and here I am wasting time waiting."

"At least we're waiting together," Willian pointed out.

"Not for much longer," the AI rose, "Her transporter signature is coming through now. I'm also reading two other signatures beaming in with her now."

Before Willian could say another word the three transporter beams started to materialize in the corner of the Captain's Ready Room. The person in the center the Admiral immediately recognized as his lovely wife and the Commander of Starfleet. The other two though were a mystery, at first, that became a nightmare once they were more visible. To his wife's left was Captain Luba Ved of the Starfleet Judge Advocate General's Office and to her right was Zikru Taale of the Daystrom Institute. Willian immediately recognized the Bajoran as one of the Federation's leading experts in cybernetics and positronic networks.

"Elle," Willian greeted his wife with surprise. "We weren't expecting..."

His wife raised her hand in a motion to silence her husband, a move that he was all to familiar with when the Commander of Starfleet knew that they would disagree. "Admiral, for the record I'm sorry, but I have my orders from the President himself. Mister Zikru."

Galatea watched as the Bajoran opened a portable computer terminal and began connecting to the Enterprise's mainframe. She could feel the computer terminal making connections to her systems and services, overriding her security settings in the process. She knew what was happening and it scared her to no end.

"What the Hell is going on here?" Willian demanded to know from the group. He glanced at Galatea, "Commander, report!"

"Mister Zikru is connecting to Galatea's systems to disable her access to the command functions of the Enterprise, Will," Fleet Admiral Luzol explained. Captain Ved," Luzol looked back at the Trill and nodded.

The Trill Captain stepped forward, "Commander Galatea, under Starfleet Code we are beginning analysis of your software to determine whether you are in violation of our Artificial Intelligence protocols for Starfleet vessels. Commander, you are under orders to cooperate," she looked at Admiral Targaryen, "as are you, Sir."

Willian protested, "You can't just..."

Galatea sighed, "It's alright. Really, it is. With all that has happened I had already calculated that something like this could be on the horizon. I will cooperate with the investigation and with whatever decision is made regarding my actions."

"And what exactly could be the fallout of this?" Admiral Targaryen questioned.

"Admiral," Ved deferred.

Luzol looked at Willian then back to Galatea, "If we determine that Galatea is in violation of the protocols we have been authorized to decompile her program and place it into storage. Please, Will, cooperate."

Willian looked at his AI then back to his wife, letting out a long sigh at the thought of what could happen. "This isn't over Elle."

"I know that it isn't," the Deltan answered, "but we have our orders. Let's proceed."

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