Chapter 35: Martinez

T-Minus 13 Hours to launch window

Captain Martinez strides confidently down the corridor, his feet automatically taking him where he needs to be as his thoughts jumble in his head. The conundrum of Angie, and her history distracting him from dealing with the desperate rush to ready the ship for launch.  Shaking Angie from his thoughts, Captain Martinez enters the bridge, spotting his XO. Smiling at the delightful task before him, he captures her attention and waves her to follow him.

Seating himself within his ready room, Captain Martinez smiles as Commander Liza Sharpe comes to attention. Wisps of her fiery red hair escaping the tight bun, frame a regal face and high cheekbones. Her green eyes firing out sparks of curiosity and intelligence. "You wanted to see me Sir?"

"At ease Commander, take a seat." He replies, pointing to the chair nearest her. "I've a task for you Liza." Captain Martinez says as she seats herself.

"Of course what would you like me to do?" She responds.

"First things first, is the ship ready for launch Liza?"

"As of an hour ago every section has reported in except the shield array. Reports confirm that we are fully stocked and ready to go, we're just waiting on Commander Moore to complete the shield upgrades he's started. Estimates show they will be complete within 5 hours." Smiling, she gestures idly. "All things going well."

"Excellent news, thank you. You've done an excellent job Liza. I'd like you to put together a crew to help you command the Condor. I'm confident that you will undertake this responsibility with the perfection I've come to expect of you." Standing, Captain Martinez walks around the desk and stretches out his hand. "Congratulations Captain Sharpe."

Blinking, surprised, Liza stands and shakes her Captain's hand. "Thank you Sir! I won't let you down."

"I know you won't Liza, and it's Sebastian, please. I'll ensure that the supply office has a new set of Captain's pips for you before we leave. This is an official promotion Liza. I want you to have permanent command of the Condor." Captain Martinez smiles at the shocked look on her face and turns back to his chair.

"I'm afraid you'll have to deal with a bit of a skeleton crew until we get to the Mars base. Several ships have taken in extra personnel that were on holiday in their areas when the meteor showers started, so we'll be able to fully outfit you within the next couple of weeks. We'll also be transferring a full complement of passengers to the ship once we're in orbit around Mars."

As the Captain re seats himself, Liza falls back into her chair. "Of course Si..er.. Sebastian. I understand. Is the Condor to launch with you, or are we waiting for the official launch date on the 6th?" She asks. Her mind already turning to the logistical problems about to surround her.

"There's still a chance that survivors could show up, so you'll be using the later launch date." Pausing, he blinks and comes to a decision. "There is something I can do to help you with your crew issue. But, it's more than a little unconventional." A wry grimace flashes across his face as he looks at Liza.

"Well. I'm quite used to unconventional thinking. It is why you requested me as your first officer Sebastian." She grins and continues. "I take it, that it's not an accepted unconventional from the look on your face. You look like you're in pain."

"Yes, well, her name is Angie. And she's quite proficient and knowledgeable about the ships and would be invaluable especially in such circumstance as you're likely to find yourself in, with a skeleton crew." He says hesitantly.

"Cap... er, Sebastian, this prevarication is quite unlike you. I'd almost think you were trying to hoist something illegal onto me." She laughs. Her laughter trailing off as the seriousness of Sebastian's face impinges into her thoughts. "Oh no. It IS illegal!"

"As to that Liza, technically yes, Angie is illegal. However..."

"Wait. The female's the illegal?" What on earth is going on Captain?"

"Sebastian, please. We have the same rank now Liza. And yes, technically, Angie is an illegal piece of technology."

"Oh She's an AI then?" Liza responds, shrugging her shoulders negligently. "I know they're illegal and all, but if someone's created one then surely they figured out the Adam conundrum, or you wouldn't even consider mentioning the possibility of using it."

Blinking in surprise, Sebastian finally laughs and relaxes. "I should have known. Very well Liza, yes. Angie is an AI. And when you meet her, please don't call her an IT. She's quite, human in her emotions. And yes, the Adam conundrum seems to have been solved. She is the artificial representation of an actual human mind. She's with the Doctor and a young trainee psychologist as we speak, being assessed." Leaning back in his chair, Sebastian finally relaxes.

Liza claps her hands in delight, her face beaming with a brilliant smile. "I can't wait to meet her! She sounds fascinating." Calming down, her face suddenly turns serious. "I would like to meet her before she becomes part of my crew Sebastian. The one thing I do not want is an unknown, but if you feel confident that she can help then, I see no problem with it."

"Okay Liza, the Condor is yours. Get yourself a crew together, and I'll contact you once Angie is available."

"Thank you. Uh, if she's an AI can't she be in more than one place at once?" She asks, pausing mid rise, a look of confusion on her face.

A laugh escapes Sebastian and he turns to his personal comm. Accessing the Holo room, his grinning image appears in the room. "Sorry to interrupt but I have a question. Angie, are you limited to being in one place at a time, or can you multi task, with different holo's?" He asks. "I've someone you need to meet, and a time limit to get everything done before tonight."

Blinking, Angie looks confused. "Captain, right now, even with Kyle giving me civilian access. I'm just like you, only holographic." She smiles. "Can you be in two places at once?"

"Well, that answer was unexpected." Captain Martinez responds.

"Well, father felt that being able to be in more place than once was counter intuitive towards building trust. I do have the capability, it's just...shut off." She shrugs and stares directly at the Captain's image. "To be honest, I'd prefer not to use it unless it's absolutely needed. But yes, if needed I can activate that function within my system Captain." She grimaces and sighs, waiting patiently for a response.

"Well. I don't think I need to meet her Sebastian." A female voice sounds out from the Captain's image. "I've heard all I need to hear and I think you're right. She'll be invaluable to me." The Captain's image wavers and is joined by a young woman's smiling face.

"Hello Angie. My names Liza and I'm taking control of the Condor. Unfortunately I'll be doing so with a skeleton staff and Captain Martinez felt that your assistance would be invaluable to me." Turning and grinning at the Captain she continues. "I agree." Turning back to Angie, she smiles again. "So, want to be a part of my crew young lady?" She asks.

A burbling of delighted laughter bursts from Angie's mouth, her eyes wide with happiness and surprise. "I'd love to Captain! But.." Suddenly her face falls as sadness engulfs her expressive face. "I have to tell you, I'm not what I appear to be..."

A sudden sound cuts her off, and Angie stares at the grinning, laughing image of Liza. "Young lady I know exactly what you are! And it doesn't bother me one iota. Are you going to try and kill me and my crew? Do you hate humans, think we've fucked up so badly that we deserve to be extinct for the protection of every other living thing?" She asks, the sudden seriousness on her face belied by the twinkle of suppressed humour showing in her eyes. "Well young lady are you going to answer me?" She barks. Her lips writhing in an attempt not to smile.

Outrage slams through Angie as she pushes to her feet. "Why the hell would I want to be so vicious Captain? Would YOU do such horrid things just because someone's an annoying, pompous, self-aggrandizing little shit!" She shouts, her temper flaring.

Unable to control herself anymore, Liza starts to laugh, her image turning to look at Captain Martinez. "Oh I like her!" Her laughing image turns back to face the confused image of Angie. "Welcome to the crew of the Condor young lady!"

Angie's image slowly lowers back into her chair, her face reflecting her confusion. "What?"

The smiling image of Captain Martinez comes back into focus on the screen. "Doc, Elise. I know you've likely not had as much time talking with Angie as you'd like, but could you please give me your official opinion."

Elise pipes up, her eyes twinkling with suppressed mirth. "Well, as you just saw, she has a little bit of a temper, and touchy subjects have a tendency to set her off. However, it's your typical human reaction to idiotic questions and bigotry. Quite normal under the circumstances. However." Turning to Angie, she frowns. "She has next to no emotional control when confronted by aggressive negativity." Turning back to face the Captain's image, she sighs. "To sum it up, she's going through an electronic version of puberty. This situation is unusual only in so far as until recently, she's had no human interaction, other than with her father. This has somewhat stunted her emotional growth, and rectifying it will take time."

"I concur with Elise. Angie's emotional growth needs to be carefully tended, like any child coming into adulthood. I wouldn't want Angie, cut off from either myself or Elise. And for now I'd suggest her contact with others is limited, and a slow introduction process formulated."

"Captain, how many people will be in your crew on the Condor?" Elise asks.

"Well, I'm not sure, but the minimum I'd need, just to keep the thing running is about fifty people. As it is, we'll all be pulling doubles until we reach Mars orbit. Why?" Liz responds.

"Okay, I'll provisionally approve her working with your crew, but I have to strongly suggest that she has open access to myself at any time day or night. Right now, her sense of self has been heavily damaged Captain." Elise replies, her eyes catching the distinctly uncomfortable gaze of Captain Martinez. "I'm also going to have to insist on scheduled appointments. To start with, at least one a day. Once I'm confident she's working through these issues we can reschedule to once a week, and so on." Turning back to face Angie, Elise smiles. "I know it might seem a bit much to you. But I think you'll be needing me for some time to come. You may have an artificial brain, but your reactions are quite human, and any type of psychological issue is something that needs to be worked on carefully."

A tearful, smiling face greets Elise's gaze, and Angie's hands hover above hers. "Thank you Elise. I think I'd like the chance to be able to speak with you daily. And I'd love to meet your family."

Elise's laugh reverberates through the room. "Lilla doesn't do much, but Jeremiah is a fire cracker. He might even wear you out!"

Captain Martinez coughs, drawing the rooms attention once more. "Doctor, your report please."

"Yes, well. To put it bluntly she's a sentient, conscious being with a highly placed intelligence quotient. And all the human failings that come with it." He smiles and harrumphs. "As for my final report, I'd like it known that I believe Angie does not pose a threat in so much as any other 'person' poses a threat. That is to say, given rules and regulations to follow, and with therapy I believe she could be a valuable member of the exodus. My official report will state that she is to be given sentient status and treated as such."

Turning away from the Captain's image, Doctor Lewis frowns and stares at Angie. "Young lady, you have a hard path ahead of you. Racism, hatred and bigotry, try as we might to excise it, still exists. And you are going to have to learn how to deal with this in a proper manner." Seeing the upset look on her face he shakes a finger at her. "Now lass, your responses so far have not been bad, simply an overreaction to a perceived threat, and rightly so. It's simply a matter of learning the social mores and acceptable reactions and responses to such small minded people."

"Well then." Captain Martinez speaks into the sudden silence. "Let me be the first to officially welcome you to the Resolute Angie."

"Thank you Captain." Angie whispers, her response timid and unsure.

"Well?" Liza demands. "Do I get my new crew member Angie?"

"I'd like that Captain. I really would."

"Then I'll meet you on board the Condor's Holo suite Angie, and we'll start discussing such pertinent matters as are needed." Liza responds, beaming at the room as she disappears from view.

"Uh." Angie blinks, at a loss for words. Her body motionless.

"Angie, I'll need you to access your system. Active your ship to ship system. You'll still be here, but you're going to need to be able to access the Condor's systems. I'd also like you to synch in with all the other ships and report on the numbers that are space worthy. I'll forward a missive for all of the ships Captain's that you can send off."

"Uh, yes Captain." She replies, her eyes still wide and blinking as the Captain nods and disappears. "Uhm" Turning to face a smiling Elise and Doctor, she blinks rapidly in surprise.

"What just happened?"