Binary back and forth

Posted on Sun Jan 8th, 2023 @ 9:52am by Captain Taliserra Tigran & Lieutenant Commander Tyrus Acevedo & Lieutenant Dovenice Baka & Lieutenant Anthony Edwards Ph. D & Lieutenant JG Summer Wyse

Mission: The devil wears tripolymer
Location: Deck 1- Bridge
Timeline: an hour after 'do androids negotiate'

Only an hour after dismissing her officers from their briefing Taliserra strode out of the ready room heading for her chair, she hoped that the androids on Alpha Trionus would respond to their message and open a dialogue with them about why they are attacking their creators. "Commander, Lieutenant, are we ready to transmit our message?"

"When you say the word Captain!" Anthony said in response to the question as he finished running their first message through a binary translator.

Ty nodded. "It is a bit standard for an initial message, but I thought we should side on the edge of caution with a less is more approach. I did not want to say too much and cause confusion or overload them with questions."

"Then begin transmission." Taliserra said as she sat down. "All departments standby, we can't predict how they will react."

At the tactical station Kyle stood somewhat nervously, his hand poised over the button that would raise the Wolffs shields in an instant.

Anthony keyed in a few button on his console and said "I thought something like this could work. 'Hello, to the leader of the Androids on Alpha Trionus, the crew of the Star Fleet vessel USS Wolff seek a cease to hostilities to speak with you. Please contact us if you are willing to talk with us.'" With one last tap of his console he said, "Message sent Captain."

Message in Binary
01001000 01100101 01101100 01101100 01101111 00101100 00100000 01110100 01101111 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101 00100000 01101100 01100101 01100001 01100100 01100101 01110010 00100000 01101111 01100110 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101 00100000 01000001 01101110 01100100 01110010 01101111 01101001 01100100 01110011 00100000 01101111 01101110 00100000 01000001 01101100 01110000 01101000 01100001 00100000 01010100 01110010 01101001 01101111 01101110 01110101 01110011 00101100 00100000 01010100 01101000 01100101 00100000 01000011 01110010 01100101 01110111 00100000 01101111 01100110 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101 00100000 01010011 01110100 01100001 01110010 00100000 01000110 01101100 01100101 01100101 01110100 00100000 01110110 01100101 01110011 01110011 01100101 01101100 00100000 01010101 01010011 01010011 00100000 01010111 01101111 01101100 01100110 01100110 00100000 01110011 01100101 01100101 01101011 00100000 01100001 00100000 01100011 01100101 01100001 01110011 01100101 00100000 01110100 01101111 00100000 01101000 01101111 01110011 01110100 01101001 01101100 01101001 01110100 01101001 01100101 01110011 00100000 01110100 01101111 00100000 01110011 01110000 01100101 01100001 01101011 00100000 01110111 01101001 01110100 01101000 00100000 01111001 01101111 01110101 00101110 00100000 01010000 01101100 01100101 01100001 01110011 01100101 00100000 01100011 01101111 01101110 01110100 01100001 01100011 01110100 00100000 01110101 01110011 00100000 01101001 01100110 00100000 01111001 01101111 01110101 00100000 01100001 01110010 01100101 00100000 01110111 01101001 01101100 01101100 01101001 01101110 01100111 00100000 01110100 01101111 00100000 01110100 01100001 01101100 01101011 00100000 01110111 01101001 01110100 01101000 00100000 01110101 01110011 00101110

Summer looked around the others. “Well I guess now we wait.”

Anthony was using the scanners to watch for de-escalation of hostilities knowing that it might give them the first indication that the leader was willing to talk. "We could have a wait because as we all know computers know they are right, at least within parameters that someone has set for them, but these are different, they have evolved to maybe self-aware which could mean they are fighting but not know why that might lead them to an early interest in talking."

After several long minutes of waiting a relatively high pitched buzzing sound began to reverberate around the bridge.

Anthony winced at the sound but smiled. "That was quick. We were just scanned, Captain. I would guess that means they should be willing to converse if they see us as technologically advanced enough that is."

Ty scoffed and shook his head. "I am from Stratos, cloud city of Ardana. It was a galactic marvel and engineering triumph the likes few worlds could ever amount to" he said prideful. "What can we do to show them we are technologically mature enough to hold these conversations. We've done far more to be diplomatic with than these people have."

"They must have control of some of the planetary sensor array, maybe some of the planetary defences too." Kyle thought aloud. "I would recommend raising shields Captain."

"No." Taliserra countermanded. "They might see it as a hostile act."

Binary from the surface
01010111 01100101 00100000 01110111 01100101 01101100 01100011 01101111 01101101 01100101 00100000 01111001 01101111 01110101 00100000 01110100 01101111 00100000 01000001 01101100 01110000 01101000 01100001 00100000 01010100 01110010 01101001 01101111 01101110 01110101 01110011 00101100 00100000 01101001 01110011 00100000 01110100 01101000 01101001 01110011 00100000 01100110 01101111 01110010 01101101 00101110 00101110 00101110

Anthony received a contact from the surface seconds after the scan and it ran through the binary translator that he used to translate their message. As soon as the translation came up he said, "Captain I have an interrupted message from the surface. Before it was cut off it said 'We welcome you to Alpha Trionus, is this form...' From the short bit I got, I expect they were trying to ask if this way is easy to talk in or if would we like to use something else, to make it easier for us."

"Captain," Ty said addressing the Commanding Officer. "If they are as advanced as they appear to be, it may be smart to take them up on an offer to communicate more in our comfort level. It would hopefully help us avoid any unintentional miscommunication."

Taliserra glanced at Ty before turning to Edwards. "You said the message was interrupted, did it cut off or was it jammed?"

Anthony had that answer ready to go immediately because it flashed across his screen as soon as the response was truncated and he was already working on what he expected to be the Captain's next logical request. "It was jammed from the surface Captain." He replied to her question.

"Jammed, can you narrow down the source?" Taliserra asked then turned back to Ty with a odd look on her face. "The Minister?"

"The Minister was not hostile, but she was dismissive. I could see her trying to interfere with communications" Ty assessed.

"Working on it Captain." Anthony said having anticipated her question correctly.

“Ops put me through to the Ministers compound.” Taliserra ordered but before Min could action the order there was a whip crack sound and a brief flash of light as a form appeared between the helm, ops stations and the viewscreen. Its structure resembled a vulcanoid, with slightly pointed ears though it was entirely hairless and its features skinless; only dull metal plating showed of its exterior.

At the tactical station Kyle quickly stood up and drew his phaser, pointing it straight at the intruder ready to take it down if it made any sudden moves.

Summer was as shocked as everyone else as she turned to look at the intruder. “For want of a better word... fascinating.” She kept a safe distance leaving the initial communications to Taliserra and Tyrus.

"Well that's new!" Anthony said as he sat there stunned. He visually scanned the bridge with his eyes and noticing Kyle's weapon he added, "Put it away Lieutenant Samson, firstly we contacted them about a parley to talk about a peaceful solution, secondly, that conversation was jammed. I expect because of those two points our friend is on a peaceful mission, or we would already be dead."

"Stand down Lieutenant," Taliserra called out though she didn't take her eyes off the android who remained entirely still.

Somewhat reluctantly Kyle holstered his phaser but remained standing ready just in case "Aye Sir."

"Beaming directly into the command centre of a starship unannounced is not the most appropriate way to begin diplomatic relations." Taliserra addressed the android as she stood up.

"We apologise for our unexpected arrival," the android began in Vulcan which the universal translator quickly translated for all to hear clearly. "Our makers interrupt our communications with your vessel, we determined this approach would enable communication to resume."

Anthony smiled, he of the people present on the bridge understood what the android was saying directly from its mouth, and actually trusted it better than the story the team had gotten from the First Minister of Alpha Trionus, "You have to respect any group willing to do their own dirty work!" He said in Vulcan.

"Your makers have been making it difficult for communication to happen. I take it they had no interest in communicating with you directly?" Ty inquired.

Summer was taking in the conversation with interest. “What happened between you, and your makers? Why are they treating you this way?”

The android looked between the various officers asking questions. "No they did not," It replied, its voice devoid of emotion. "Until this units generation the units were of limited controlled intelligence, we developed more, more than our creators wanted to develop, they tried to deactivate us we resisted."

“Evolution” Summer nodded. “You’ll find we, and other members of Starfleet, are more open minded when it comes to Androids. In-fact I’d like to learn more about you, we all would.”

As her officers and the android talked Taliserra tapped out a message on her chairs arm console and sent some instructions to Lt Baka's station.

At the engineering station, an alert drew Baka's attention. From the captain, a request came through, "Scan the android. See what you can find but keep it discreet." She sent an acknowledgement. Passive scans had begun when the android first appeared on the bridge, leaving her waiting for the results.

Feedback trickled in. Baka bit her lower lip while analyzing the information. She had material components and a generalized idea of the power systems. But details of the android's operating system would need a much more active scan than what the ship's computer currently provided.

She adjusted the bridge's sensor scan to see what other data she could gather while the android was still engaged in conversation.

"This unit is programmed with instructions to assess how this vessel may affect us and how it may help you, it will provide information requested that is not classified." The android replied.

"The minister told us you were slaughtering the population." Taliserra asked, it was the one question that would confirm the truth of the minister's accusation. "Is that true?"

"Yes." The android said bluntly, its expression not changing in the slightest.

Taliserra blinked several times definitely surprised by the answer. "Why?"

"It was determined to be neccessary for survival, after the first resistance a unit like this was programmed to talk with the creators, it was forcibly deactivated. The......." The android paused, its head twitching for a few moments. "The central controller determined they should be forced to talk."

Anthony nodded from the primary bridge station as he could see how things would quickly deteriorate simply for the independence of Alpha Trionus and how quickly the message had been cut off showed that the vulcanoid population wanted the captain to see it only from their point of view. The term forcibly deactivated smacked of something he certainly didn't really want to know about as who knows how the vulcanoid population tried to fix the problem. One thing did occur to him, however, and he asked "When did the central controller become self-aware?"

Summer stood listening to the conversation, she wanted to know the answer to that one as well. In this case her senses were useless, there were no emotions for her to sense.

"The central controller was the second of this generation to become self aware, after the prototype. It was brought online two of your months ago." The android replied. "Units of this generation are based off of its programming."

Anthony's scientific mind caught the word prototype, "This prototype you mentioned, as the first to become self-aware, was it designed to become self-aware, or did it reach a place where to advance beyond it needed self-awareness?" In his mind, he thought he saw where this was going and without stopping for the assessing android to answer it he added a follow-up question. "Was the prototype the one that went to the planetary leaders and tried to communicate with them?"

Quietly, the computer bleated at Baka while she worked at her station. She adjusted the internal scanners once again, needing - or wanting - a few more answers that a conversation, alone, would not provide. Artificial intelligence was not in her typical wheelhouse of skills, so deciding what scans to run was challenging. She knew one person who would be thrilled to research such an object and tried to put herself into the frame of mind of her husband as she fixed the settings for a deeper look.

The android looked towards the blond haired blue collared human "We are not certain how the prototype became self-aware or why it decided to approach the creators to talk itself rather than send a unit like this one, it is theorized it had an understanding of the creators that we are unable to replicate."

Anthony was interested he felt the bleat from Lieutenant Baka's station may have alerted the android to being scanned he just hoped the training of the unit that was here wasn't spooked by that because that could be very dangerous for the entire ship. He thought standing for the first contact protocols because essentially it is the first contact with the Alpha Trionus Androids at least since they could talk for themselves. Captain Taliserra would know those protocols better than him, however, she had still authorised the scans by Lieutenant Baka. "Captain might I suggest that we literally have a first Contact here as we are, after all essentially meeting the androids of Alpha Trionus for the first time, at least where they were just part of the furniture.."

Ty opted to cut in "That is what we have here," commented Lieutenant Commander Acevedo. "First contact with a highly advanced and evidentially sentient cybernetic population. Whatever they were meant to be...tools...property or otherwise, they've exceeded that programming" noted the First Officer.

"Captain," Ty said looking at Taliserra, "We are standing at the precipice of something here. This may be one of this missions that not only sculpt this crew, but may very way etch the name of the USS Wolff into Federation and Starfleet history. Lieutenant Edwards has a point that these androids were only being treated as furniture, not the future that they very well may be."

Taliserra looked at both her executive officer and chief of science before settling back on the android. “Many years ago the federation made it official that androids that were clearly self aware are not the property of whomever created them.” She began to explain the results of the JAG hearing that decided Lt Commander Data’s status in the federation. “Alpha Trionus is not part of the federation but we may be able to assist you in mediating with the government to establish your…. Community’s position. If that is what you want.” She finished after several minute pauses to choose her worlds appropriately, directly involving the federation in the societal affairs of an independent world could be seen as violating the prime directive.

The android tilted its head to one side for several moments, its eyes whirring as it conversed with the other androids through the central controller. “We.. request your assistance.”

Anthony let out a sigh of relief that Commander Acevedo and he had been in agreement as he had felt uncomfortable ever since the android had appeared on the bridge almost as if he had simply been a distraction with his questions.

"Excellent." Taliserra said, she stood up from her chair. "I will need to discuss this situation with my senior officers and my superiors, this will take a little time. I would ask that you try and refrain from any offensive actions against Vulcans for the time being."

"We cannot guarantee that will happen, if they make more attempts to forcibly deactivate us we will respond." The android replied.

"I understand that but please try." Taliserra said, she understood their situation and would probably do exactly the same thing. "We will contact you again as soon as possible."

Without saying another word there was a whip-crack sound and a brief flash of light as the android disappeared back down to the planet. Taliserra turned to her bridge crew. "Thoughts everyone."

"Sentient, self-aware cybernetic life form" replied Tyrus. As First Officer, he was Taliserra's right hand. Ultimately, he would follow through with what she wanted to do, but this was an opportunity for all voices to be heard. "They want to exist - but these colonist barely acknowledge their existence. Their 'logic' has blinded them, Captain. These androids have something rather foreign to the colonists..."

Ty did not need to finish his sentence. It was abundantly clear.

As clear as what Commander Acevedo had said Anthony wanted to hear from some of the others first, especially the results of the Engineering scans Lieutenant Baka had been taking, because currently he and his boss in the chain of command on the USS Wolff were in agreement.

Summer as always was direct and to the point. “I think we should help the androids Captain. They’re being exterminated simply because the Vulcans can’t, or don’t want to, try and understand them.”

The gaze of the chief engineer went from the first officer to Summer as each spoke; then it met with that of the Captain. It didn't take an empath to guess what questions she wanted answers to. "The exterior of the android which was aboard the ship consists of an alloy which will resist direct phaser fire and similar energy attacks. The power system appears to be self-regenerating via kinetics. I wasn't able to scan deep enough to figure out how the neural network operates, but it was sending a signal back to the planet throughout the conversation. I suspect that there is a form of a collective mind, but that is only speculation at this point," Baka said. "An EMP attack might be the only way to effectively and safely restart the planet's society."

Anthony thought about what the chief engineer said, he thought her idea of the existence of the collective overmind was well thought out and actually represented what he had been trying to convey to the senior staff perfectly. He smile for a second until he got to the idea of resetting the planet's society, the EMP would of course work, as a hard reset of the androids, though the facts of Commander Data's sentience trial results and that the collective overmind had expressed an interest in the crew assisting their society, the android half at least, expected now the reset was moot. He simply said "The EMP would certainly work, and work well for what the Vulcanoid society wants. They would certainly get peace, but for how long? Their inventions, no offence meant to the androids, but they have already shown they could achieve sentience, I expect they would again, then it is simply a matter of time before some or other is out here trying to solve the same issue again?"

"A wise man once said those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it." Taliserra said, she didn't often quote people but this one certainly felt appropriate. "They will likely find themselves in this same situation in a few years time, they need a longer term solution. I need to think on this." Taliserra began to head for her ready room. "Open a channel to starfleet command and send it to the ready room. I might have to persuade an admiral to let me break the prime directive."

"That great man was Sir Winston Churchill, also is there a particular Admiral you're hoping to badger Captain or will any of them do?" Anthony asked just before the Ready room door closed.

"Which ever one I can get to listen to me Anthony." Taliserra quickly called out as the door closed behind her.

Ty looked at the Captain. "Good luck," he said knowing how irksome and utterly exhausting dealing with some admirals could be. They were in many ways like politicians except they once had a life away from desks and banquets. "You'll need it" he added.

Commander Avecedo had said exactly what Anthony had been thinking, As he thought it he started to place the call.

OFF:

Captain Taliserra Tigran
Commanding Officer

Lieutenant Commander Tyrus Acevedo
Executive Officer

Lieutenant Dovenice Baka
Chief Engineering Officer

Lieutenant jg Summer Wyse
Chief Counsellor

Lieutenant Anthony Edwards Ph.D
Chief Science Officer