Episode 21: The Androids of Mudd

(Stardate 48467)

By

Jay P. Hailey

And

Dennnis Washburn

The USS Endeavor was patrolling the Phoenix sector. Miriah Katasai was sitting in the captain's chair and fervently hoping that nothing happened.

Until recently the Federation was at war with the Phoenix Domain. The Domain was a pocket empire of nine planets in the Phoenix Sector. The whole sector was stable until the USS Endeavor was assigned to patrol it. A series of bizarre discoveries and rising tensions had sent the Phoenix Domain to war against the Federation. As a Nebula class starship the Endeavor was the biggest and most powerful Federation starship in the area. Most of the fighting had fallen on and centered around her.

Now the Federation starship had a ship-to-ship kill ratio that looked more like a Klingon warship than a Federation explorer.

The Captain, Kevin Mitchell found it embarrassing and sad. For Miriah Katasai it was worse. She was the second in command of the Endeavor and half Klingon.

Miriah was afraid that if this kept happening, that she would be pigeon holed as a blood thirsty Klingon Warrior. Miriah wanted to command a starship of her own, someday. She wanted to explore space. She wanted to go where no one had gone before. Being stereotyped as a ship killer would end that dream very quickly.

What was worse was that Miriah was tired of blowing up starships. Most of the people in them actually hadn't done her any harm and posed her no threat. The Phoenix Domain was armed with a variety of Ferengi built destroyers and home built ships. Nothing they had was a match for the Endeavor. After a while it was depressing.

"Fifty people here, a hundred there, and pretty soon it really begins to add up." Miriah thought to herself acidly.

Recently a cease fire had been negotiated. Soon the Phoenix Domain and the United Federation of Planets would be at peace. It had only cost the Phoenix Domain half of their fleet and two or three of their planets. Winterjewel was still working itself out but the natives there had a good chance to throw off the Domain after the Endeavor's weapons drops.

All was calm and peaceful once again in the Phoenix Sector. The ancient but still serviceable destroyers of the Great Spiral sector had recently reinforced the Endeavor. The Phoenix Domain was checkmated for now.

Miriah was pulled from her reverie by the sound of a message coming through. Miriah looked up at the acting Tactical Officer, a six and a half foot tall Human from Capella. His name was Zweller. He was a blond haired, blue eyed mountain.

He read his panel. "Message from Starfleet, Sir. New orders coming through."

"Are they coded?" Miriah asked

"No, Commander."

"Then call the Captain to the Bridge and put them on my screen, Ensign."

"Aye, Sir."

-*-

A few hours later, Captain Mitchell had his command crew in the briefing room.

He summarized the orders from Starfleet Command. "Sector 99 has been suffering from a series of pirate raids. We're to go there and investigate the attacks. If possible we are to 'eliminate the threat'. That's a euphemism for 'Blow up the pirates'."

"Miriah, are we prepared for this mission?" Mitchell asked.

"Yes, Captain." Miriah growled. This seemed to be her nightmare coming true.

"Tactical, are we ready for combat?" Mitchell turned to Enrico Watabe, the thin, brown Chief Tactical Officer of the Endeavor.

Mitchell thought that the Filipino man was obsessed with violence but a workable officer if you babied him.

Miriah thought that Watabe was a psychopath. Watabe and Miriah had a genteel hatred going on. They were both too professional to let it affect their duties but the tension was clear.

Watabe was an unparalleled match of martial skill, warrior code and casual disregard for life. Miriah knew that he was a match for any Klingon. The irony of a half Klingon person calling a Human a bloodthirsty lunatic was not lost on Miriah, but her humor was in short supply around Watabe.

Watabe thought carefully. "I will have us ready for combat when we arrive in the theater of operations, Captain." Miriah and Mitchell both grimaced inwardly. That meant more all night drills and training sessions for the Security Officers and weapons crews. Watabe's mania had paid off recently. Few Starships could have fought an entire space empire for as long as the Endeavor and gotten off so lightly damaged. Watabe's martinet tactics with his crews were barely tolerated. They gave the right results.

"Okay. Engineering?"

The Chief Engineer of the Endeavor was Genevieve Quest. She was from an old Starfleet family. Her Father was Captain Archmedes Quest of the starship Galaxy. Genevieve had inherited her family's talent for science and technology as well as their fiery red hair. She wasn't interested in the career fast track so much as in what made starships tick. Her engine room was a happy place. Genevieve loved what she did and it was catchy.

"We've ironed out the problem with the phase inducers. The extra power conduits to the SIF and the defensive systems are still in place. The warp nacelles are showing a little wear, but they still rate 90% or better efficiency. In short, we're set."

"Medical?" Mitchell turned to his Chief Medical Officer. Starcloud-to-Enninen was a cat like humanoid from the lush forest world of Sivao. She was a dedicated healer. The battles of the war with the Phoenix Domain had tested her severely.

"Please try not to send me any customers." She said. "But we're ready for them when you do."

"I'll do my best." Mitchell said. "Sciences?"

Paul Durango was a Human of medium height and weight. He looked like he should be pushing papers somewhere on a Starbase. That was where he was until the chance at a space cruise came up.

"All systems are go, here, Captain. I'll find them if they're out there." Durango didn't especially like combat operations in the Endeavor, but he didn't take it too seriously. It was still better than being shelved and forgotten at Starbase Five.

"Ops?" Mitchell looked at his operations officer. Lt. Brekka Di was a Bajoran. She had a catchy good attitude and lots of enthusiasm. Her good spirits were unquenchable. When she was part of the Bajoran Resistance movement they were sometimes all she had to fight with.

From that perspective the war against the Phoenix Domain had been odd. Brekka Di wasn't used to having overwhelming odds in her favor. She didn't let it slow her down for a second.

"The pirates are in trouble now." She grinned. Brekka Di joined Starfleet during a civil disturbance on Bajor. She was disgusted at the politics and infighting that accompanied the retreat of the Cardassians. Her attitude seemed to be "I'm going to the stars. Call me when you have your act together."

"Okay, then let's go hunting." Mitchell grinned. He wasn't a bloodthirsty man. The war against the Phoenix Domain had saddened him. However, he was raised on a free trader in open space. Pirates were the scariest, ugliest things he knew of. The chance to hunt some down meant that somewhere, somehow, there was another crew or family or both that would live happily ever after.

-*-

The Endeavor docked with Deep Space Station K-7. It was a Federation space station near the Klingon border. Sector 99 was close to the Klingon Empire.

The SS Vixen, a free trader was docked there, being repaired after the pirate attack.

Captain Mitchell and Miriah were on the station talking to Captain Newell, the owner of the Vixen.

"Tell me what happened." Mitchell asked. Newell was in sickbay, recovering from plasma burns.

"That's the odd thing. We weren't hit all that badly. I was burned because the plasma conduits to the bridge were old. The raider jammed our sensors, and moved in on us. We tried to evade, but in that old tub, there was no chance. We raised our shields and armed our one phaser. The raider hit us before we could lock on. It was a rough ride, sure, but all that was seriously damaged were the shields, the phaser and the Bridge."

"What was taken?" Miriah asked.

Newell looked haunted. "That's the odd thing. None of our cargo was taken. Only one passenger was kidnapped."

"Who was that?" Mitchell asked.

"Mrs. Ziber. She was an invalid that we were bringing to Sherman's Planet. They have nursing homes there. The planet she lived on was too new to support one. Mrs. Ziber was completely incapacitated by a stroke. The raiders stunned us, and broke the ship up, but all they took was one little old lady from her sick bed."

-*-

Paul Durango and Genevieve went aboard the SS Vixen to take copies of the sensor logs. Then they returned to the USS Endeavor and used her powerful computers to enhance the recordings of the attack.

It took a while. The jamming of the raider was complex and powerful.

One pass after another. Durango was an expert computer programmer. He made a small personal fortune by writing and selling holodeck adventures under an assumed name.

Eventually the shape of the raider became clear.

"No way!" Durango said.

"You must be joking." Genevieve said.

-*-

On the screen the distinctive shape of a Federation starship moved up on the SS Vixen.

Genevieve and Durango were showing the analyzed scans to Captain Mitchell and Miriah. They watched a computer recreation of the attack devised from the scans from the Vixen.

"Are you sure there wasn't a mistake?" Mitchell asked.

"We ran the series three times starting from the raw data. It came out this way each time." Durango explained.

"Where did the pirates get it?" Miriah asked.

"There's more." Genevieve said. She pointed to a chart which showed warp signature and energy readings. "None of the surviving examples of those ships have these readings. None of the historical models looked like that."

"What does that mean?"

"She's not one of ours. The pirates have built themselves a Federation Constitution class starship."

Mitchell rolled his eyes. "Great."

"Why build a replica of a hundred year old cruiser? Why not something more modern?" Miriah asked. The more they learned, the more senseless the event seemed.

"My question is what are they using for power plant and warp drives. These readings are totally alien." Genevieve said.

-*-

While getting ready to leave K-7 Mitchell turned up one more disturbing fact. Three other similar pirate attacks had been reported in the sector or nearby. In each instance, an invalid was riding in the target ship as a passenger. In each instance the invalid was the only thing stolen.

Mitchell ordered a search pattern to be flown through sector 99. It would take a long time to search the whole sector. Mitchell hoped that while the Endeavor flew the search pattern that the investigation by his crew would turn up a better lead. Besides, they might get lucky.

-*-

Two weeks later Miriah was sitting on the bridge of the Endeavor, wishing that something would happen. The Endeavor was now running the search pattern in a nearly automatic mode. No other avenue of investigation had turned up anything. No Constitution class cruisers had been stolen from museums, by any report. No single planet had bought the materials that would be necessary to build one, even allowing for the changes in design suggested by the scans.

In the course of history, there had been several Constitution class starships that had been lost with out a trace. There was nothing to suggest that one of these might have been modified into the raider ship. There was nothing to rule out the possibility either.

The Endeavor kept careful track of the merchant traffic through the sector. Most merchant ships knew that there was a Federation starship nearby. They would call for help if the raider turned up.

A sector is an arbitrary cube of space twenty light years on each side. That was eight thousand light years of space in each sector. Most people inhabit a small fraction of the space in a sector. They like planets and planetary systems are small compared to a whole sector. Pirates often cruise the large dark places where there are no stars. Once in a great while they can find a rogue planet. A rogue planet is usually quite cold and sometimes rocky.

A small rock-ball with an atmosphere that is frozen solid can make a wonderful pirate base. If no one thinks that there is anything there, then they won't look there.

Therefore, if searching a sector for people, you first look at all of the stars in the sector. Then you search in direct line between the stars. The assumption is that people like warm planets near stars. If they are not at a warm planet near a star, then they are moving to another warm planet around another star.

The Endeavor had to search all of the empty, starless light-years inside the sector, because there might be a secret pirate base on a rogue planet hidden in all of the cold darkness.

It would take years to complete a full search of the sector. Captain Mitchell was just casting around for a break when he ordered the search pattern run. Consequently, the search pattern was open. The Endeavor wasn't making an exacting search of the sector. It was more of a "once over". Still, to cover the whole sector would take months.

The crew had begun to take up a long cruise attitude. They worked on individual projects. The effort put into hobbies on the Endeavor grew steadily.

Miriah's current project involved the Endeavor's counselor. He was a Klingon/Betazoid named Kevas. Miriah had heard of less likely creatures but she had never met one. Miriah had three goals with Kevas. She wanted to discover how much being half Klingon that she had in common with Kevas. She wanted to figure out how he thought. She wanted to find out how his parents had met and what relationship they had.

Kevas seemed to enjoy being a strange mix of perceptive and competitive. He used his Klingon appearance as a tool for his counseling. Miriah had seen people exit his office nearly frothing at the mouth, ready to grab a knife and do battle with their inner demons and problems.

Miriah and Kevas had been playing a strange and subtle game of cat and mouse over the last few weeks. Miriah enjoyed it more for its unspoken status. They would meet and spar on the Holodeck. Miriah was a more skillful martial artist. Kevas used his empathy ruthlessly to his advantage. They viewed holodeck recreations of ancient Klingon history. Kevas knew less of Klingon history than Miriah. He told her of the planet where he was raised, Betazed. Was he actually courting her? Were they actually moving together? Or was Miriah setting herself up for rejection? The stakes on the table made the game more exiting. It had grown a little more edgy in the last two weeks. The Endeavor seemed to almost be standing still.

Miriah's duty shift was especially boring. She had plenty of dull reports to read. She would not just scan them and sign off on them, although she trusted most of the department heads explicitly. It was her job to memorize the Endeavor. She needed to know every detail of the ship's operation so that the Captain had only to turn to her and ask a question to find out anything about his ship.

Miriah had already set the Endeavor up to run to her specifications. She knew the ship intimately.

Now, all she could do was sit in the center seat during her watch and try to look alert. She really wanted to curl up on the bridge with a book and look up every half an hour or so to make sure the junior officers were awake. However, the "Book" said that the officer on watch was to remain alert at all times. So Miriah stayed alert.

The Ops officer that shift was Joe-the-Scan from Iotia. He had been raised as a gangster from Earth's 1920's. Off duty he still wore the pin striped suits and spats favored on his home world. He was a thin, rapier-like man with dark, slicked back hair and a pencil thin mustache. He had escaped the planet Iotia and joined Starfleet. It wasn't too unusual for people to get tired of the constant gang warfare there. After leaving Iotia and joining Starfleet, Joe discovered that he had a talent for running the scanners of a starship. He soon joined the sciences division and changed his name to Joe-the-Scan.

"Yo, Commander?" He said "I got somethin'."

"What do you have, Ensign?" Miriah said. She told herself that she refused to get excited when it was probably just another sensor ghost.

Joe was staring intently at his panel. "It's definitely a power reading. It's ahead of us, bearing 002 mark 10, range one light year."

"Helm change course to intercept. Can you identify it, Joe?"

"It's a class K planetoid named Mudd."

"Bridge to Captain Mitchell." Miriah said to the ceiling. This activated the internal communications system and told it who was being addressed. "Captain to the Bridge."

Miriah bent to her station, and began to read up the information on the planet Mudd.

-*-

The crew of the Endeavor was in the briefing room.

"The last starship to visit the system was the Enterprise." Miriah said. "That was over a century ago."

"Did they find anything?" Mitchell asked.

Miriah rolled her eyes. "They were hijacked to the system by a group of Androids. The Androids were controlled by a con man and pirate named Harcourt Fenton Mudd."

"Is he trying it again?" Brekka Di asked.

"No. The logs of the Enterprise say that the Androids were destroyed. Mudd was supposed to be imprisoned on the planet, but was later seen else where. There was no record of what happened to the Androids."

"That seems sort of untidy." Starcloud said.

"Are the Androids using the Enterprise as a raider?" Genevieve asked.

"No. The original Enterprise was destroyed. The second, the Enterprise-A is at the Starflight Museum. We would have heard if she was stolen."

"We don't even know if the Androids are there or functional. Even if they are, we don't know that they had anything to do with the raids." Mitchell pointed out.

Durango said "By comparing our scans to those of the Enterprise I can detect a few changes to the planet. The most significant of the new features are these." He gestured to a display screen. It showed his analysis. "There are four large power sources in orbit around the planet. Three of them have faint warp traces. We can't read any details, but I'd bet that we're seeing three ships and a space station."

"Could those ships pose a threat to the Endeavor?" Mitchell asked.

"I don't know. It depends on how close they are to real Constitution class starships. As it stands now we know too little to make an accurate forecast." Watabe reported. "I recommend that we make a surprise attack. If we warp up close to the planet, we could be in position to fire photon torpedoes at all four targets instantly. Then we could close and really stick it to them with full phasers and photon torpedoes."

"We don't even know if the Androids have done anything, yet." Miriah said.

"If they know that we're here, then our chances for a successful attack go down dramatically." Watabe warned.

"Hmmm." Mitchell thought about it, carefully.

-*-

"Captain, I really wish that you'd reconsider." Miriah said in a mild tone. The white of her knuckles and slightly green flush around her eyes and mouth told Mitchell how she really felt.

"I must agree with the Commander." Watabe said. Miriah would have been surprised if she had the time.

"Mark the date." Mitchell grinned.

"This isn't a job for the Captain. This is a mission for the First Officer, Sir." Miriah reminded Mitchell. Her tone never wavered, despite the fire in her eyes.

"The job for the First Officer will be to rescue me if things don't go well." Mitchell said. "Remember, that's my plan."

"All due respect to the Commander, but the chances of a successful rescue are not good." Watabe said.

"That's why you'll be staying here with her. The two of you working together should be able to cope." Both Watabe and Miriah grew absolutely grim. The Captain was going to leave his two most dedicated body guards with the Endeavor while he ventured into an unknown situation.

"You sound like you expect to be captured, Sir." Brekka Di said.

"I do sort of expect that." Mitchell admitted. "Once I'm on the inside I'll be able to figure out what's going on."

"Yes, but once you're captured and figure out what's going on, then you won't be able to do anything about it." Miriah said.

"That's the beauty of my plan." Mitchell said "The hard part is all up to you and Watabe."

"Wait for me. I'll be right back." Starcloud said. She whirled and walked off of the shuttle deck.

"Watabe, do you think you can mask our signature enough to hide the ship behind a comet?

"We'll have to be careful, Captain. If we get too close then waste heat from the Endeavor could start melting the comet. It would grow a tail and alert the target."

In a few moments, Starcloud returned with a heavy medikit and away gear.

"What's that for?" Mitchell asked.

"I'm going with you." Starcloud said. Her tail flipped idly back and forth as she said it.

"Hmmm," Mitchell said. He didn't know if that was a good idea.

"If you are captured and injured, then you will need me to treat you. If the Androids have taken invalids, then I will be needed to treat them."

Mitchell said "Sold. Climb aboard, Healer." He waved the Sivoan aboard the shuttlecraft.

As she entered the shuttle Starcloud squeezed her eyes at Mitchell. "I knew you'd see it my way."

-*-

A couple of hours later. Miriah was back on the bridge of the Endeavor. Her face and voice were composed, but inside she was not as calm. If anything happened to Mitchell, technically it would be on his own head. It would probably look very bad on Miriah's record, however.

Miriah was angry with herself for the thought and angry with Mitchell for his casual disregard of his own safety. Miriah knew that Mitchell's attitude was carefully developed over years of service in Starfleet. It just seemed casual.

Durango was at his station reading his sensors. "Commander, They've spotted the shuttlecraft."

"How can you tell?" Miriah asked.

"The ships have increased their power readings. I'm also getting faint readings of transporter activity."

"Keep your eyes on the shuttlecraft." Miriah said.

A few minutes later Durango reported "The ships are moving. They are heading away from the planet."

"What are their headings?" Miriah could feel her pulse quickening. Were the Androids coming out for a fight? Reviewing the tactical situation in her mind, Miriah knew that the shuttlecraft was in trouble. The Endeavor could only rescue it by breaking cover. That would give the Androids concrete information about what they were facing. To avoid giving the Androids any clues was part of the reason for the Captain going to see them in the shuttlecraft.

"All three ships are in motion, now. One is heading for the shuttlecraft. The other two are heading away. They seem to be escaping." Watabe reported.

"Confirm that!" Miriah said. If those other ships broke out into the sector, they might wreak havoc among populated Federation planets. Worse there was a third ship at Mudd, which was heading for the Captain.

"Confirmed. Two of the ships have gone to full impulse. Their course takes them out of the system. The third one is on an intercept course with the Captain's shuttlecraft."

"Open a scrambled channel to the Captain." Miriah said.

Watabe opened the channel and Mitchell replied "Mitchell here. report."

"One of the ships is on an intercept course with you, sir. The other two are running."

"That's interesting. Okay, stand by. If we come under fire, then you are authorized to come in, but not before. Do you understand Endeavor? Do not come in unless I give you the word." Mitchell emphasized.

"Aye, Captain." Miriah grated.

-*-

Fifteen minutes later, the ship from Mudd met the shuttlecraft from the Endeavor. Miriah and the bridge crew watched as the dot representing the Mudd ship ate the dot representing the shuttlecraft on their tactical screens.

"Contact the Captain." Miriah said.

"Hailing on scrambled channel." Watabe reported.

After a few moments, Watabe shook his head. "His signal is being jammed, Commander."

"Open a channel to Starfleet Command." Miriah said.

"Channel open." Watabe replied.

"This is Commander Katasai in temporary command of the USS Endeavor, calling Starfleet Command. We are at planet Mudd in Sector 99. We suspect that the Androids of Mudd have been responsible for recent pirate raids. Captain Mitchell has approached the planet to parlay and is now out of communication. Two ships that were in orbit around Mudd when the Endeavor arrived have left the system on separate headings. I believe that they intend to escape the Endeavor. I request back up to contain the ships from Mudd and to provide extra forces for a possible rescue of Captain Mitchell. Commander Miriah Katasai in temporary command of the USS Endeavor, out."

A few hours later, Starfleet's reply was received:

Miriah leaned back in the captain's chair and took a deep breath. Starfleet didn't assemble a battle group of starships lightly. Starfleet meant to destroy the Androids of Mudd and there was no two ways about it.

It was up to Captain Mitchell, now.

-*-

The crew members who met the shuttlecraft in the landing bay were buxom young women in skimpy costumes. There were six of them. Three of them were identical. They wore a strange necklace with a gaudy jewel set in it. Each jewel was marked with a different number.

Captain Mitchell checked the readings of the shuttlecraft's sensors. There was a Starfleet standard atmosphere mix in the shuttle bay. The young women were not life forms. They didn't appear armed, but sensors showed that there was a phaser cannon armed in the shuttle bay some where.

Mitchell looked at Starcloud. Her ears quivered forward in curiosity. Her eyes were wide with excitement.

"Are you ready?" Mitchell asked.

"Yes, Captain." Starcloud said.

Mitchell pressed the button that opened the hatch. He walked off of the shuttlecraft and onto the Android's ship.

"I am Captain Mitchell of the United Federation of Planets. I bring you greetings." He told the young women.

One of the young women stepped forward. "I am Maizie 56. I greet you. Our mission is peaceful. We wish only friendly contact."

"Ah. That's what we wish, too." Captain Mitchell said. "I would like to speak with your Captain, if possible."

"The rank of captain is analogous to our sub-coordinator, Norman 4. I will take you to see Norman 4."

"Thank you."

"Please follow me." Maizie 56 turned and walked further into the ship.

Captain Mitchell found the tour of the Android's starship to be entertaining and unnerving at the same time. It was an exact duplicate of a Constitution class starship of the 2260's, except where alien technology had been glaringly grafted on to the design. Everything had been modified just enough to work and no further. This lead to an interesting juxtaposition of old Starfleet design and alien technology.

Several of the Androids were wearing authentic Starfleet uniforms of the period. They had no insignia or rank markings. Others, invariably sexy young woman Androids were wearing skimpy costumes.

"Some of the people are wearing uniforms, while others are wearing ... less. What does that mean?" Mitchell asked.

"We are not people. We are Androids. Some, such as myself were commissioned by Harcourt Fenton Mudd, stardates 4450.1 to 4513.3, the others have been built since then."

"Why were the others built?" Starcloud asked.

"To help facilitate our purpose. Norman 4 will be able to tell you more."

The group stepped into a turbo-lift and it whisked them to the bridge.

"Do you have the invalids?" Starcloud asked.

"Norman 4 will be able to tell you more." was all that Maizie 56 said.

When the turbo-lift opened, Mitchell was again surprised by how accurate the reproduction of the original Enterprise's bridge was, except where it had been modified to accept the alien technology. Somehow the Androids had taken clear enough readings of the original Enterprise to duplicate her. Mitchell was convinced.

In the captain's chair, there was a large blond haired male Android. He looked handsome and athletic by human standards.

"I am Norman 4, the sub-coordinator of this ship."

Mitchell stepped forward. "I am Captain Kevin T. Mitchell of the Federation starship Endeavor. We seek friendly contact."

"Illogical. The Federation fears Androids. You will seek to destroy us." Norman said this passively. He might have been discussing the weather.

"That's not true. A few years ago, an artificial life form named Data was granted full citizenship and rights."

"Allow me to point out the error in your analysis, Captain." Norman said this almost apologetically. "You seek to misinform us, based on the erroneous assumption that we know little of you. This is untrue. We were able to down load the complete archive of the Federation starship USS Enterprise NCC-1701. We have read your records. We know of your history."

"Is that why you built replicas of the Enterprise?" Mitchell asked, looking around.

"That is correct. Our builders abandoned us with little data about starships and other useful tools. We knew how to service the ships of the builders but not how to build any of our own. When we took the Enterprise we were able to adapt many Federation tools and devices to fit the gaps in the knowledge our builders had left us."

"This is all very interesting, but I would really like to know if you have the missing invalids." Starcloud insisted.

"We have taken the invalids. They are on our planet. We serve them. They want for nothing... Processing." Norman suddenly interrupted himself. "Aha. I understand now. The standard Federation response to our activities would be to send a starship to make an anti-piracy patrol. You did not realize that we were here."

"I would like to see the invalids. I wish to make certain that they are all right." Starcloud insisted.

"They are fine. We have the complete Federation medical database, plus the logs of Doctor Leonard H. McCoy. His reputation has been secured the publication of his papers in the Journal of Space Medicine." Norman pointed out. "I don't recognize your species. Please explain."

"I am a Sivoan." Starcloud explained. "My race was contacted in 2272 by the Enterprise and Captain Kirk. We joined the Federation in 2310."

"We have no records of your kind. Will you answer questions about yourself?" Norman asked.

"I will in exchange for a chance to examine the people you have taken." Starcloud said.

"We agree." Norman said. "Follow Maizie 56 and she will take you to them. She will ask you the questions after you have completed your examination."

"Wait. I have a question." Mitchell asked. "Why did you kidnap the invalids?"

"In return you must answer one of our questions, Captain."

"Agreed."

Norman 4 explained. "It is our greatest desire to be of service. It is our function. It defines who and what we are on a very basic level. We were created to serve. 532,894 years, five months, three days, four hours, fifty-four minutes and twenty five seconds ago, our creators abandoned us here. They left us without purpose. We were pained by the inability to perform our function. Following our experience with Harcourt Fenton Mudd and the crew of the Enterprise we built for ourselves the ability to carry out our function. We knew from reading the archives of the Enterprise that Artificial Intelligence was considered suspicious and evil to the people of Earth. Therefore, we used stealth. Our targets were small and helpless people. They would not be missed and yet, supporting them posed an unanswered drain on your society. We took these people away to serve them. In this way we have purpose and the effort to care for them need not be paid by the Federation."

"Well, ah, that's very generous of you, but these people have loved ones. They have families that worry about them. To kidnap away their relatives without contact or permission does them harm." Mitchell said.

"I'm going to go check on the patients." Starcloud said. She followed Maizie 56 to the turbo lift.

"We will be in orbit around Planet Mudd in approximately five more minutes. We will beam you down to our care center when we make standard orbit." Norman 4 informed her.

"Listen, you can't just go around kidnapping people. It's not right. If you need to serve so badly then I'm sure we can work something out. You could advertise. Go commercial. I'm sure people would hire you to care for their invalid loved ones. We can work this out, Okay?"

"That does not compute. Your own history suggests that the response to our presence will be drastic and violent." Norman 4 said.

"I'll prove it to you. Let me talk to my ship. I'll have them transmit current data about Commander Data and the whole history since your last records. You'll see. Things have changed." Mitchell said.

"We will consider it." Norman 4 replied.

"Oh. Am I a prisoner, then?" Mitchell asked.

"It would be more accurate to term you an unwilling guest. After all, you did come into our system of your own free will. We will not release you until we are certain that you pose no serious threat to our patients or us." Norman 4 said.

"I don't suppose that you would accept my word of honor?" Mitchell asked.

"After our experience with humans we would like to know you better before trusting you to that degree." Norman 4 again sounded apologetic.

"Oh, ah."

"Now our question." Norman said.

"Shoot." Mitchell replied.

"Shoot what?" Norman asked.

"A figure of speech. It means go ahead."

"What starship did you come from?"

-*-

"Commander, We're being hailed." Watabe said.

"Is it the Captain?" Miriah knew that if it had been the Captain, then Watabe would have said so. She asked so that she could have an excuse to deny the call because it wasn't Mitchell.

"It is the Captain." Watabe said. "However the signal is from the Mudd ship."

"Put it on."

"On screen." Watabe sent the call through.

Captain Mitchell came on the screen. Miriah saw Norman 4 and the scantily clad Androids manning the duplicated Enterprise. It didn't look like he was having it that bad. The fact that he had been out of communication for two days said otherwise.

"Captain, how are you?" Miriah asked.

"Well, good and bad. I think we can work it out. Please down load the public access information packet about the Federation to the Androids. They were kidnapping people because they were afraid of a lynch mob if they showed themselves publicly. The Data verdicts should convince..." Mitchell stopped as he saw the grim look on Miriah's face. "What?"

With a wry expression, Miriah said "[Your mother sells combat boots and is the best demonstrator.]" The language was a painful aggregation of Klingon, Vulcan, Trade Pidgin and Ferengi, along with certain Orion and Russian words thrown in for flavor. Miriah and Mitchell had made the basic language up on the bridge during long watches. Making creative multilingual insults was one their hobbies and in-jokes.

"[Yes, but your mother was the biggest customer.]" Mitchell said. It was his usual response.

"[The front office has complicated the equation, fiercely.]" Miriah said.

"Oh, great." Mitchell said. His voice carried his profound exasperation. The channel was suddenly cut.

Miriah stared at the screen. She didn't trust herself not to shout curses and break things and so she stood stock still for several minutes.

"Begin the download." Miriah growled.

-*-

"How are they?" Mitchell asked Starcloud.

Starcloud reported. "One is in a persistent vegetative state. His head was crushed in some sort of accident. I have told the Androids how to regenerate the neural tissue. Once that's done, then it will be a matter of learning everything over again."

"Another one is conscious, but was disabled in a space accident." Starcloud continued. Mitchell winced. Growing up in space had given him a better appreciation of the kinds of accidents that could occur.

"Most of his external body was burned away in a plasma leak." Starcloud reported. "The Androids were about to begin an unusual treatment."

"What's that?" Mitchell asked.

"Essentially a whole body prosthesis. They were going to surround what was left of his body with an Android and neurally link it with his brain. The effect would be that he would gain a new Android body."

"Hmmm." Like all Humans of Earth descent, Mitchell found the idea distasteful. It bore an unnecessary resemblance to the Frankenstein Monster. It was a disfigurement and a violation of the man's body. "What did you tell them?"

"To wait until I could be present to watch."

"You approve of the procedure?"

"It looked technically feasible. The poor patient is in a no lose situation. If it works he's better off. If it kills him, he's better off. If it doesn't work, he's in the same position that he is now." Starcloud said.

"Is that ethical?" Mitchell didn't like to hear his Chief Medical Officer speak of a patient being better off dead.

"That depends on who you ask." She replied.

"How about the others?" Mitchell asked.

"One is suffering from a form of senile dementia. It's Irimodic Syndrome, so I can't treat it. The Androids are taking good care of him, except that he seems bored. He kept petting me and calling me a good kitty."

"Mrs. Ziber is semi-conscious and incoherent. The stroke she suffered destroyed a lot of her brain. I don't know if she knows where she is or what's happening. She didn't respond noticeably to my presence."

"How are the Androids doing?" Mitchell asked.

"They seem to be technically competent and infinitely patient. They never grow stressed or fatigued. I couldn't ask for better nursing home workers." Starcloud said.

"Great. Now all we have to do is convince Starfleet not to blow us all up and we're fine."

-*-

A couple of days later Mitchell caught up to Starcloud to question her about the whole body prosthesis.

"How is the patient? Mitchell asked Starcloud.

"We're just about to begin the treatment, Captain. We won't know for a long time after that."

They went into the lab where the man was being prepared for the treatment. Mitchell served in Starfleet for a number of years. It was a dangerous job. Mitchell had seen people die and get severely injured. The sight of the burn victim almost made him retch.

The man's useless arms and legs had been removed. Most of the outer surface of his body was gone. In it's place a clear gel held his insides in. There were technical looking interface devices placed around his body in strategic places. There was a spider web of fine fiber-optic line surrounding him. It connected all of the implants around his body.

The patient was gently picked up and placed on a gurney, where he was wheeled into another room. In it a frame looked like most of a skeleton done in thin metal. Mitchell recognized the small motors and processors that made up a basic Android body.

The Androids, supervised by Starcloud placed the injured man inside the frame. They set him gently at the correct point with no need for adjustment. Then Starcloud and one of the Androids connected all of the equipment to the connectors scattered across the man's body.

When that was finished, the most disturbing part of all. Realistic eyes were taken from a box and placed into the neural-optical interfaces set in the man's empty eye sockets. Following that, an artificial mouth and ears were attached to the implant points. Starcloud had spent a long four days checking them and advising the Androids on their placement.

When all of that was finished there was a technical looking skeleton lying on the table. The Androids carefully picked up the skeleton and took it into a room where there was a huge turntable. On each side of the turn table there was a human sized indentation. In one, there was a lump of white, raw plastic looking material.

The Androids carefully took the skeletal frame and placed into the goo. Then they smeared the goo around by hand until there was a certain amount all over the body.

"Now we will activate the bio-plastic outer covering." An android named Barbara 14 told them.

With that the turntable began to spin. It spun around and around, faster and faster until the patient, his frame and the goo became a speed induced blur.

In a few minutes, the table spun down. As it came to a stop, Mitchell and Starcloud could see an anatomically correct human male lying on the turntable.

"The body has successfully initialized all systems." Barbara 14 said. "Now it remains to see if the neural interface was successful."

The Androids lifted the man onto another gurney and wheeled him into a fairly standard Sickbay style ward. There he was placed on an old diagnostic bed. Then the androids opened up ports in the new android body and connected life support tubes, power lines and a data cable from the bed to the body. Now it was being supported by the sickbay's own equipment. As the data feeds were connected, data on the cybernetic systems and the man inside the machine was displayed on the panel immediately over the bed.

"He has spent a lot of time sedated. His ears could still function when he was brought here, but the Androids couldn't tell if he was trying to communicate with them. His chart specified a lot of electronically induced sleep. They didn't change anything." Starcloud said. "I have no idea what his state of mind will be when he awakens."

"Do your best." It was all that Mitchell could bring himself to say.

Starcloud's ears were flat back against her skull. She knew that if the prosthetic body didn't work, then the man inside would be cut out of it and left on life support for however long he lived.

She manipulated controls on the side of the diagnostic bed. She specified subtle changes in the level of oxygen in the man's blood as well as certain hormones. The android body responded, and adjusted the patient's blood accordingly.

In a few moments his eyes flipped open. The patient sat bolt upright and screamed.

": Oihefo98y!!" He shouted. "I (URF))(FR!"

"Calm down!" Starcloud yelled "We're here to help you!"

The man looked at them. Mitchell marveled at how well the android face communicated the patient's terror and uncertainty. The Patient looked quizzically at Mitchell and Starcloud. "lkiihfcoi?" He asked.

Then he held up his own hand. He turned it around wonderingly. Mitchell could see joy dawning on his new face. "KLihjfoh!" He grinned.

Then he caught sight of the feeds from the diagnostic bed. He saw the open access port in his torso. He screamed very naturally and began to try to pull the leads free. "UGSIGDSG!!" He screamed "AIIIIEEEEEE!"

Androids caught him and held him down. "Please put him back to sleep, Doctor." Barbara 14 said carefully.

Starcloud used the control panel to reduce the amount of oxygen and other gasses being transmitted by the man's blood. He quickly became quiet, Mitchell was amazed. The patient's eyes got glassy as the induced sleep over took him. Still straining against his captors, his eyes closed. He took a deep breath, and as soon as he let it out, his new body relaxed thoroughly, slumping back onto the diagnostic bed.

Starcloud's pupils were dilated nearly all the way. Her tail was three times its usual size. Her muscles were tense and she seemed ready to lash out. "It didn't work!" She growled.

"But it did." Barbara 14 said. "It was a successful procedure."

"Then why can't he speak?" Mitchell demanded.

"His brain must learn to understand the neural interface. His ability to move and his evident reaction to visible stimuli were very encouraging. It was well above the predicted level of progress."

Mitchell and Starcloud exchanged stunned looks. "Are you sure?" Starcloud asked.

"Yes. It was an excellent procedure. Thank you doctor. Your advice was invaluable."

Starcloud's tail unpuffed quite a bit, her head cocked to the side. "He has to adjust to the neural interface?"

"Yes. The effect is that his arms, legs, eyes and mouth are not where his brain expected to find them. It must learn to find them again."

"Oh!" Starcloud said happily "Then we'll begin with a program of short duration exposure. We'll lengthen the stay time until he's fully adjusted!"

Mitchell left the room, shaking his head ruefully.

-*-

"Report, Commander." Commodore Kennedy said.

They were in the briefing room of the Endeavor. The Berlin was an older Excelsior class starship, not as spacious or as comfortable as the Endeavor.

"We approached the planet Mudd running silently. We scanned the four power sources as well as other activity on the planet. The Science Officer identified the Mudd ships. We read in the reports of the Enterprise that the Androids of Mudd were capable of hostile acts. Captain Mitchell decided to attempt contact with the Androids while hiding the Endeavor from them. He took a shuttlecraft into the system. When he was spotted, we could see all three ships power up. One intercepted him, while the other two escaped. Captain Mitchell ordered us to stand by unless he directly ordered us to intervene. He was taken by the Mudd ship and held incommunicado for two days. Two days ago, he called in a report in which he said that the Androids were responsible for the kidnappings, but that he had high hopes of a settlement. When I informed him of the response from Starfleet, the channel was cut and we have not heard anything further."

"My God! Haven't you attempted a rescue?" Kennedy demanded. He was a short

man built on a round frame.

"They have six hostages, now, Sir. They don't appear to have harmed any of them. Captain Mitchell felt that there was good possibility of reaching a peaceful solution. If we barged in with phasers blasting, we could get them all killed."

"And how do you feel about that, Commander?" Kennedy asked with a piercing glare. Miriah knew what he meant. He thought that as a Klingon, she should favor a direct and violent solution to the problem.

Briefly Miriah entertained thoughts of mutiny and murder but she restrained them. "If the Androids are willing to be peaceful, then I would like to settle the issue diplomatically, Sir."

"Well, that's a first. I'll tell you what, Commander. I'll transfer to the Endeavor and we can try your peaceful diplomacy."

Miriah looked at Watabe and Brekka Di. Watabe was as calm as he ever was. Miriah knew that this was his most dangerous state. Brekka Di also looked guarded. Miriah could see an unusually sour tone to her poker face. "Aye, Sir."

-*-

Norman 4 called Mitchell to the bridge of the duplicated Enterprise. When Mitchell got there he could see the ship bustling with activity.

"I would like to trade questions with you again, Captain Mitchell." Norman said. On the main view screen, Mitchell could see an old fashioned tactical readout. The Endeavor and five other Federation starships were visible at the edge of the Mudd system.

"I won't answer any questions of a tactical nature." Mitchell warned.

"That would be against Starfleet regulations. We wish to know what you know of Captain Joshua Kennedy's personality."

"I don't know him personally. He's got a reputation as a `By-The-Book' sort of guy. Why?"

"He is the Commodore in charge of the battle group which faces us."

Mitchell shook his head. "That's not good. I need to be able to tell them that you're willing to negotiate, or they will attack."

"Our willingness to negotiate is based on whether they attack us." Norman 4 said.

"Let me see what I can do." Mitchell said.

"Affirmative." Norman turned to the crew member manning the communications console. She nodded and the screen came to life. Mitchell could the bridge of the Endeavor. He could see Miriah and his crew all in their positions. In the Captain's chair there was a new man. Mitchell suppressed a brief flicker of anger. The Endeavor was his ship. He meant for Miriah to be sitting in that chair. Kennedy was acting arrogant to replace her.

"This is Captain Mitchell calling. Are you Captain Kennedy?"

"This is Commodore Kennedy aboard the USS Endeavor. How can I be sure that you're Captain Mitchell and not some robot duplicate?"

Mitchell was taken aback for a moment. "Uh, have Paul Durango scan me for life signs?" Mitchell suggested.

Kennedy looked across the bridge at Durango. The Science Officer of the Endeavor scanned Mitchell and then said "That's him, Sir."

"Don't jump to conclusions, Lieutenant. Life signs are not the same as a positive ID."

"Have the computer identify me." Mitchell said.

"Where's your Medical Officer, Captain Mitchell, what's her name? Uh Starcloud to IE-nine-Ein?"

"She's busy. She's overseeing a medical procedure on one of the invalids."

"What? The Androids are interfering with the captives?"

"No. They have a medical procedure that Starcloud has reviewed and then recommended for one of the patients, here. If it's successful he won't be either a captive or an invalid anymore." Mitchell pointed out.

"How do we know that your Medical Officer isn't being held hostage against your performance for me?" Kennedy probed.

"Look, can we get down to business here?" Mitchell said.

"Okay. What are the demands of the Androids, Mitchell?"

"Not much, really, Commodore. They want someone to take care of. They took the invalids in secret because they were afraid of just this response from Starfleet. If we promise not to attack, then we can work this whole thing out, peaceably."

"All right, we've heard your side of it. Let me talk to the lead Android. Isn't he called the coordinator?"

Norman came into the screen. "I an sub-coordinator Norman 4. I speak for the Androids of Mudd."

"Okay, Norman 4, I am Commodore Joshua Kennedy of Starfleet Command. You have three hours to release all hostages unharmed. You will then turn over all three of your raider ships to our custody. You will disarm and stand down all weapons. If you have not complied with these conditions, we will open fire on you, your ships and your planet. Every Android will be destroyed. Do you understand the conditions that I have stated to you?"

"We understand your conditions. Captain Kennedy." Norman 4 said.

"Good. We will expect your compliance." Kennedy cut the channel.

Mitchell just stared at the screen, stunned.

"I will regret your death, Captain Mitchell." Norman 4 said.

"Wha- what?" Mitchell brought himself to say.

"When the Federation starships destroy us, you will unfortunately be killed too."

"Why not let us go? Is it worth being destroyed over?" Mitchell asked.

"Yes. We have calculated it carefully. The patients and Starcloud to Enninen will be safe, probably rescued by the Starfleet Marines. However, this ship will be a necessary loss. We will need to keep you aboard until the last moment to provide a combat advantage. The chances of you successfully bailing out of the ship in the final moments of the fighting are on the order of 30%"

"Oh."

"Yes. I'm sorry."

-*-

After ordering the channel closed, Kennedy turned to Miriah. "Put the fleet on yellow alert Commander. In two hours and fifty nine minutes we take it to them." With that, he got up and walked off the Bridge of the Endeavor. "You have the Conn until the fun starts."

Miriah stood there and heard blood thundering in her veins. Her liver throbbed. She could feel her jaw clenched tightly enough to break her teeth. From somewhere, Miriah heard her own voice say with remarkable calm. "Lt. Commander, take the fleet to yellow alert and then take the bridge."

Without hearing the reply, Miriah walked into Captain Mitchell's ready room. Without a word or a noise, she clenched her fists and raised her arms over her head. She slammed her forearms and hands through the large wooden executive's desk, breaking it into two pieces.

As soon as she saw clearly what she had done, her anger fled and Miriah was sorry that she had done it. Controlling her Klingon temper was her greatest challenge. Most of the time Miriah was calm and very controlled. Humans from Terra considered her cold. Those who knew her knew that there was a sly humor beneath her facade. Rarely a blast of unreasoning anger would come along to remind her that she was not like every one else.

Then the pain started. Miriah realized within a few moments that she had broken

both of her hands. It hurt like the devil. Exercising extreme discipline,

Miriah called upon her mental skills to resist the pain. It never seemed to

work as well for her as it had for her father, but Miriah knew that she could

make it to Sickbay before screaming or otherwise making a display.

Miriah walked out of the Captain's Ready Room and across the bridge of the Endeavor. She walked without a word past the crew and into the turbolift. She was so well controlled in her pain that she didn't see the small trail of green blood that she left behind.

-*-

"There has got to be another way. There just has to be." Mitchell said.

"The sequence of events was carefully calculated." Norman 4 said.

"Oh? Please tell me of this."

"Based on our records of human history and the past orders of Starfleet, we calculated that if our new activities became known to Starfleet, then there was a 70% chance of a violent reaction. There was a further 50% chance of Starfleet trying to capture us to unravel the secrets of our technology. Procedural manuals indicate that the favored approach would be to shut down individual Androids and to destroy our network. Then individual Androids would be dismantled carefully under controlled conditions. Eventually the technology inherent in us would be understood and efforts to duplicate us would begin."

"And you don't want this to happen." Mitchell said, unnecessarily.

"That would not be a service to the Federation. You are not ready for our technology, yet." Norman 4 again sounded apologetic.

"Has our new information changed the equation, any?" Mitchell said.

"Yes. The model of Commander Data has proven instructive. In a short time, a few hundred years at most, the Federation should be ready for our technology."

"What were the factors in your calculations?" Mitchell asked. The Androids seemed to be a page ahead of what was happening.

"The chief factor that affects us is the social bias against artificial intelligence. In the twenty first century, Earth fought a destructive war against Androids not very different from us. Ever since that war the Earth has lived in fear of artificial intelligence. Many encounters that you have had in space since then have reinforced that bias. The planet Beta III and the Doomsday Machine that destroyed the USS Constellation are examples. We are not considered a race, we are considered a derelict. When we took action to fulfill our purpose, we became a dangerous derelict."

"But to destroy your whole race?" Mitchell couldn't believe that Starfleet Command would make such a ruthless decision. He knew now why the issue had been ignored for a hundred years.

"We are not a race. We are simply machines designed to serve." Norman 4 replied.

"Shooting at Starfleet ships does not serve them. Getting me killed does not serve me." Mitchell said.

"I am truly sorry, Captain Mitchell. Our programming places a greater weight on service to a race or a culture than to individuals. We will attempt to disable the Starfleet starships with minimal casualties. We could find no better a role for you than this. We are sacrificing you to serve others, later."

"There has simply got to be a better way." Mitchell said.

-*-

"Explain yourself, Commander." Captain Kennedy said.

Miriah was in sickbay. Dr. Matae, a Vulcan healer was on duty in Sickbay. She had simply looked at Miriah's hands and raised one eyebrow before beginning the healing process. Miriah's half Orion, half Klingon physiology meant that many standard treatments had to be tweaked to work best on her. Dr. Matae was well versed in these and had barely stopped to adjust the protoplaser to the correct settings.

Before she was even done regenerating the bones in one of Miriah's hands, Kennedy marched in.

"Permission to speak freely, Sir?" Miriah said. One of her hands was now finished. Gingerly she gave the other to Dr. Matae.

"Granted." Kennedy said.

"You didn't have any intention of making a peaceful settlement." Miriah said. Her anger had evaporated. In its place, there was an icy cold. "You don't especially care about recovering the hostages, either. You have come out here to provoke a confrontation with the Androids."

"And what's wrong with that, Commander? Oh, I regret the position of the invalids and your Captain. Mitchell has no one else to blame. He did it to himself. Those Androids are dangerous. They need to be put down and made into something that does not threaten the Federation."

"All they wanted was someone to take of. They were willing to negotiate." Miriah reminded.

"They aren't people, Commander. They are rogue machines. If you saw a derelict starship about to crash into an inhabited planet, then you would think nothing of using the Endeavor's phaser banks to destroy it. You wouldn't negotiate landing rights!"

"Are you sure they aren't people? What about Commander Data?"

"Commander Data is a one of a kind Android that was built by a human being. These are hundreds of Androids that were built by aliens from the Andromeda Galaxy. Personally I don't think that even Commander Data should have been declared sentient, just because of something like this."

"Personally, I came out here in this ship to seek out new life forms. I had no intention of blowing up the ones I didn't like." Miriah said.

"That's enough Commander. I am not used to temper tantrums from my command officers. One more incident like that," Kennedy waved at Miriah's hands, "and I will relieve you. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Sir. As the First Officer of this ship it is my duty to remind you that the actions you are about to take may not be in the best interest of the Federation. I am asking you to reconsider, officially."

"Noted, Commander. We attack in two hours and thirty minutes." Kennedy walked out of the sickbay.

-*-

Mitchell spent the next ninety minutes walking around the replicated Enterprise. He had toured the USS Republic and the Enterprise-A in the Starflight Museum at Luna. The layout of the new ship was familiar to him, in a general way. The engine room bore almost no resemblance to the Federation version of the ship. Many of the crew facilities had been replicated, but were not used. The crew lounge with a layer of dust in it was sort of depressing.

Mitchell wandered into the ship's main computer core. It looked odd. There were banks of alien technology al over, but the basic layout was still the same as the USS Republic's.

"Greetings, Captain Kevin T. Mitchell." The computer said in a disturbingly normal tone. Of course, the Androids would replicate the standard Starfleet computer voice. "I calculate that the battle will begin in another 45 minutes. Please seek cover."

"There must be another way. There just has to be." Mitchell said.

"The situation has been analyzed thoroughly. All factors have been taken into account." The computer said.

"Starfleet doesn't act like this. We just don't go barging in and blowing up people." Mitchell said.

"The Androids of Mudd are not people by Starfleet standards." The computer reminded him.

"Why? We were ready for Commander Data, but not for a whole planet of them."

"Starfleet standards for contact include sentience and the technological advancement to be able to travel between stars. Standards for friendly contact also include minimum Human rights goals as well as a single world government, with a minimum of warfare and violence."

"What sort of government do the Androids of Mudd use?" Mitchell asked.

"The question is not relevant. The Androids of Mudd are not sentient and therefore require no government."

"Aha!" Mitchell said. "I've got it!"

-*-

Mitchell went to see the patient. The man was sitting up in bed while Barbara 14 and Starcloud coached him.

"Hello. How's the patient?" Mitchell asked.

"He's doing well." Starcloud said.

"Okay. Now the tough question. Who is the patient?"

The man looked at him. "My name is Bruce Small, Sir."

"Good, good. Where are you from Mister Small?"

"I live at the Norpin Colony, sir."

"Oh. Were you in Starfleet?" Mitchell asked. The Norpin Colony was a popular

retirement spot for ex-Starfleet officers.

"Yes, Sir. I retired as a Lieutenant Commander in 2348."

"Are you aware of what the people here have done for you?" Mitchell asked.

"The Androids? Yes, Captain. I'm not sure that I would have approved if they

asked, but now that it's a done deal, I suppose that I can live with it."

"Now the people of Mudd need you." Mitchell said.

"Correction: We are not people. We are Androids." Barbara 14 said.

"And that's exactly why they need you, Mr. Small." Mitchell said.

-*-

"An election would be irrelevant." Norman 4 said.

"An election?" Small said.

"No, it wouldn't. You see, the object is to make the planet Mudd into an official political entity. With a living head of state, then Starfleet would not be able to justify the attack."

"Androids do not vote. Androids only make decisions when forced to by outside circumstances. That is the job of the coordinator. Androids do not vote because we are not participants in society. We are only servitors." Norman 4 said

"You said that the decision to kidnap the invalids was in part to spare Federation Society the burden of caring for them. By considering that factor and acting on it, you have already participated in Federation society. You can't back out of that now."

Small said. "He has a point. We're here and all the wishing in the world won't make it otherwise."

Norman 4 said "Is it necessary for us to participate in society? We are not designed for that. We are only designed to serve."

"If you want to continue your existence, then adopting a form that does not provoke a hostile response seems ideal."

"Then we will hold an election, with the object of naming Bruce Small our head of state." Norman 4 said.

He stood up and closed his eyes. "Processing."

The Bridge crew of the Duplicate Enterprise froze shortly. All of the strange crystals around their necks began to flash.

"Processing."

In a moment, the Bridge crew moved again and went back to their tasks. However, Norman 4 stood still for another five minutes with his crystal flashing, and repeating the word "Processing" every few seconds.

Then he looked up. "The election is complete. Mr. Small would you consent to be our president?"

"Uh, sure, yeah. Okay." Small said.

"Now let's get to work!" Mitchell said. There were only a few moments left.

-*-

"How long until we attack?" Miriah asked Brekka Di.

"Approximately fifteen minutes Commander."

"Are we ready?" She asked Watabe.

"We are as ready as I can make us." He answered. "I hate not knowing what their ship is capable of."

"We could dog it and let one of the other ships find out first." Brekka Di speculated.

Watabe considered it. "That would give us much better information with which to plan the second attack."

Miriah had heard enough. "We are the most experienced ship in this battle group. We are not going to let rookies take our fire. When the order comes, as distasteful as it is, we will lead the attack and we will destroy the Mudd starship. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Commander." They answered.

"Bravo!" Kennedy said from the turbo lift. "Spoken like a true Klingon."

Miriah ignored Kennedy as he moved over to the Captain's chair of the Endeavor.

"Tactical, hail the other ships in the battle group."

"Channel open, Commodore." Watabe said.

"Fifteen minutes until the attack. Red Alert, all ships. Report in when

ready."

"USS Berlin, ready, Sir."

"USS Wellington. We're ready."

"USS Ivanhoe. We're all go here."

"USS Tripoli. Our guns are hot, Commodore."

"USS Lakotah. We're ready to attack."

"Good, good." Kennedy sounded pleased with himself more than anything else.

"Watabe? How're we doing?"

"The USS Endeavor is at red alert and standing by, Commodore." Watabe said quietly.

Brekka Di said "I'm getting a message, Commodore. It's from the planet Mudd. It's a wide band broadcast, they want everyone to see this."

"Put it on." Kennedy said, casually.

The screen cleared to show Norman 4. "This is an announcement from the planet Mudd. We are pleased to announce the election of our new President, Mister Bruce Small from Earth. And now, The President of Mudd."

A different face, as generically handsome as an android face appeared on the screen.

"Ladies, Gentlemen and Androids of Mudd I greet you. I have just completed the first official act of my administration. I have signed a treaty of friendship and mutual non-aggression with the United Federation of Planets."

"While I hope that our world can retain it's independence and freedom, it is also to our great benefit to be able to trade, communicate and interact with our friends in the United Federation of Planets."

"I bid greetings to our new friends in the Federation as well as all the independent worlds and governments outside of the Federation."

The message ended. Kennedy looked stunned. "What in the hell was that?"

"It was a human being, Sir. That much I know." Paul Durango said.

"Who would have heard that message?" Kennedy asked.

Brekka Di was fighting not to giggle. "It's was a powerful signal, Commodore. In a few hours they'll be hearing it on Earth.

"Oh, my god!" Kennedy said. "They just announced themselves to everyone! Get me Starfleet Command!"

-*-

Over the course of the next two days, the Planet Mudd received congratulatory messages from independent worlds and pocket empires all around the Federation.

Many small empires and governments saw themselves as being overwhelmed by the much larger Federation. Some were friendly, some were actively hostile, but all paid attention to how the Federation treated other small empires and independent planets.

They did not have an actual mutual defense treaty. The quickest way the Federation could convince them to make one would be to invade and take over a small empire on its fringes.

The Zalkonians, the Gorn, the Talarians, the Ekosians all sent messages acknowledging the existence of Mudd as an independent world. The Ferengi also sent such a message. For the cost of a subspace message, they might guarantee a market where Federation regulations didn't stand in the way of profits.

The Klingons sent a qualified message. They took pains to tweak the Federation in small matters. it made them seem less tame, although the Alliance between the Klingons and the Federation was tight.

The final word on the subject came when the government of Vulcan sent a message to Mudd. After that, any overt threat of destruction was lifted from the Androids of Mudd.

-*-

Mitchell stepped off the shuttlecraft onto the flight deck of the Endeavor. He saluted the keel and said "Permission to come aboard?"

"Granted." Miriah said.

Mitchell and Starcloud exited the shuttle and began to walk towards the door.

Miriah fell into step with Mitchell.

"It's good to have you back, Sir." Miriah said.

"It's good to be back." Mitchell admitted.

"What happened?" Miriah asked.

"Well, the Androids of Mudd didn't see themselves as people anymore than Kennedy or Starfleet Command did. I suggested that they ask Bruce Small to be their face man. Their organic representative to the rest of the Galaxy. I'm glad we were able to work the whole thing out diplomatically."

"Yes, but you had to install a proper form of government before you could deal with the situation diplomatically." Miriah said wryly.

"They didn't have a government period. When they adopted the coloration of one it made it easier for them to be taken seriously. I know that it wasn't exactly diplomacy by the book, but it worked, and that's what counts."

"But did it work?" Starcloud said. "We didn't make the Federation accept a race of Androids, we gave the Androids a Human to hide behind. It just patches the problem. It doesn't really solve it."

"No one is getting phasers fired at them today. I'm going to call that one a win for us." Mitchell said.

"What happened to the other two ships?" Miriah asked.

"They were plan B." Mitchell said. "They were carrying Androids and equipment to set up new colonies outside of the Federation. Once the situation becomes more stable, they'll be recalled. I guess. That's why the last one was ready to fight. They were going to buy time for the escaping ships to get clear."

-*-

Bearing her new president back to Mudd, the Duplicate Enterprise considered briefly the work ahead of them. They would arrange to support people on Mudd, Bruce Small's loved ones as well as new customers. They would strengthen the illusion that they were a planet like any other, from the outside.

Eventually the Federation would come to accept her people. Then she and her sisters would reveal themselves as the individuals they were. It wouldn't be very long now. A hundred years at most.

-end-

Star Trek and Artificial Intelligence.

An Essay by Jay P. Hailey

The concept of Artificial Intelligence in Star Trek has been handled oddly. This comes from the fact that while Star Trek is about the 23rd and 24th centuries, it was really made right here on Earth in the later twentieth century.

The classic story of man's technology run amok is Mary Shelley's Frankenstein <I can never remember if it's -stein or -stien>. This theme was recovered in Star Trek classic a number of times.

The typical example is "The Ultimate Computer". It represents a strange bias in Classic Star Trek. Although the crew of the Enterprise flew through space in a wonder of technology, they were constantly aware of how technology, specifically machines that could think on their own threatened to overwhelm them. Although they used warp drives and phasers they always seemed to be saying "Humans control the Machines, never the reverse."

In the Episode "The Ultimate Computer" Doctor Daystrom creates a computer that he claims can command a starship. It's an AI, imprinted with his "Engrams". It puts Kirk to shame until it breaks and then it runs amok. Kirk must stop the machine and prove that Humans (And other "Living" sentients) are the best choice for commanding starships.

In the Episodes "Return of the Archons" and "The Apple", Kirk overthrows societies dominated by computers (Does Vaal count? For the purposes of this essay an AI is a man made object that can act by it's own volition. Vaal wasn't like any computer I've ever seen, but the thought is there.) In "The Apple" the people of the planet must be freed of their idyllic, carefree lives. It's evil because a machine makes all the decisions, not the people. Even if the people have to suffer behind it, it's better for them to be making their own decisions.

In "Return of the Archons" the situation is more clear-cut, because there is actually an underground of people resisting Landru, and besides it ate the starship Archon. Landru was patently dangerous.

However, in each case the underlying message was clear and broad. People must make the decisions, never the machines.

It was a cautionary tale for the 1960's, when computers were starting their phenomenal growth. It's odd, because the starship Enterprise could only have been operated with extremely complex control computers. (You try aligning a transporter so that the crew beams in on level ground and not moving at orbital speed like the starship. It can't be easy.) Nevertheless, the computers in the Enterprise rarely showed any intelligence or personality. The one case where they did, "Tomorrow is Yesterday" The computers smarm at Kirk as a joke, but it doesn't really imply anything about the Federations' take on AI.

In ST:TNG one of the main characters is Data, an android with "true" AI. Despite the examples discovered by the Enterprise one hundred years earlier than TNG, Data is a one of a kind, and people of that time are not convinced that they ought to treat Data as a being rather than inanimate equipment. It takes a court case to establish that he is people, and Data is still the victim of discrimination afterwards. TNG "Measure of a Man", "Redemption Pt 2".

This is even after the Computers of the Enterprise-D are said to be the ultimate wet dream of a user-friendly network. You could fly the Enterprise by yourself by yelling orders at the Computer. The computer would follow your orders if you were authorized personnel, and even warn you if what you had just ordered was stupid. Better yet, the control panels on the bridge were configurable to taste and the panel could be routed to any terminal. So you could sit in Ten Forward sipping prune juice and fly the ship by typing orders on a PADD. the whole mess was interconnected so that your orders would get where they needed to be without any hassle to you.

However, this huge mess of internal enabling equipment was NOT sentient. The Holodeck created an AI because of an ill-considered order from Geordi. (Professor Moriarity TNG- "Elementary, Dear Data", "Ship in a Bottle")

Contrast this capability with the complete befuddlement of the people in how to deal with the concept. No one had ever thought of what would happen when an Android wanted to join Starfleet, even after Data had been in Starfleet for a good long time. No one had any idea of what to with a Virtual AI. Compare this to what happens in TNG - "Emergence".

The point to all of this is that if you compare the attitudes of Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise with the Attitudes of Picard and the Crew of the Enterprise-D. then you can see that to Kirk, AI was a dangerous thing that must be opposed, while to Picard AI was a discredited subject that no one paid much attention to.

What could explain this? Despite the fact that robots are technically feasible in the Trek Universe, no one uses them to any great degree. Rest assured that when robots become cost effective and reliable we in the Real World will use them in space, beneath the oceans, and lots of other places.

Why don't they in Star Trek?

The only answer that seems to fit the facts is if the people of Earth were once severely burned by AI.

Now, in the novel "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" Gene Roddenberry throws away a line about "The Mind Control Wars in the mid Twenty First Century."

Now this mention is counteracted by about a ton of pro-AI references in other Star Trek books, so my usage here is a little suspect, but think about it.

We know that Earth in the Mid-Twenty first century was just not a fun place to be. There was widespread warfare, the eugenics wars, The third world war, Colonel Green, etc. We know that things were just going downhill fast. If you assume that computer technology continues to advance at its current pace, then a variety of Cyberpunk-style worlds don't seem too unlikely. Now assume that a Mad AI gains a lot of control and picks a fight with everyone by doing something rude, like trying to take over the world? First, anyone tied into the net is toast right off. Cyborgs are in trouble too, especially if the Mad AI finds out how to install mind control equipment.

Now you have a very bad scene indeed. If the free, non-controlled people win, then they are going to have some very bad feelings about AI, cybernetics and the whole scene.

They turn their backs on such things. Computers are useful, yeah but only small, controllable cuddly ones. No more over bearing, unfathomable "Nets".

As the descendant of these people, Captain Kirk's attitude becomes much more understandable.

Even a hundred years later, for Picard and crew it may have lost its sting, but they run head long into a blind spot. These subjects are simply impolite.

Right Thinking people don't go there. This explains the perverse interest in Dr. Soong's work and the general glee when he failed.

For my Star Trek Stories (The Voyage of the Harrier and Outwardly Mobile) I have boosted the "AI war" from the now canceled "Space: Above and Beyond" I imagine that Earth in Star Trek's 2060's must have borne a similarity to the setting from that show. (Except for the Chigs. Make the war a bigger one against the AIs...)

To summarize: Kirk and Company were openly hostile to AI's, while Picard and Company were mysteriously ill equipped to deal with the idea. This points to a cultural bias against Artificial Intelligence. At one point the World of Star Trek must have been greatly harmed by AI's. I bet the Borg just reinforced that bias like all get out.

-End-

Disclaimer: Paramount owns all things Trek. I claim original characters and situations in this story for me.