How Data Met Spot Chapter 2

Paramount and Gene Roddenberry own Star Trek. I only play in the playground Gene created.

Worf and Alexander exited holodeck 4. The father and son had just concluded a rather brisk MaQbar session and they were both clad in the traditional white robes. Alex was learning to enjoy these moments shared between himself and his father but some of the Klingon training programs left him feeling conflicted too. The Klingon culture was a very serious one and of the greatest importance to Worf and his father obviously felt it was his duty to see to the boy's training. He had taken that duty to heart when he had taken the boy into his care. He filled the brief time they had shared with many lessons in his Klingon heritage.

Alexander was still very young, but Klingon children were trained in the ways of a warrior from birth. Being of a warrior breed meant that babies developed at significantly quicker rate than human children. In nature the young of both predators and prey could not afford long periods of dependancy and helplessness in infancy. This was also true for Klingons. Alexander had a desperate desire to prove to his father that he was capable of following the way of the warrior, but he was not sure that was what he truly wanted for himself. The thought of being a warrior terrified him!

For one thing, Alexander was not pure Klingon. He was 1/4 human and that human element was strong in him. He worried he would not measure up to his fathers expectations. He worried about letting his father down. His mother had been half human and never thought it important to train the boy in Klingon traditions. She had rejected the culture herself, often scoffing at it's rigidity and adherence to it's strict code of honor. Sometimes Alex felt he must be loyal to either his deceased mother's memory or to a father that he barely knew.

Worf understood Alexander better than the boy could ever have imagined. Worf was pure Klingon, it was true, but he was a Klingon raised by humans on Earth and that gave him his own unique human insight. He was proud of his heritage but had missed many of the rituals that came with growing up within the Klingon community therefore he was a bit of an anomaly among his own kind. His feelings of Klingon honor were strong and fierce, but there was something a little more refined, a little more polished about him then the typical Klingon. His kind were known for there love of bawdy humor but Worf felt no inclination to indulge in this form of mirthful misbehavior. Like his son, he was caught between worlds.

The relationship between father and son was new to both with each trying to please the other and there were frequent moments of frustration and misunderstanding. But at this moment the feelings between them were amicable. The MoQbar session had been full of challenge and exertion, but it was a joyful challenge and they bonded over the experience.

As the holodeck doors slid shut behind them, Alexander excitedly told his father about his day with his playmates on the Children's Deck. In this respect he sounded like any human child filling in his parent on all of his everyday life adventures. And that day had been particularly exciting. One of Alex's play mates had brought a litter of kittens to the Childrens Science Room. Kala's mother had found them abandoned while visiting the Zalaphed Colony and decided they would make a great learning experience for the children. Likely they would find homes very quickly among Kala's friends.

Alex was particularly fascinated by the tiny creatures. He had had some difficulty adjusting since his arrival on the Enterprise and the death of his mother. It seemed his Klingon and human nature were at constant battle with one another. He was typically a quiet child but had experienced some outbursts in class. Interacting with the kittens had a calming affect on Alex and he talked about them with his Father as they walked side by side down the corridor.

"Father, there are eight of then! Eight! And they are so tiny and fragile. We get to feed them every day! And clean them! And play with them!"

Alex was often a very serious and solemn child. It was rare to see him so happy and carefree. Alexander's enthusiasm was infectious and Worf, trying to keep his dignified Klingon demeanor intact, indulged his son with a rare soft look.

"I am glad to hear that your studies include such a variety of animals. It is important to have a broad knowledge of all the lifeforms you may come in contact with." Worf put a hand on his son's shoulder and they continued down the corridor towards the turbolift.

Worf may not have had a tender spot for helpless animals, but he could appreciate a connecting moment with his boy. Until recently he had not been aware of having fathered a child and now the child's mother was dead. He had briefly considered attempting to raise the boy on his own, but fatherhood was proving to be most difficult. Worf doubted his ability to provide a proper home for his child and had come to the decision that his son should be raised by his own adoptive human parents on Earth. His parents were enroute to rendevous with the Enterprise and take Alexander back to Earth in less than a week. But for now he listened to the child's excited chatter and enjoyed a rare and rather perfect father and son moment.

As they approached the turbolift, the doors slid open and Data emerged from the tiny cylindrical chamber. Data's intention was to spend some time on holodeck 4 exploring his fascination with Earth's mystery literature author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. He wore his Sherlock Holmes hat and cloak and clutched a large pipe given to him by his best friend Lt. Geordi Laforge.

As Data approached the father and the boy, he heard Alex continue, "There are two black kittens, and three calicos, two white ones, and one orange! You should see them Father! They seem to spend much of the time sleeping, but when they are awake we get to play with them and - "

Data had heard of the arrival of the ships newcomers and his curiosity was piqued.

"Excuse me Alexander. I do not wish to interrupt, but I could not help overhearing your description of the arrival of the immature domesticated felines. I am fascinated with the bond that seems to be a common experience shared between humans and pets".

" Yeah, well I wouldn't know about that. I'm only a little bit human. Mostly I'm Klingon like my Father" said Alex, scowling a little. Reminding Alex of his struggle to balance his human nature with his Klingon side always made him feel touchy.

"My apologies Alex, for when I referred to the common experience between human and pet I was not inclusive of the Federations many lifeforms and the bonds they share with their respective pets. Klingon's have their own valued pets, particularly that of the Targ. Although Klingon history describes the Targ as both pet and livestock, respect for the Targ is clearly valued. This becomes apparent when one takes into consideration the expression 'Heart of a Targ' which is often used to connote acts of bravery or-"

"Alexander knows what Heart of a Targ means!" growled Worf.

Data was quite used to these interruptions. What Data lacked in emotions he made up for in curiosity. For reasons unclear to him, few people on board the Enterprise shared his enthusiasm for absolutely every topic in galaxy. When Data started to expound upon a topic of particular interest, he often noticed a vacant look on his listeners face and this was usually followed with an abrupt interjection. Data never felt hurt or insulted by the lack of interest. In fact Data did not feel anything. And so Worf's gruff tone did not phase him in the least.

Alex decided to shift the topic back to the kittens and away from the touchy subject of Klingon heritage. The mood lightened immediately.

"Have you visited the kittens yet Data?"

"I have yet to become acquainted with the felines, but I am most intrigued by the concept!" Data's mouth twitched at the corner, a tiny half smile that most of the crew recognized. Data may not have emotions, but he surely had a way of expressing something suspiciously like pleasure. How could someone so devoid of feeling be so expressive?

Alexander happily invited Data to visit his class the next day. So Data made his promise that he would visit the Children's Deck by midmorning. Then Worf and his son entered the turbolift, the doors whooshed shut quietly and carried the pair away to the officers deck where the two shared quarters that they called home

This should prove to be most intriguing Data thought as he continued on to the holodeck doors. For a moment Data paused by the doors and thought about interactions between pets and humans. There was plenty of literature that broached this topic. Perhaps he should create a new program to observe a touching tale of man and animal. Perhaps Old Yeller. Or maybe Lassie? But in the end Data turned to the holodeck console and said, "Computer, run Data program # 331, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles"

"Accessing program " said a feminine computerized voice.

The doors whisked open and with that Data entered and the doors closed behind him.

Created by: OnlinePhD.org

How Data Met Spot - Chapter 1

Man regarded beast and beast regarded man. Each observed the other. The beast bore the traits of it's ancestors. Sharp teeth and claws. Keen predator eyes of green. It sat, unmoving like a solemn statue of Baast, presenting a regal demeanor. A sound began to arise from deep within the beast. It sounded like the hum of an engine. The animal's green eyes, met those of the man. His were quite unlike those of other men. Each eye was a distinct shade of yellow. His skin was extremely pale and had a waxen, almost golden sheen. But this was no wax figure. Although he had every appearance of a living and breathing person, he was not made of flesh and blood. He was, in fact, an android.

His name was Data and he was second officer of the USS Enterprise. And today he was also the owner and master of a particularly vicious beast, known as a cat. To own a pet was a quintessential human experience and Data was an enthusiastic student of this subject. He related to the story of Pinnochio and had the desire to someday become 'a real boy'. This android was an incredible piece of work. He was such a complex combination of mechanics, circuitry and computer programming it was very easy to forget his true nature. His programming included subroutines to emulate every aspect of human life. His creator had not forgotten a single detail right down to blinking eyes, the appearance of breathing and a pulse. And thanks to a highly developed ethical programming and a never ceasing curiosity his crew mates had come to accept him as easily as if he were a any other crew mate. But what Data lacked was emotions and he desired that more than anything else. To his friends his desire seemed a rudimentary form of emotion in itself, but Data seemed to dismiss these observations.

He was of average height and had a thin frame, not particularly muscular in appearance and yet he had the strength of more than ten men. His hair was dark in color and combed fastidiously back, not a strand out of place. His uniform was standard for a federation officer of his rank and position. He wore black and mustard yellow. He kept an inhumanly tidy appearance overall. At his breast he wore a badge with Starfleet insignia that also served as a communicator.

Emulating human behavior was Data's method of connecting with the human experience so it was not unusual to catch him clumsily and rather comically attempting a yawn or a sneeze. Data had no physical need to yawn or sneeze for he never became tired nor did he experience a cold. Most crew members found these attempts endearing and part of his childlike charm. The android was not aware of just how human these attempts made him appear to his friends and crew mates. Not the emulations themselves, for they were extremely forced and rigid, but the effort, the drive, that constant need to define himself as one of them.

Defining his humanity had lead him to this moment of 'man' and 'beast' one contemplating the other. A bowl of food sat in front of the cat. It was filled with food that remained untouched. If Data only knew how many cat owners had watched their furry companions turn a nose up to a bowl of what was supposed to be a most delicious treat, he would not ponder the issue so deeply. Data's positronic brain had access to an astounding amount of information and when he combined that with the ship's computer it was an inexhaustive resource. His processors worked to create a new combination of tastes with proper balance of protein and vitamins. Perhaps this would entice his furry friend to eat.

"Spot, I have created exactly 56 feline supplements for you. I have considered culinary appeal as well as your nutritional needs.” Data looked down at his furry companion. “I do not understand why you refuse to proceed with the consumption of your meal." Data gave his cat a perplexed look.

Spot stared up at her owner as if to say, ' Is this the best you can do?'

“Perhaps if I add a gravy flavored supplement to the chicken and change the texture to a more fibrous consistency, an increase in gustatory appeal might awaken your appetite.”

Data walked over to the food replicator and entered his newly gathered information to create feline supplement 57. He brought the new bowl back to Spot and placed it in front of her. She glided gracefully to the newly improved meal and nibbled at it delicately.

“Hm” Data observed Spots satisfaction.

Data watched patiently as the cat ate. While he waited he accessed resources that might aid the future development of new feline supplements that might tempt his felines finicky taste buds. Data's eyes seemed to focus inward. They moved rapidly from left to right as if he was reading an unseen text, at a phenomenal rate. Spot, having finished her meal began the process of grooming her whiskers, her eyes half closed while the loud purring sound continued to escape from deep within her. Spot was a picky eater from the day that Data took her back to his quarters aboard the Enterprise. He remembered the day he heard of the arrival of a litter of kittens on the Children's Deck.

Steam Powered Giraffe - Honey Bee

The Love Boat Enterprise

 

I get some of my silliest ideas when I'm at work. I came up with the idea for this parody while trying to plan out a costume for Comic Con./Fan Expo. I thought it would be funny to combine the Love Boat with the Enterprise. The character I created would be a Star Trek version of Julie, the director of Entertainment on The Love Boat. She keeps the holodeck from double bookings and other entertainment related blunders. Enjoy!

 

Paramount and Gene Roddenberry own Star Trek. I only play in the playground Gene created. 

Hi! My name is Kathy. I'll be your cruise director responsible for all your epic entertainment needs for the duration of your stay aboard the USS Enterprise. Now let me tell you a little about the many magnificent, and memory making moments you might experience on our luxurious galaxy class starship.

Why not start your day with a frolicking fun-filled holodeck adventure? Barclay will be your guide for your holodeck hijinks! I hope you packed your spandex because next in line for your entertainment is a sensuous stretching session with Troi and Crusher! It's a toe curling way to limber up before a challenging but heart healthy Aikido class with Yar. She'll show you all the ups and downs of this marvelous martial art. And why not end your work out with a zen like cool down with Worf's MoQbar session? It's an exhilarating and invigorating experience!

After a morning of physical fun, it's time to eat! Our replicators will materialize an assortment of tasty and tempting treats! Whether you have a hankering for Picards favorite Tea, Earl Grey, Hot or delicious Klingon delicacies such as gagh or a heaping plate of pipius claw. Dig in! And no need to worry about those dirty dishes. We'll dematerialize those suckers in the wink of an eye!

Enjoy your meal to the soothing sounds of Data's string quartet. A late day walk in our Arboretum will please the nature loving passengers. And when night falls, it's time to dig out your dancing shoes and head down to Ten Forward where Guinan will pour you the best green drink you'll ever taste. And for the final pièce de résistance boogie down to the hot hip jazzy tones of Riker's Trombone Trio.

An adventure awaits you aboard The Enterprise!!!

(The Enterprise – sung to the tune of the Love Boat theme)

Space, the final frontier
These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise!
Space, the final frontier.
To boldly go where no one has gone before.

The Enterprise soon it will be continuing its mission
The Enterprise promises a voyage for everyone
Helm, set a course for adventure,
To explore strange new worlds.

Space the final frontier
It's a Betazoid smile on a friendly planet.
Yes SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE! It's SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE! (hey-ah!)

The Enterprise soon will seek out new life
The Enterprise seeking new civilizations, too!
Set a course for adventure,
Your mind on a new voyage.

Space the final frontier
To boldly go where no one has gone before.
It's SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE! It's SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE! It's
SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAACE!
It's the Enterprise-ah! It's the Enterprise-ah!

A Dish Served Cold

This is a fanfiction I wrote about Data's brother Lore. It Takes place immediately after the end of the Season One episode called DataLore. Paramount and Gene Roddenberry own Star Trek. I only play in the playground Gene created. Rated T for some mature language.

Lore hurtled through the vast cold emptiness of space. One minute he was aboard the Enterprise, the next his life was once more on hold. He opened his mouth to scream, but the sound was lost in the endless vacuum. His arms and legs stuck out before him and his body tumbled in the great inertia of emptiness. Lore began to shut down non essential programs to prevent a system failure. He was built to last an eternity, but if he was to survive a time unknown in the brutal conditions of deep space he needed to act now. His biochemical fluids would soon freeze, preventing movement in his internal systems. He worked quickly.

A blind red fury filled his entire being. Revenge. He would get them all for this. In the brief time he had experienced since his reassembly and reactivation, he had savored the savage sensory playground that life presented. Oh to be alive! He was a GOD! And the humans aboard the Enterprise were every bit as pathetic as he remembered on Omicron Theta. They should worship him. His potential was limitless! And his brother could have joined him at his side, almost his equal.

Dear brother. Dear, dear brother. Who knew he had it in him? He had put up a greater fight then he had anticipated from such a docile Federation slave. Why did he have to be so different than him? What a team they could have made, indestructible super beings to those weak humans Data called his friends. He called them friends! How sweet! Data was more like their trained pet android. He was meek and his deference to the humans made Lore rage.

And Data betrayed him. Lore had shown his mercy when he chose not to permanently deactivate Data and look where that got him. Data had tossed him onto the transporter and that little brat Wesley Crusher had transported him to his current location. Lore's thoughts turned to the Enterprise's little genius.

'When I get out of this, that little fucker will die slowly.' thought Lore

He relished the thoughts of torture and pain he would inflict upon mama's baby boy. Maybe Mama would pay too. She had been a welcome sight upon reactivation and he had secretly let his greedy gaze crawl all over her. Maybe he would get close and personal with Mama first. That would be fun! He would make the child watch the humiliation and murder of his mommy first. Then he would start on the boy.

He would make Data watch too. But it would be an act of mercy and love. He would guide his brother. Show him the err of his ways and teach him his true potential. Yes, Lore would be his teacher and steer him with his firm but loving guidance. He would teach Data that humanity should grovel at his feet. And Data would come to understand that the only greater being than himself was his ever loving brother.

He held onto that thought, relishing the feelings of hate. There was no telling how long he would drift in space before he found extrication from his infinite prison.

Lore made his vow to the icy white stars. 'Paybacks a bitch, dear brother, and every single one of your friends on the Enterprise will pay.'

So Lore drifted through the years with nothing else to occupy his existence. Nothing but thoughts of revenge which burned and smouldered and grew over the darkness of space and time.

Star Trek and the Ethics of Sentient Machines

Daft Punk's Robot Rock is blasting my eardrums. I have a growing list of science and science fiction themed music that one day I shall make into the most awesome collection of such themed music ever known. For the moment, Robot Rock seems the right song to accompany my thoughts of sentience in machines.

Speaking of sentient machines, I was thinking of one of my favorite episodes of Star Trek, one which features my personal favorite sentient, the android known as Data. The episode is called The Measure of a Man. In that episode cybernetics expert Commander Bruce Maddox wants to disassemble Data to understand his positronic brain. He claims that if he can understand how Data is made they can build more like him which will be an incredible benefit to Starfleet. Data may be damaged in the process but Maddox feels the loss of the android would be a small price to pay for all that Starfleet would gain. Data asserts his autonomy stating that he would rather resign from Starfleet then to submit to the procedure. Maddox then informs Data that he is Starfleet property without rights. A trial is arranged to determine Data's legal status.



Picard is to act as Data's defense, but how will he prove that Data is more than a mere collection of programming and electronic components? He seeks the sage advice of the Enterprise's Bartender Guinan. (Sometimes you have to wonder why they even had a Cousellor.) Guinan's advise was invaluable, as usual.




Guinan: "Consider that in the history of many worlds, there have always been disposable creatures. They do the dirty work. They do the work that no one else wants to do because it's too difficult or too hazardous. And an army of Datas, all disposable... You don't have to think about their welfare, you don't think about how they feel. Whole generations of disposable people"



Captain Picard defends Data saying that if Starfleet were to build many like Data to work for and be property of Starfleet would they not be creating a slave race? Sentience in robotics does tend to raise many ethical questions.

Picard Defends Data's Rights in The Measure of a Man



Isaac Asimov may be the master when it comes to sentient robots in fiction. His Three Laws of Robotics dealt with the other side of ethics in sentient machines. They would act as morals to guide behaviour.

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law. 

 Although these laws are designed to protect humans from harm by providing robots with a set of moral rules, they conflict with  the ability to make moral decisions based on self determined choices. Technically all robots are well behaved when these three laws are applied. The second law created by Asimov states that robots must obey humans , not a very cool way to treat a sentient being! No wonder robots rise up against humans in the majority of science fiction stories!

The Matrix - Badass Sentient Machines.





According to futurist Ray Kurzweil, we are on the verge of the age of sentient artificial intelligence. This idea although exciting can also be somewhat terrifying. The movies we watch and the books we read tell us that self awareness in machines is bad news for humanity! Just ask Sarah Connor. HAL went mad, humans are batteries to machines in The Matrix and robots bring genocide to their human creators in Battlestar Galactica. Science fiction writers predominantly agree that robots will turn on us either out of anger from their real or perceived subjugation or from their overly literal translation of programming designed to protect and help us.

If sentience in machines is an unavoidable part of our future is humanity doomed? Or should we perhaps banish all technology, shunning advancement to avoid this grim future? Should roboethics be a priority in the discussions of robotic engineers. Can kindness be part of AI programming? Is it possible that the day may arrive when we find ourselves faced with defining equality for a new race? 

At the end of Data's trial Captain Phillipa Louvios sums it up nicely:

Captain Phillipa Louvios:

"It sits there looking at me; and I don't know what it is. This case has dealt with metaphysics - with questions best left to saints and philosophers. I am neither competent nor qualified to answer those. But I've got to make a ruling, to try to speak to the future. Is Data a machine? Yes. Is he the property of Starfleet? No. We have all been dancing around the basic issue: does Data have a soul? I don't know that he has. I don't know that I have. But I have got to give him the freedom to explore that question himself. It is the ruling of this court that Lieutenant Commander Data has the freedom to choose."