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visible_sarielAnyone who calls Sariel a minion is sorely mistaken.
About as mistaken as they are if they call her a coward. Shy she may be, quiet and studious and subordinate she may be, but she's got Starfleet training, and she takes it very seriously. Keep an eye out for anomalous readings. Report what needs reporting.
Do the right thing.
Sariel's loyal to her core. But she's no minion. She lives her life by a very different set of rules than the stereotypical tool of someone higher up. She follows, follows orders, follows protocol, but she doesn't do it blindly.
She serves in Starfleet with her whole heart. That's plain enough, if you know her. The military life works for some people and doesn't work for others, and it's right for her.
But Sariel serves in Starfleet with her whole mind, too.
Commander Data (not as she knows him) has shaken her, chilled her, unnerved her. And he said not to tell anyone, ordered her not to tell anyone, made his order plain even if he didn't speak the word.
But Sariel doesn't follow blindly. She's subordinate, and she's shy and she's junior, but she follows with her whole mind.
And she's no coward. Even if what she's about to do scares her.
Do the right thing.
If Commander Data is malfunctioning, she needs to tell someone.
The Commander Data she's just met could be from her own past, her own future, someone else's past or future. The Commander Data she's just met could be her own universe's version, malfunctioning but unaware that he is. If she tells anyone else, the explanation of her suspicions will be a carefully-worded lie at best, a serious incident exposing the existence of Milliways at worst. If she tells anyone else...
But Commander Data knows Milliways. And Commander Data will want to be repaired, if he is malfunctioning.
Won't he?
Report what needs reporting. Do the right thing.
It's a very wary, very cautious Sariel who reaches for her communicator. She's two steps beyond what was the bar door a moment ago and is now her closet. It's here she halts.
Do the right thing.
Chirp.
"Rager to Commander Data."
About as mistaken as they are if they call her a coward. Shy she may be, quiet and studious and subordinate she may be, but she's got Starfleet training, and she takes it very seriously. Keep an eye out for anomalous readings. Report what needs reporting.
Do the right thing.
Sariel's loyal to her core. But she's no minion. She lives her life by a very different set of rules than the stereotypical tool of someone higher up. She follows, follows orders, follows protocol, but she doesn't do it blindly.
She serves in Starfleet with her whole heart. That's plain enough, if you know her. The military life works for some people and doesn't work for others, and it's right for her.
But Sariel serves in Starfleet with her whole mind, too.
Commander Data (not as she knows him) has shaken her, chilled her, unnerved her. And he said not to tell anyone, ordered her not to tell anyone, made his order plain even if he didn't speak the word.
But Sariel doesn't follow blindly. She's subordinate, and she's shy and she's junior, but she follows with her whole mind.
And she's no coward. Even if what she's about to do scares her.
Do the right thing.
If Commander Data is malfunctioning, she needs to tell someone.
The Commander Data she's just met could be from her own past, her own future, someone else's past or future. The Commander Data she's just met could be her own universe's version, malfunctioning but unaware that he is. If she tells anyone else, the explanation of her suspicions will be a carefully-worded lie at best, a serious incident exposing the existence of Milliways at worst. If she tells anyone else...
But Commander Data knows Milliways. And Commander Data will want to be repaired, if he is malfunctioning.
Won't he?
Report what needs reporting. Do the right thing.
It's a very wary, very cautious Sariel who reaches for her communicator. She's two steps beyond what was the bar door a moment ago and is now her closet. It's here she halts.
Do the right thing.
Chirp.
"Rager to Commander Data."
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no subject
Date: 2010-11-17 04:30 am (UTC)"Data here," he responds, immediately.
no subject
Date: 2010-11-17 06:15 am (UTC)He's here now. That doesn't mean he wasn't there a moment ago; time generally stops in the bar. But he's here now. Sariel's not acknowledging any tiny flutter of relief she might feel. He sounds--
He sounds within normal parameters. But that doesn't mean much, and Sariel knows it.
no subject
Date: 2010-11-17 06:27 am (UTC)He also takes note of the caution in her tone. He can tell that this is something important.
"Yes, Ensign," he replies. "What is it?"
no subject
Date: 2010-11-17 06:50 am (UTC)"I've just had an--" she's chosen her next word carefully. "--experience that I believe you should know about, sir."
no subject
Date: 2010-11-17 06:57 am (UTC)He begins to put away his violin.
no subject
Date: 2010-11-17 09:11 am (UTC)"Is that clear, ensign?"
Well. Considering. That abundance of caution hasn't gone away.
"I've just been to Milliways, sir." Slight pause. "This may be an unusual question, but--" do the right thing. "Did we speak there, sir? A moment ago?"
no subject
Date: 2010-11-17 11:59 am (UTC)He pauses briefly-- for about the duration of time it takes for a human to blink twice-- to consider the question.
"I have never spoken to you in Milliways, Ensign," he says. "But you are saying that I, or some version of myself, spoke to you there?"
It would be odd. It could be easily explained, however-- it is not improbable that his counterpart from a parallel universe had also visited Milliways.
But it occurs to Data that there must have been something remarkable about the conversation, or Ensign Rager would not feel the need to report it. At the very least, she would not be reporting it with such a cautious tone coloring her vocal patterns...
no subject
Date: 2010-11-18 09:18 am (UTC)She's treading carefully, yes, but she's still moving forward. She's also not taking any chances, and maybe that's a clue. Formality is one thing, but this goes beyond Sariel's nature.
Not functioning within normal parameters.
Report what needs reporting. Do the right thing.
no subject
Date: 2010-11-18 09:33 am (UTC)The caution in her tone is still noted. Everything is being noted.
Theories, probabilities. Numbers. Hypotheses. Nothing simulating any sort of reaction, at least not yet. Not enough information.
His tone is still accommodating, but perhaps sounds slightly more automatic than a moment ago.
"Permission granted, Ensign."
no subject
Date: 2010-11-18 09:31 pm (UTC)Functioning within normal parameters.
"You, or this version of you, acted significantly differently than normal, sir." A small measure of that caution has been overtaken by the necessity of telling what needs telling. "You had no memory of me, and your mannerisms were--" beat. "very out of character, sir. You seemed to be mimicking certain emotions, and you--" she's choosing her words carefully, here. "--wanted me not to reveal that we had met."
Another beat. Two. Little bit longer. She doesn't want to say it, but she has to say it. "Forcefully so."
Anyone analyzing vocal patterns could probably infer a thing or two from those last words, not to mention the voice they're delivered in.
no subject
Date: 2010-11-19 01:29 pm (UTC)Numbers, hypotheses. There are currently three possibilities that seem the most likely. One: the android Sariel spoke with was from a parallel universe. Two: he is malfunctioning and experienced a memory lapse. Three: .....
More information is required.
"It probably startled you, Ensign," he is careful to acknowledge. "Could you be more specific? Was I displaying any other signs of possible malfunctions? Was it your impression that I was simply simulating emotions, or actually experiencing them? In what way was I forceful? Could you give me an example of something strange that I said?"
He may be talking slightly faster than normal. Somewhere, in the back of his positronic matrix, he is aware of the absence of something. Something that was there before, when the third possibility last occurred to him. And he cannot help thinking-- in the back of his mind-- that perhaps it should be there, or even that he is hearing it, in the vocal patterns of the young woman he is talking to...
Perhaps it is because of this that his neural network seems oddly preoccupied with that third possibility. And he cannot help noting...
Data has never met anyone's counterpart from a parallel universe in Milliways.
But he has encountered dead people.
no subject
Date: 2010-11-20 05:58 am (UTC)It's a debriefing. It's standard, it's expected.
It's exactly what a non-malfunctioning Commander Data might do.
And it's cause for another small spring of acknowledged but determinedly ignored relief. The details haven't triggered any unexpected reactions, but what if there is a malfunction and it has affected his memory circuits? What if he doesn't remember?
Tell what needs telling.
"It did, sir." Sariel's trying for matter-of-fact on those words, and at least partially succeeding. "I didn't notice any overt signs of malfunction, but cybernetics isn't my field of expertise. You appeared to be making a concerted effort to mimic human behavior. You sat with your feet on the tabletop during most of our conversation, for instance. You almost appeared to be annoyed or irritated at times. Whether you were experiencing human emotions rather than simulating them--" Data's actions while under outside influence haven't been forgotten. Not by this ensign. "I can't be sure, sir."
There's a half-second's pause, filled with the rustle of fabric. The chair at the room's computer terminal is now occupied by its owner. "And you insisted that I not reveal our meeting to anyone--" the slightest of pauses.
Do the right thing.
"--and emphasized your point with physical force, sir."
Sariel's arm isn't bruised, but that's down to Lore exercising some small measure of restraint. Data's got most, if not all of his answers, in one form or another.
no subject
Date: 2010-11-20 06:35 am (UTC)"Thank you, Ensign. I will investigate this matter further. I appreciate your taking the time to report this to me."
Another slight pause.
"And I am... relieved, that you were not injured. I am sorry for whatever it was that might have occurred.
"Do you have any further information that you wish to report?"
no subject
Date: 2010-11-22 06:28 am (UTC)"You're welcome, sir. I thought this was best reported quickly, considering the circumstances." All the circumstances, but Sariel doesn't say that. Part of her is fairly sure she doesn't need to. The rest of her hopes she's right. "Nothing further, sir." Half a beat. "Thank you."
It isn't her place to say anything further. Something's half-formed two steps forward of the back of her mind, about how Commander Data is not at fault even if a malfunction is affecting him. But it isn't her place to say a word on the subject.
Those last two words will have to do. It's no wonder they sound softly sincere; they are.
no subject
Date: 2010-11-22 06:49 am (UTC)He presses his combadge to end the transmission, and is left standing in the middle of an empty room, staring down at his violin case, trying to process what he has just heard.
Theories. Probabilities. The numbers have shifted, but more information is required. The investigation is 'on his shoulders' now, as the human expression goes, and he must decide on his next step.
Eliminate the impossible...
The most important thing is determining any possible malfunction he might be having. He will go to Geordi for a diagnostic on his systems.
...and whatever remains...
There are infinite parallel universes, infinite possibilities. But the fact remains that he has never met two versions of the same person in Milliways. He has never met any version of himself in Milliways...
...however improbable...
(However unwanted...)
Empty.
Data stands there, like he is waiting for something. He turns away suddenly and heads for the door. Most importantly...
He will go ask Geordi for a diagnostic.
no subject
Date: 2010-11-22 07:19 am (UTC)Sariel stays seated at her computer terminal as the transmission ends. Commander Data is reacting normally. Commander Data is investigating.
She can still feel the iron-cold pressure of cybernetic fingers on her arm, and she's not too proud to admit that the memory of his - someone else's, maybe - vacuum-dry sarcasm paired with that force still rattles her. But Commander Data is investigating, to whatever end.
--must then be possible.
It doesn't help all the way, to be sure, but it--
Do the right thing.
It counts for something.