By Dabin Reece
80601.20
Immediately following The Unknown
80601.20
Immediately following The Unknown
Rada and Kellyn examined the door, behind which the being... or creature... or machine... or something by the name of MIM was apparently in great peril.
"I can't even tell how this door is sealed, let alone what's inside. There is an incredible energy field in that room that's scattering all my scans." Kellyn shook her head and tapped at the device, which just beeped in protest.
Reece took in their surroundings as February joined Rada and Kellyn in trying to figure out how to pass the barrier in their way. This place was cold, intentionally dark and uninviting, unlike the surface of the planet which was wired up like a Christmas tree, and normally lit up practically over every square meter. Reece knew that when people had secrets to keep, the dark was usually the place to look.
"Try reversing the polarity, maybe we need to counter the field to open the door." Rada suggested.
"Nothing." Kellyn responded.
"I tried my trick from the elevator door but no luck." February said.
Reece watched the three push buttons and offer suggestions for another minute or two, but with no progress made in opening the door.
"Excuse me." Reece said as he pushed his way through the trio. "He lifted the butt end of his weapon and prepared to smash it into the door. Before he could, Rada grabbed his arm.
"What are you doing?" He asked.
"I'm knocking." Reece answered.
Rada looked at Kellyn and February for their opinions.
"Those men were sent down here to destroy something. The longer we are trapped out here, the more likely it is they are going to do whatever they were sent here to do. We are running out of time." February finished her input, and turned to Kellyn. Kellyn simply nodded her agreement. Rada slowly released Reece's arm, and Reece proceeded to bang three times on the door.
Dabin stepped back slowly.
-=Inside the Room=-
The two Strasa stood, weapons raised and pointed directly at Orad, who was defiantly standing between the guards and MIM.
"The robot is going to be destroyed whether we have to kill you first or not." The first man growled.
"Why does everyone want to hurt MIM?" The robot asked, innocently enough.
"You don't have to do this." Orad implored. "This little robot is not going to hurt anyone. It's alive, just like you and I."
"It's a machine! A program! Nothing more. This is your last warning. Stand aside."
Orad folded his arms across his chest. "I'm going to die whether you shoot me or not."
"So be it." The first guard nodded to the second, and they took aim once again at Orad. Before they could pull the trigger however, there were three loud knocks on the door behind them.
"What was that?"
"Perhaps our orders have changed? We should check." Said the second man.
"Or maybe the Federation has found us." The two men slowly lowered their weapons, and Orad relaxed. His execution had been delayed, at least for the moment. Being that neither guard was in a hurry to commit murder, they decided checking on the door was the best course of action.
The first man waved a device attached to his belt near the door, and it creaked open slowly. At the front of the group was a smiling Trill male, with three Federation officers behind him.
"Hi!" Reece said cheerfully. "Is this the MIM residence?"
The two men raised their weapons on Reece, and in turn Kellyn, Rada and Grace raised theirs towards the Strasa.
"Oh. Perhaps I could speak to the lady of the house?" Reece asked.
"You're outnumbered." Rada warned, "I suggest you surrender."
"And the Federation does not want a bloodbath on its hands." The first Strasa said. The group stood staring at each other over the barrels of their weapons.
"Excuse me?" The standoff was interrupted by the sound of MIM rolling on its treads across the room. "Are you my Builder?" The little bot asked Dabin Reece, its mechanical appendages crossed in a hopeful gesture.
"Orad get the damn thing back away from the Starfleet people." The Strasa warned.
"I'm afraid not little guy." Reece answered the robot.
"Sorry to trouble you." MIM spun on its treads to face Rada Dengar. "Excuse me. Are you my Builder?"
"ORAD!" The Strasa began to get nervous. They knew if they fired at MIM now that the Starfleet people would incapacitate both of them. They were beginning to lose control of the situation.
Dengar slowly lowered his weapon, and dropped to a knee to address MIM. "I'm sorry, I am not. Would you like to find your Builder?"
"Yes please!" MIM replied cheerfully.
"That thing just has a programming error. You're wasting your time." The first Strasa spat.
"You know that's not true!" Orad shouted. "It is sentient and you can't just kill it!"
The guard turned to kill Orad, and just as he fired his weapon, Lair Kellyn dropped him to the ground. "Would you care to try too?" She asked the second Strasa.
Now outnumbered five to one, and realizing Lind was not worth dying for, the second man surrendered his weapon to the Starfleet crew. Reece crossed the room, and quickly scanned Orad.
"He needs medical attention immediately." Reece warned. In reality, what his scan showed was the man would be lost in a minute, and there was nothing that could be done. Dabin shook the man gently, and Orad's eyes slowly opened.
"What is MIM. Please." Dabin implored the man.
"My father built MIM, to control all the functions of this world, behind the scenes." Orad put his hand on Dabin's and gripped it tight. "It's alive now. It is a life. MIM has a personality, curiosity, compassion. Maybe my father built it too well. You can't let Lind kill it, you just can't."
Orad felt the life slipping away from him and called out to MIM. The robot left Rada and rolled over to the son of its builder one last time. "MIM. What did I tell you to say to the Starfleet personnel?"
MIM nodded, and turned back towards the group. "Who is in Command?"
Rada stepped forward. "I am."
The robot rolled up to Rada once again. Reece felt Orad's grip weakening, as slowly death overcame him. Dabin laid the man's hand gently down, and closed Orad's eyes.
"MIM requests asylum."
Rada's mouth hung agape a moment, not quite sure what to make of this little machine that had just requested the full political and military protection of the United Federation of Planets. Before he could answer, the sound of voices began to fill the corridor outside the room. "Hide against the wall MIM. We will protect you." Rada warned.
Reece and Grace took up position on one wall, with Rada and Kellyn on the other. The voices grew louder, but hardly sounded threatening.
"Children!" February whispered. "It sounds like a group of children." Dabin leaned forward to peek out the door, and saw the unmistakable pointy comm badge and pointy ears of the Sera's first officer, along with Breaux, Cristiane, Hok, O'Sullivan, and a slew of young Strasa children.
Reece stepped out to be seen, the rest of the away team doing likewise.
Salvek nodded to the team, and stepped into the room. As he scanned the room, he saw a small robot, a stunned Strasa, and a dead Strasa. The robot approached the Vulcan.
"Excuse me, are you my Builder?"
Salvek raised an eyebrow, and turned to Rada Dengar. If he had not been Vulcan, he would have been afraid give the next order he had.
"Report."
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Commander Dabin Reece
Chief of Science
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
Commander Dabin Reece
Chief of Science
USS Serendipity NCC-2012