325: Flower Power

by Jariel Camen
80608.1600
A few hours after Unplugged and Soul Searching

Camen finally returned to the arboretum, where he spent so much of his time when he needed to be alone with his thoughts. Though, he would not be alone for long.

Soon he would have a chance to meet the newest person aboard the USS Serendipity, the little robot called MiM.

Zanh Liis had asked him to observe the robot, to help determine sentience. In Camen's mind, it sounded like the little being was well on his way to proving it on his own.

MiM had been sent to Sickbay to offer what information he had to the medical staff regarding the device that had been placed in Vol Tryst. Camen hoped the actions they'd taken at MiM's urging would help because the more time passed, the more he worried that the Vol everyone was only getting to know would be lost.

He gathered his tools and a few plantings for the day and prepared to make his rounds. There had been little time to spend here because of Liis's need to have him present during meetings with the Strasa. There was still some question in the Captain's mind as to whether the Strasa may show up and demand MiM be returned when they realized he was not among the rubble on the planet, but for now all was quiet and Camen could afford a few hours of relaxation.

No sooner had Camen made his way deep into the arboretum, he heard the sounds of the doors opening, indicating someone else had entered. He sighed, and set down the spade he had picked up just a moment before. Following the winding path around large flowers and small shrubs, he made his way back to the entrance. There waiting for him was Zanh Liis, and the small robot that Camen could only assume was MiM.

[[Any luck with Vol?]]

"I sure hope so." Liis said. "MiM, this is Vedek Jariel Camen, he serves as, among other things, our Ship's Chaplain."

[[Hello.]] Camen signed to the little bot.

"A pleasure." MiM replied politely."Oh! flowers!" The robot took off past Camen and over to a group of rose bushes.

"I took the liberty of downloading the Universal Sign Language into MiM. He's been going on about flowers ever since he met February Grace so I thought this was the place for him to be to spend some time..." She didn't know how good the hearing on the 'bot was, and she didn't want him to know the reason that he was really here- to have his standing as an aware being determined by the kindest and fairest of all judges Liis could imagine.

[[I'm not surprised. Hasn't he been locked away in an artificial environment his whole life? He has probably never seen nature up close like this before.]]

Zanh Liis stepped closer to him. Instinctively Camen took her left hand in his right. "If he is alive, and truly sentient, I need to know. We've looked at his circuits and programming, but I need someone to look for his soul." Camen look over his shoulder at Mim, who was examining the roses, with his mechanical pincers safely at his side to avoid hurting them.

[[I'll see what I can found out.]] Liis kissed him on the cheek, and left to go on about her business. Camen approached MiM cautiously, still unsure whether this robot had any sort of mean streak that he might aggravate by surprising it. Mim sensed his approach, and turned on his rollers to face him.

"What is this called?"

[[A rose. There are many different types and colors, but red is the most popular.]]

"Why?"

[[Well, it is a symbol of love.]]

"MiM loves the builder. May I take a rose to give the builder?"

[[If you wish, but the rose is usually a symbol of romantic love, as opposed to the love of a mother or father.]]

"What is the difference?"

[[Well familial love is usually based on the ties between parents and children or siblings, while romantic love is between mates or spouses, and is emotional as well as physical.]]

"Sexual." MiM said, matter of factually. "MiM has observed this behavior before."

[[That's nice.]] Camen said politely, not sure how to respond.

"MiM has felt romantic love since coming to this place, may MiM give a rose to his love?"

[[Have you now? Who is the lucky girl?]]

"Serendipity."

[[The ship?]] Camen raised his eyebrows in surprise. At lease MiM was not in love with Zanh Liis...

"Yes. She spoke to me, and taught me sign so I could speak with you. I am in love."

If nothing else, MiM certainly seemed to understand the concept of love, and was eager to experience it. The concepts of patience and infatuation may still have been a bit beyond his grasp, but Camen felt even on this first encounter that there was likely more to MiM then circuits and programmed responses.

[[MiM, sometimes you can scare a girl if you are too aggressive. Maybe you should talk to Serendipity a bit more before we start giving out flowers.]] Camen quickly changed the subject. [[I have some flowers to plant, can you help me?]]

"Yes Camen."

Jariel lead MiM back down the path towards the rear of the arboretum. He lifted a seedling from the tray and set in gently in MiM's hand.

[[Be careful, very fragile.]]

MiM waited patiently, while Camen dug a small hole with his spade for the seedling to fill. Once ready, Camen set his spade down, and stood up.

[[Ok, set it down.]] MiM stared up at Camen, and slowly opened his pincers. The seedling dropped with a thud to the ground and soil scatted in a small pile around it.

"Would it not make more sense to put it in the hole?" MiM asked.

[[Well, that is kind of what I meant.]] Camen said, before dropping to his knees and packing the soil back around the roots of the small flower. He handed it back to MiM, who this time set the seedling down inside the hole.

[[Perfect. Now take the spade and pack down the soil with the seedling with the surrounding soil.]]

MiM took the spade, and pressed down on the dirt, flattening it, and the seedling along with it. Camen tried to sign for MiM to stop, but the bot could not see him. Camen finally reached down and grabbed the robot's arm to stop him. Mim dropped the spade, and examined the now crushed flower.

"Did MiM ruin it?"

The stem was crushed, and Camen realized there would be no saving this flower. This particular flower was very slow to grow from a seed. It had taken him a month to bring the ten flowers he intended to plant today from seed to a size safe enough to be planted.

[[It's ok MiM, I have nine more.]]

"Please don't be angry, MiM is sorry." Camen ran his hand through his hair. He had worked so hard on preparing these flowers to plant, that he couldn't help but be disappointed right now.

MiM reached down with the tip of a pincer, and tried to stand the flower back up. It fell off his pincer and plopped back down on the ground.

[[What are you doing?]] Camen asked.

"Trying to fix it, so Camen will not be mad at MiM."

Camen chuckled. [[You understand that don't you? That I am upset, and you feel sorry about what has happened?]]

"MiM wants Camen to feel better."

Camen could not believe what he was hearing. Not only was MiM capable of loving, but of feeling compassion as well. There was little doubt in his mind anymore that MiM was very much alive and capable of interacting with people on an emotional level.

[[It's ok.]] Camen said, stopping MiM's attempts to fix the flower. [[I am not mad, just help me with the rest.]]

With Camen's help, the other nine flowers were successfully planted. As they finished, and began to clean up, another visitor joined them.

[[Hello, Kellyn.]] Camen smiled at his friend.

"It's time for MiM to recharge. Rada wants me to bring him by engineering to say hello as well. What have you two been doing?" Kellyn regarded the scattered tools, and dirt clinging to MiM's pincers.

[[Just catching up on some planting. It was nice meeting you MiM.]]

"What will you tell the Captain?" MiM asked.

[[Tell the Captain?]] Camen questioned.

"She asked you to determine if I have a soul. Do I?" MiM turned towards Kellyn. "MiM hears very well."

"Apparently so." Kellyn replied, patting MiM on the head. "So, what will you tell the Captain?"

[[MiM, as far as I can tell, you are as real and feeling as Commander Lair and I.]]

MiM nodded, and spun on his treads, rolling beside Kellyn as they headed for the exit. Camen could hear one more snippet before they disappeared through the flowers.

"Camen loves Captain Liis. MiM can tell."

"I know," replied Kellyn.

**************************

Jariel Camen
Ship's Chaplain
USS Serendipity NCC-2012