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Saracen Holosuite: Knight and Dalton/SARAH

Posted Oct. 30, 2019, 7:16 p.m. by Lieutenant Corinne Dalton/SARAH (Ships AI/Avatar) (Lindsay B)

Posted by Captain Dante Knight (Commanding Officer) in Saracen Holosuite: Knight and Dalton/SARAH

Posted by Lieutenant Corinne Dalton/SARAH (Ships AI/Avatar) in Saracen Holosuite: Knight and Dalton/SARAH

(snip)

She would never full be able to explain how the words hurt. It wasn’t him, or any one person in particular, or even the question itself, but rather the constant requirement for her to prove her existence. The onus was always on her to prove to them that she should be afforded the same rights as they received simply for existing. They weren’t talking about that right now, but eventually they would be. It was always the same. For a moment, Cori let the silence resume while she struggled to keep her face neutral, ultimately failing. “As sentient as you, Captain,” she said finally. “My consciousness may be spread throughout this ship, but I still feel things, I have worries, fears, dreams. I can love and be heartbroken. And if that isn’t enough, your own counsellor has deemed me to fit the definition of sentience, so… there’s that. Beyond that, I can prove nothing. Just like you can’t either? How often do you have to prove to others that you are sentient, Captain? And force them to remember that that means you have a right to exist.” Oh, she probably could have said this all casually, but there was too much at stake for him not to see and hear how much such a simply question affected her.

~Corinne Dalton

Dante let her talk, and listened. Words weren’t going to prove it, true, only time and interacting with her would do that. For all intents and purposes she appeared to have memories, and those memories looked to be bringing out emotions. According to reports she could feel injury through the ship, although whether that was pain like he felt could only be guessed at, perhaps her memories turned the information into feelings of pain?

“I can accept that, Corinne.” He told her, “I can hear how you describe your memories, I’m no quantum computing expert, but it seems to me that a pure program wouldn’t have the ability to put that emotion into random conversation no matter how closely it appeared to mimic sentience.”

Cori snorted slightly as she reached forward and patted Lacey’s neck.

He spurred Cash ahead a little more into a short gallop as they reached a slightly open area, the conversation needed to be had, but the feeling of riding a powerful animal again, even a holographic one, was relaxing somewhat. After a moment, he slowed Cash down once more and turned back to Corinne.

Not to be left behind, Dalton nudged her mare from a trot into a canter, not bothering to try and race the captain, but also not getting too far behind. She caught up as he slowed Cash and pulled Lacey back into a trot alongside him.

“It may be more the question of Sapience you need to prove more to people though, your ability to think and reason more so than a program does. To reason with a humane mindset to excuse the humanistic expression. I’m going to be honest with my concern, Corinne. You have access to everything on the Saracen. Internal sensors, all communications, life support and weapons. All restricted communications pass through you, personal logs. Everybody’s secrets and their intimate moments, you have access to for the most part. You were human once, I’m sure you can understand the concern that I have, that you would have had yourself if a sentient, sapient being inhabited the system and could see everything you did, and you would have questioned that right to exist in some way at least. Some people and Starfleet Headquarters would call that a Security risk, both on the intelligence and military side of things. What I’m saying, Corinne, is that whatever that means, you are here and I need to get to know you, to trust you. That will take time.”

Captain Knight, CO

“I understand that, Captain, I do. But you have to understand that I am a Starfleet officer. I never stopped being one and my oath is as valid as yours. And it’s getting damned exhausting to have to prove myself to every single person commanding and first officer that has come aboard this ship. They all had the same questions you do, they all felt wary. All I’m asking for is the benefit of the doubt. You may no trust me as a person, but surely you can trust my oath? I will do everything I can to protect this ship and crew, and the Federation. I promised it the day I slipped on my uniform and I’ve meant it ever day since.”

~Corinne Dalton


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