Smarter Than a Gel Pack, Part 1

Posted on Mon 21st Oct, 2019 @ 10:11pm by

836 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: A Diplomatic Affair
Location: Orchids & Jazz, Deck 600
Timeline: MD 7, 2300

The evening crowd had wound down to about 50% of Orchids & Jazz capacity, though some additional people were coming in for a quick meal before going to work on Gamma shift. Jade walked back from making the rounds of the tables and having a word with the Maison Sisters. They had one more set to do before midnight, but the Dendrobians were playing smooth jazz for the moment. Another long day, but she wouldn't want to be doing anything else ... or doing it any where else, for that matter.

Behind the bar, Jade slipped off her shoes, wiggled her toes, and prepared to do an inventory of what they'd need to bring up from storage for business tomorrow. Hari Seldon would be along in a while for her count. What did I ever do without those people, she wondered idly, as she looked up at the bottles in front of her and saw the reflection of two of her favorites coming toward her.

Turning around, she leaned lightly against the bar and waited for the two commanders from USS Samurai to reach her and take seats. "Are we chatting or drinking tonight?"

"I don't know about you, but I plan a little of both," Riko laughed. "I'm dying for a lemon coke. It's been three days since I had one."

Jade pulled a bottle of Coke out of the under-bar refrigerator. "And for you, Henry?" she asked, as she put a little ice in a tall glass, added lemon syrup, and poured the Coke down the side.

"Lemonade, Jade. How ya been doing?" the commander asked as he sat at on the bar stool.

Lantz smiled at the rhyme and poured the lemonade from a pitcher also kept in the refrigerator below the bar. She added a slice of lemon to the side of the glass and set it in front of her friend. "Pretty well, actually. Things are busy around here most of the time. Anything new with you two?"

Riko left the opening of the conversation to Henry while she took a long drink of her Coke and sighed with pleasure.

"Actually, yes," Henry responded. "This is more of a business call than social. We need to talk to you about AI's. Specifically how you feel about them working here in the club."

Mulling that question over for a moment, Jade asked her own. "How did you know about them? Most people can't tell the difference."

Henry feigned a look of defeat and disappointment on his face as he clasped his hand over his heart. "Oh, Jade. How thou hast stabbed at me." No longer able to contain his laughter, he laughed aloud. "I'm an engineer, my friend. I notice the little things."

"Hmmm, there is that. I wouldn't have them here if I didn't trust them and like them, or if they didn't do a good job. If you look around the club, how many do you spot?" Jade asked.

Henry took a moment and looked at the staff working. He examined the movements of each staff member, but what he mainly looked at was their skin. Androids skin wasn't as seamless as Commander Data's was. Also, Starfleet started setting some precedent about androids used in fleet operations must show some difference from humanoids.

"I count four right off hand." Henry responded. "How am I right?" he asked.

Jade smiled, "I'm not going to tell you, but you are off. The humaniforms here are a step up from what you're used to, but they aren't self-actualizing." She frowned for a moment, and added, "Or they weren't supposed to be, but I have some questions about that. Dr. Anderson has been helping me with evaluations. But tell me, where is all this going? Is it idle curiosity, or do you want to hire one of them ... or more than one?"

"Hmm, maybe," Riko said. "We have a little ... situation that an A.I. might have some insight. Are they completely human-like, or still more like an interfaced computer?"

"I'll let you decide for yourself. Henry," she said to the engineer. "Pick one of the ones you identified, any one of them, and we'll talk together."

Henry looked up and found the first humaniform he saw. One wearing a bright yellow tunic. "That one ." He secretly pointed, not wanting to make a scene or perhaps offend.

"That's Hari Seldon," Jade said, catching his eye and beckoning to him discreetly. "I think you'll like him. He's interested in anything scientific."

Hari came over and leaned on the bar next to the pretty woman with the slightly tilted eyes and beautiful skin tones. "What can I do for you, Miss Lantz?" he asked his boss.

"My friends, Commander Perry, an engineer, and Commander McCord, a scientist, are part of USS Samurai's crew, and they have some questions for you. Take your break, and I'll get you a lemon coke. That's something you and Commander McCord have in common," Jade told him.

To Be Continued ...

 

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