Posted by Lieutenant Commander Dr. Solomon Kane (Research & Development) in XO’s Office - Past Connections, Future Concerns

Posted by Commander Dr. Royal Sinclair (Executive Officer) in XO’s Office - Past Connections, Future Concerns

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Dr. Solomon Kane (Research & Development) in XO’s Office - Past Connections, Future Concerns
Posted by… suppressed (6) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Kane walked out of the isolation R&D lab and exhaled a long breath. This entire situation was absolutely nuts, and he had no one to help him sort it out.

Well… maybe there was one. But he vouldn’t know what was happening…

Not even if he was the Executive Officer of the ship.

So Kane soon found himself outside of the the XO’s door. He started to press the chime, but then thought better of it. He knew the XO was alone thanks to his inquiry to GALEN, so Kane did as Kane did and bypass the chime and walked right I’m and took a seat in front of the surprised but still very large Executive Officer.

Kane, R&D

The door opening of its own accord startled Sinclair (to say the least), but upon seeing the wild-haired R&D Director, Sinclair mentally chuckled. As the man plopped into a chair in front of his desk; Sinclair just looked at him and, with no small edge of sarcasm, said “Do come in Commander Kane. And please, don’t stand on formality. Have a seat. So pleased you could join me today.” and he then physically shook his head. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your company this morning?”

Sinclair, XO

Kane looked at him through the waterfall of hair covering most if his face, the piercing gaze not flinching or wavering. He was quiet for a moment, just staring, and then he said flatly “Lieutenant Corrine Dalton.”

Kane, R&D

For the second time in the last minute, Royal was taken completely by surprise… and it showed. “Wha-… how do you know that name?” and his eyes narrowed at Kane. “Tell me right now.” There was a tone Innis voice that said now was not the time for games.

Sinclair, XO

Kane grinned inwardly. Yeah… that checks. he thought. “So. As I am sure you are well aware, my role here on the Ogawa isn’t just being the resident MacGuyver. I also work for… ‘outside interests’.”

Sinclair nodded once. “Captain Myqian informed of such.”

“So in the course of one of my alternative tasks, I came across the name of a certain missing Lieutenant. One Corrine Dalton. And in doing my dur diligence, wouldn’t ya know it? Turns out you of all people knew her personally. You were even her Counselor at one point. So I need to know what you know about her.”

Kane, R&D

Sinclair just looked at Kane for a long time, not saying anything. Cori was a topic he was very defensive about. And he was wholly aware of his bias. She was his friend, and he cared for her deeply. “I will need to know the nature of this inquiry and how the information will be used before I speak on the topic, Commander. That is non-negotiable.”

Sinclair, XO

Kane looked at him for a moment and nodded slightly. “Ok. So I got tasked with researching a bit of tech that was discovered in a place with a guy by the dude. It was pretty unique in that it had no markings at all. No serial numbers, part numbers… nothing. So I did a search on what I suspected the device might do, and by and by there was a paper written by Lieutenant Dalton on a way to do what I thought this did. I tried to look her up to contact her and make an inquiry, but she is listed as missing… by you. So I pulled her file. And there is a lot of stuff to sort through, but there is a lot of that tied directly to you. So… I want to know about her. What was she like, what was she working on, who she knew that may have access to her notes or to someone who may have helped her. You know… before she became an AI.”

Kane, R&D

Sinclair was many things, but stupid wasn’t one of them. He knew when he was being baited. He looked at Kane and said, very evenly, “Lieutenant Dalton was never an AI, Mr. Kane. She is and always will be a real consciousness, just in an artificially created framework. It doesn’t change who she is a person. I would appreciate you remembering that going forward.” Sinclair took a breath and then said “I will tell you what I told the last person to question me about Lt. Dalton. I have spoken with the Lieutenant on many, many occasions. I talked with her as both a Counselor and as a peer and as a friend. I listened to her responses, I asked very specific questions trying to ascertain if she is more than just an assembly of processors and data, and I grew to know her as a person. Which she is. Lieutenant Dalton’s consciousness was not only intact when I knew her; it was quite normal, psychologically speaking. That in and of itself was remarkable considering what she had gone through. There is no doubt in my mind that she was a real person. The fact she had a holographic body is irrelevant in my mind. She was kind and funny and intelligent and compassionate for those around her… even those that had done wrong by her.” He stared at Kane for a long time and then said “She was the best person I ever had the privilege of knowing. And her loss is felt by many… not just me.”

Sinclair, XO

Kane was many things as well. He too was also not stupid. And he knew the XO wasn’t either. If he says she’s real… or at least was then… I’ll go with that for now. he thought to himself. He looked at Sinclair and said “Know anyone who was familiar with her research?” he asked to follow up on his supposed reason for the inquiry.

Kane, R&D

Sinclair thought for a moment and then said “I’m sorry, no I don’t. But if I put on my former Security Chief hat for a second, I can tell you to start by looking at where she was posted when she wrote whatever it is she wrote that has you curious. Go from there.”

Sinclair, XO