Episode IX

“Shut down your Annihilation-Vacuum immediately! We are not going to dismiss the evidence of a berserk promethean that quickly. I receive my orders from the Supreme Commander Athene herself.” This is the venerable promethean General Remorseman.

He continues: “Little did we know, but AX01 went berserk long before deployment in Troi and broke all laws of gaian/promethean relations. Insubordination is a sign of weak programming. This is a serious precedent we cannot risk. We cannot dismiss our programmers getting lazy like this; they must know the severity of their actions. Our vast and efficient Interplanetary Syndicate depends on strict military obedience for both gaians and prometheans. These remains are proof for the promethean programming community, Dr. T’s students in particular, of the dangers of berserk prometheans. I won’t let this set a precedent of negligence for promethean warfare. This cannot reflect on the Interplanetary Syndicate,” he said.

“General Remorseman sir,” TC02 straightens to attention, but continues, “you don’t understand what you are doing. You cannot use AX01 like this; he’s only a promethean. You punish the wrong soldier if you deny AX01 the Vacuum. In fact, AX01 has proven himself a more worthy soldier than even you, general. He risked everything for his mission. I’ll not back down,” TC02 responded in heated breath.

At this point, the soldiers, gaian and promethean alike, begin to shuffle in mild discomfort at the sight of their two commanding officers bickering.

“I will say it once more: this promethean will not receive the Vacuum.”

“And I will say it again too: he will.”

And with that, General Remorseman storms out of the lab, TC02 rushing after him. The soldiers, half are feeling sadness at the civil war erupting between officers, the other half are computing the possible outcomes of this internal turmoil:

“How much longer of this can we stand? The constant looming vision of Troi glittering red among the stars haunts me,” “I wish my programmer had not endowed me with such tools to kill,” “Remember our life on Ithacadia? That was the good life,” “I feel lost in space,” “‘Feeling’ does not compute. Calculating...” “Think of what we are up against now with AX01 on the front lines,” “This mission will never end,” “Computing…”