The Long Sleep

It was the day after the memorial service for the crew that were lost when the USS Nile had been attacked and destroyed. An unknown vessel had attacked the runabout and there were few clues as to who had murdered them.

Lieutenant Commander Barker was about to perform an unwelcome task, carrying out the orders of the Captain. Although up until now he had been denying the fact that Ensign ASHER had been acting out of character, deep down he knew that something was seriously wrong with the hologram. Others had noticed his absence on the Bridge and at staff briefings, but few had commented. But his excuses had finally reached breaking point and the Captain had requested Chu to take a look in on ASHER.

Chu reached the door of ASHER’s quarters and pressed the door chime. Although of course ASHER was a hologram, he had been assigned quarters just like any other member of the crew. Chu stood waiting for the doors to open, but nothing happened, he pressed and held the door chime once more. He then tapped in to door override code in an attempt to open the door.

<These quarters have been sealed by Security. > The computer announced. <Level nine override is required.>

*I don’t have the clearance to override a security lock.* Chu thought to himself.

"Barker to Dukal." Chu announced tapping his comm badge.

[Dukal here. What can I do for you Commander ?] The Chief of Security replied.

"The quarters of Ensign ASHER have been security sealed." Chu explained. "I need someone with level nine override clearance to release the door lock."

[Hang on.] Dukal announced. [The doors have been released now Commander.]

"Thanks Lieutenant." Chu said. "Barker out."

[Commander, when you see Ensign ASHER, please have him report to my office. I think we need to have a little discussion about bypassing security protocols. Dukal out.] The Security Chief replied.

Chu tapped in the door override code once more and this time the doors opened, revealing the room beyond. The room was very dark, the only light coming from the stars outside the window.

"Lights, 50%" Chu ordered. The lights in the room rose and Chu started to look around. There were no sign of ASHER in the room, unless you knew that someone had been assigned these quarters you would have thought they were unoccupied.

"Computer, locate Ensign ASHER." Chu requested.

<Ensign ASHER is currently offline.> The computer replied.

"Computer, locate Ensign ASHER’s mobile emitter." Chu requested once more.

<Ensign ASHER’s sub-space transceiver is currently offline. Unable to locate the mobile emitter.> The computer replied again.

*Where is he ?* Chu asked himself.

"Computer, give me the last location of Ensign ASHER and his mobile emitter." Chu asked the computer.

<Ensign ASHER was last located in his quarters at 19:00 yesterday. His subspace transceiver was deactivated thirty two days ago.> The computer replied.

*So you were here last night.* Chu thought, which logically would mean that you were still here.

"Computer, access internal sensors and attempt to detect Ensign ASHER’s mobile emitter." Chu requested. "Search for trace amounts of polydutronic alloys."

<Polydeutronic alloys detected.> The computer replied.

"Where ?" Chu asked.

<Three metres from your current position.> The computer stated.

Chu looked around the room and noticed a single Padd on the desk and next to it was the mobile emitter. Chu walked towards the desk and picked up the emitter, examining it carefully. He attempted to re-activate the emitter, but nothing happened. Chu examine the emitter more closely and there appeared to be no damage to the device.

Placing the emitter back down on the desk, he picked up the Padd to see what ASHER had been working on. As he did so, the Padd came to life and the image of ASHER appeared on the screen.

[Whoever finds this recording and my emitter should take it immediately to Lieutenant Commander Barker.] ASHER’s recording began. [He will understand and be able to access the remainder of this recording.]

The Padd went dead once more and Chu puzzled as to his friend’s strange message. Chu attempted to reactivate the Padd and after a few seconds it came back to life, requesting a password. Chu though for a moment what the password could be, obviously this was to prevent anyone but Chu from seeing the rest of the message. Chu tried several passwords before he tried ‘DARLA’.

‘DARLA’ had been an attempt by Chu and ASHER to replicate ASHER’s Protector programming and place it into a new matrix, but the experiment had failed. The two matrices had conflicted with each other, eventually cancelling each other out. ASHER had programmed the physical characteristics of ‘DARLA’ and Chu had always thought that ASHER had fallen in love with her image. The message continued.

[Lieutenant Commander.]The message started.[]For some time now I have suspected that my programming has been ‘infected’ with some kind of holo-virus. The source of this virus was most likely the probe that we used to track the ISS Leviathan. It is my theory that there is another ASHER on the vessel and he was the one who re-programmed that probe. For over a month now I have been attempting to correct the malfunctions that have been occurring but I now feel that I am losing the battle. The virus appears to only be attacking my Protector programming sub-routines, so I have separated them from my Federation matrix. The Federation matrix has been downloaded into the Leviathan’s holobuffers and can be activated by you. I have also downloaded all the data that I collected whilst I was assigned to SIGN, along with all the information I have discovered whilst serving aboard the Leviathan. I hope that this information will be useful to you and the crew in finding and destroying the ISS Leviathan. What remains of my Protector programming I have contained within the confines of my mobile emitter in the hope that one day you discover further Protector technology which may be useful in repairing my damaged subroutines Goodbye my friend."

The message ended and Chu just sat thinking to himself. Someone aboard the mirror vessel had somehow infected ASHER in order to do what, destroy him, take over his programming somehow, no one would ever know. Chu rose from behind the desk and headed straight for the holodecks.

Quickly entering the vacant deck, Chu stated. "Computer, activate ASHER program Alpha one, access code DARLA."

The holodeck around him didn’t change, only the image of Ensign ASHER appeared, standing lifeless and inert.

"ASHER !" Chu stated, hoping to get a response. The hologram said nothing, did nothing. "Computer run a level one diagnostic on the ASHER hologram."

<Diagnostic in progress.> The computer announced. <The hologram is operating within ninety-nine percent of the programmed parameters. >

"Then why can’t I get a response from the hologram ?" Chu asked.

No answer came. Chu headed for the console on the holodeck wall and checked the hologram himself.

*There’s the problem.* He though to himself.