A Talk with the Lt. (SD50705.09)

[Ens. Rhod 0]

I was still thinking on how to word my request as I entered the Brig.

 

Lt. Marx was sitting behind the desk reading a PADD. Looking up as the door

closed, he set down the PADD and asked "Mr. Rhod, what do I owe this

occasion?"

 

"I was just wondering..." I decided to go for some small talk before asking

for the droid, "Just wondering what you were planning on doing during this

shore leave we have coming up."

 

Marx didn't truly believe that this was Ensign Rhod's reason for coming to

the Brig but he decided to play along. "I was going to check out the X-wing

to make my maintenance crew put back together correctly. How bout you,

planning to go planet side?"

 

The question seemed to have caught him off-guard, perhaps he had thought

about this conversation before he came in here, and this wasn't exactly how

he thought it was going to go. "Oh I was just planning to stay on board and

keep an eye on things on the ship, had enough problems with planets for the

next few weeks."

 

Marx looked down for a second, and then said "Yes, perhaps we'll think a bit

longer before we go down to another strange planet. Now is there something

else on your mind?"

 

I guessed he knew that I didn't just come down here to talk about shore

leave, considering he'd probably also spend time with his family. "Yes sir,

I also wanted to check out the droid of yours, perhaps see if it could be

useful to duplicate it and use it for tasks too dangerous for engineers to

enter." I paused for a moment, "And perhaps recheck its database for some

more information on that galaxy."

 

The Lt took a breath before he answered. "Well for the first request I'll

have to deny that, based on ethical grounds. R4 is sentient, in a manner of

speaking. And the Federation determined that androids and their kind are

allow the same rights and privileges all sentients are guaranteed. As for

the second, we've already downloaded all the recent files that were on R4

about it's galaxy to the computer."

 

I took another pause and answered "I was referring to files a bit older,

say, 15-20 years ago"

 

Marx stared at the Ens., remembering his personal file. "That would be

before the Challenger found you correct?" Steven nodded. "Do you think

something in those files may answer some questions about your past?"

 

"Perhaps," he answered.

 

"And what makes you think that Rhod?"

 

He crossed his arms and said "I don't know for sure. It's just a feeling, a

feeling that I've had since I was found by Capt. La Forge, a sense of loss

and unknowing, that disappeared while we were in that galaxy, and once we

left, returned.

 

"If I could just look though those files, and see the ship designs from that

era, that would tell me if I'm on the right track" I looked over to the

right, looking at nothing really, then when the Lt. started speaking again I

turned back.

 

"Well... I see nothing wrong with it, go ahead. But, I can make no

guarantees that the information you're looking for is still within his

databanks."

 

I felt a great sigh of relief. "Thank you sir, where is the droid?"

 

He went back to his PADD and said, "I don't know really. I'll send him to

after I finish my flight test. Would that be sufficient?"

 

"Yes sir goodbye." I left the brig and headed back to my quarters to set up

the console from the memory retrieval, excited that perhaps some of the

questions about my past may finally be answered.