The Central Core

[T'Prise 0]

T'Prise moved stiffly along the corridor with her crewmates, ruminating on Commander Hilee's inquiries regarding her mind-melding capabilities, The "Network" had designated Hilee, Doctor t'Tamarak, Lieutenant Brutus, and herself as useful for data storage and retrieval, and had assigned them to the Central Core, towards which T'Prise assumed they were currently en route. Although she knew she was capable of successfully initiating a meld between the four of them, she did not believe it would be either prudent or necessary to do so, as it would serve no purpose in freeing them from their current predicament, and could potentially cause more harm than it would provide advantage. She understood and agreed with Hilee's desire to keep the group together, but did not believe that a meld would be the best way of assuring that outcome.

 

Their encounter with the Network intrigued her. Based on its actions and communication with the Starfleet team, she theorized that it was some form of artificial intelligence. It had referred to "biological prejudice" and called the away team "stubborn organics." It also was of the belief that it controlled the Manticore away team, which was why she had attempted to free Commander Kenickie despite knowing that such an effort would prove futile. Instead of attempting to antagonize the Network fruitlessly with empty threats and meaningless bravado, T'Prise had chosen instead to test it, to see how it would react to certain stimuli, such as not having its orders obeyed. Knowledge was a more powerful and more effective weapon.

 

The Network had reacted in much the manner she had anticipated; it had forced their compliance. This action suggested that it rationally and logically assumed control of all situations and expected obedience, but did not use empty threats or brute force to carrying out its wishes. If it was truly an artificial intelligence, she wondered for a moment about the mechanisms behind the Network's motivations. The who, what, why, when, and where required by scientific reasoning had yet to be determined.

 

The corridor ended at another door, through which T'Prise followed the others into another room much larger than their previous prison. It contained row upon row of cold metal slabs resembling the sterile examination tables of a morgue. Stretched upon the tables were dozens of Oppo, sans their clothing and hair, with devices that resembled electrodes attached to their cleanly shaven temples were devices that resembled electrodes. Raising an eyebrow, T'Prise scrutinized these individuals, carefully examining the apparatus that linked them together.

 

Her analytical mind succinctly reviewed the evidence and hypothesized that the Network planned to integrate her, and the crewmates accompanying her, into this vast neural network. She wondered what methods their captors employed to subdue consciousness and wrest control of all mental capacity from their chosen victims. She concluded that none of the subdued Oppo currently had any control of their faculties, as none appeared to be outwardly resisting and the systems controlling their environment appeared to be functioning adequately.

 

Questions pushed to the forefront of her mind, each seeking an answer. Through what mechanism did the Network link neural capabilities? It had observed that the away team was not from Oppo – was it aware that there would be physiological differences between the members of the away team and the Oppo, and had it made the necessary adjustments? Or would this make them able to resist what the Network wished of them? Would she and the others be able to retain enough consciousness to study and perhaps disrupt the neural network once integrated? What would be the ramifications of integration? Would it cause any permanent psychological or physical damage?

 

The sound of the door closing behind her turned T'Prise away from her internal inquisition. They were now sealed in the Central Core, and the Vulcan surmised that she would have answers to her questions soon enough.