<VPA Alpha Stream> Valkyrie One
- From: Rhiannon <bansheec@xxxxxxx>
- To: "alphastream@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <alphastream@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 28 May 2009 15:24:37 -0400
³Valkyrie One²
Lt. Amanda Uhura, Adm. Kathryn Janeway, Seven of Nine
She wasn¹t sure why she felt so nervous. Amanda had shown her work to others
before, but never as the lead designer and never to someone as well known as
the Admiral. She sat in her brand new prototype doing a final test of the
new AI computer system. The Valkyrie was a single person fighter based on
technology gathered from the Enterprise, Voyager, and most controversially
the Borg. The cockpit was based on a Borg alcove. It allowed the pilot to
physically sync with the fighter and it¹s AI computer system. The AI
computer was pretty simple, it recognized it¹s pilot through biological
triggers that are pre-programmed into it¹s internal sensor systems, and it
gave the fighter the ability to interact with it¹s pilot on a one to one
level. It could act as navigator, co-pilot, and even gunner, whatever the
pilot needed it to do.
³Welcome back, Raven? Again.² The computer said as Amanda settled into the
cockpit.
³Don¹t get cute, Val.² She warned the ship. Since she had gone with the name
Valkyrie for the fighter, Amanda had chosen Raven as a call sign since all
pilots and navigators had one. Ravens and swans were the birds tied to the
Valkyries in Norse myth, one of her favorite branches of mythology. ³Just
run a level one diagnostic.²
³I have run three in the last twelve hours.² The ship replied in a female
voice as she began the diagnostic.
³And now you¹ve done four.² Amanda said as she began her own checks on the
system. Everything looked good. Reaching for the small mobile device that
would allow her to remain linked with the fighter outside the cockpit she
affixed it to her uniform and climbed out. The device was similar to her
comm. badge; only it was the Valkyrie projects symbol of a raven and swan
intertwined, it matched the project patch on her jumpsuit.
Outside the fighter Amanda ran through another list of checks. Not only
would she be showing the admiral the fighter, she¹d be taking it out for
it¹s first official test flight. The fighter it¹s self was sleek, black, and
actually rather Vulcan in its design.
³Diagnostic complete.² The computer finally announced over the mobile
device. ³All systems functioning within top parameters? again.²
³Don¹t make me start pulling out chips, Val.² Amanda replied. The fighter
wasn¹t sentient by any means, but Amanda had infused a bit of Voyager¹s EMH
programming into the AI system. Her father had always said that the
computers aboard star ships had an attitude, now they really sort of did. He
also said they all sounded like a rather annoying ambassador he¹d met a few
times, each Valkyrie would have a different voice imprint, just as each
would have a different ³personally² based on it¹s pilot. It just so happens
that Val sounded a bit like Amanda¹s namesake. She used old logs she¹d been
able to find among her great-grandfather¹s personal belongings.
With the checks and diagnostics done there really wasn¹t much Amanda could
do by wait. She ordered the fighter cleaned and polished and then went back
to her quarters on the surface of Mars to change into a clean uniform.
Less then an hour later Amanda was standing in the hanger bay watching as
Admiral Janeway and Seven of Nine walked in. She didn¹t smile as she greeted
them, mainly because Humans tended to be uncomfortable about people with
pointy ears who smile, but she did offer a respectful nod of her head.
³Admiral Janeway, Professor Hanson. Welcome to Mars.²
Janeway returned the nod but also offered a small smile. ³Thank you
Lieutenant Uhura.² She looked just past the young woman at the new fighter
and whistled. ³Is that it?²
Amanda beamed. ³Yes Ma¹am, it is. The Valkyrie, our brand new AL supported
fighter.² She led the two older women towards the fighter as she began to
explain its stats. ³My team and I used technology created on the Enterprise
and Voyager, as well as our own work with Borg technology.²
That caused a perfectly sculpted blond brow to go up in a very Vulcan like
manner. So this is why Kathryn wanted her along. ³Borg technology? Seven
asked as she inspected the craft.
³Yes.² Amanda replied. ³We were able to reverse engineer several components
and incorporate their fundamental design into the fighter. There¹s no
assimilation tech involved of course, but the cockpit for example is based
on the fundamentals of an alcove.²
³An alcove?² Janeway asked; her interest peeked.
³It allows a singer person to flight, navigate, and general control all
aspects of the fighter because they are physically linked to the Al computer
system though biological markers. They basically plug into the fighter the
way a Borg would plug into an alcove to regenerate, only there¹s nothing
invasive about it.²
³If there is nothing invasive, by which I assume you mean implants, how do
you guarantee the safety of the fighter?² Seven asked. ³Biological markers
can be faked.²
Amanda smiled for the first time, ³DNA sequences are hard to fake,
Professor. Unlike an alcove, which can be used by a Borg with the proper
implants, the Valkyrie¹s cockpit uses a complex set of sensors to indentify
who¹s in its cockpit. There¹s also vocal and facial recognition as well. The
AI¹s recognition software is wired into the Star Fleet database at all
times.² Tapping her mobile device Amanda calls out, ³Valkyrie, say hello to
our guests.²
Janeway stiffened a bit as a sensor beam scanned her and then Seven.
³Hello Admiral Kathryn Janeway. Hello Seven of Nine.² Came the fighter¹s
voice.
Janeway was impressed. ³How interactive is it?²
³As interactive as is required.² Replied Val.
Janeway looked over at Amanda. Given the Federations past with smart
computers she had to ask, ³How safe is having a computer that can interact
that way?²
³Although it¹s personally software is based off that of your EMH, it¹s by no
means sentient. Because the fighter is outfitted for a single person rather
then a team, we felt adding a little inflexion to the computer would help
the polit.²
The admiral laughed. ³You gave it the ability we all image it had in the
first place.²
Again Amanda smiled. ³Yes Ma¹am.²
³Its voice is not the standard voice of the Federation computer.² Seven
added.
Amanda shook her head. ³Each fighter will be personalized for it¹s pilot.
Val¹s voice was my personal touch.²
³Well Lieutenant, I must say so far I¹m impressed.² Janeway said with an
approving nod. ³If this fighter works, I think we may just have to move to
the next step of this project.²
The young woman with long dark hair, dark eyes and skin the color of heavily
creamed coffee, beamed. ³If you and the Professor will follow Ensign Oliver
to the observation room we¹ll give her a test run, Ma¹am.²
Amanda quickly changed into a flight suit and then climbed into the cockpit.
She began her preflight checklist and then asked, ³You ready to go, Val?²
³Yes, are you? You¹re biosigns show you are very nervous.² Val replied.
³I am, this is our moment.² Amanda said and then clicked on the comm.
³Valkyrie One to Tower. Seeking permission for departure.²
³Permission granted. Good look, Raven.²
With that Amanda took her fighter up. Forty minutes later she was back and
very pleased with herself. There were still some things to work out, some
things to fine-tune and tweak, but over all the fighter was sound.
³Congratulations, Lieutenant Uhura.² Janeway said as she came back into the
bay. ³Stage one of the project is a success. You have my permission to go on
with stage two.²
³Thank you, Admiral.² Amanda said, barely able to keep her excitement in
check. ³And the pilots? They¹ll need special training.²
³You¹ll have your choice of them.² Janeway confirmed. ³And in the meantime
I¹ll start working on making my choice of which ship in my fleet will be
home to our new fighters.²
She¹d done it. She¹d gotten her fighter design commissioned. Amanda couldn¹t
wait to tell her family, and as always she couldn¹t help but wondered what
her great grandparents would think of her. She had a very special legacy to
uphold after all.
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