HASA Diagnostics
Posted on 15 Jul 2020 @ 7:49pm by Story Teller & Lieutenant Commander Camila Di Pasquale & Lieutenant Dijaat Parker & Lieutenant JG Damian Akorem & Holographic Assistance and Support Avatar HASA
Edited on on 16 Jul 2020 @ 10:43am
1,637 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
Ghosts
Location: Main Engineering, USS Black Hawk
Timeline: MD 3 || 1200 hours
Dijaat had his hands behind his back as he walked steadily back and forth near the warp core. "Computer," He tilted his head slightly, "Activate the Holographic Assistance and Support Avatar." He tilted his head in the other direction, "Lieutenant Parker to Lieutenant Akorem and Commander Di Pasquale I am starting the first round of tests on the HASA system can you please report to Engineering."
=^=On my way=^= Camila responded.
Sitting at his control, Damian was going through the various reports and updates that were being brought to his console regarding HASA. He still wasn’t sure how it managed to gain access to the systems it had apparently gained access to, if that indeed was the case. He sighed. Lately it felt like for every two steps forward, it was one step backwards, in both his work and his personal life. His comm activated, with a message from Lieutenant Parker. “Aye, Sir. On my way.” He replied, in a despondent tone.
The avatar materialized, but as a non-binary biped. Its skin had a soft blue glow to it and lacked normal humanoid features such as face, fingers, elbows, knees, and more. It also did not respond or announce itself in any way.
Dijaat came to a stop centered right in front of the HASA avatar, "HASA please take the appearance of a human and prepare for diagnostic procedures and protocol. Parker-Beta-One." He said and then waited for the compliance from the system.
The avatar shimmered. Its glow faded as the skin turned into a Latin bronze. Its height shortened. Long and curly black hair tumbled down from on top of its head while brown eyes and other facial features developed. In the space of a moment, the blank slate had been reformed as a Spaniard. The only thing she lacked now were clothes.
Dijaat blinked rapidly for a few seconds when HASA had taken the form of a young adult female in probably her early twenties. "HASA please materialize appropriate clothing over yourself." He requested once he had recovered from his stunned silence.
The Romulan shot a few glares towards a group of engineers who had witnessed this happen and chose to snicker and laugh when HASA chose to be completely naked. "What?" He snapped at them, "Haven't ya seen a naked woman before? Go on back to your posts!" He said aggressively.
Once the personnel had returned to their duties he returned his gaze back onto HASA, "Begin full diagnostic and report any malfunctions."
"Initiating full diagnostic," HASA responded in a thick Spanish accent. "Diagnostic will be complete in five minutes." To the avatar's left and right, two holographic displays appeared, showing the progress of the diagnostic as its source code zipped by.
Dijaat watched as the code sped fast him at an alarming rate, but luckily he was able to glance it over as quickly as his brain could process it. "Wait... Computer go back to line four hundred and thirty five?" He requested and watched as the computer complied by displaying it.
He then looked at HASA for a moment, "HASA are you programmed to learn how to perform new tasks and how to do tasks you've already learned... Better?" He asked, "Computer resume display of line code." He said next and the code started to scroll again. He watched while waiting for an answer to his question.
"I have been programmed to learn and adapt," the avatar simply responded, still undergoing the diagnostics. "This function was developed on Stardate 66943.2 by Lieutenant Commander Arquat, lead designer."
At that time, Camila came in and then stopped. "Why is there a naked woman standing in here?" she asked.
Without skipping a beat Dijaat answered the question, "I requested that HASA appear and this is how HASA appeared. I requested that HASA materialize clothing over itself and well... That didn't happen," He said while tapping the base of his chin. "I'm trying to figure that out now."
"Whatever," Camila said with a grunt as she headed over to a station and configured it for her use.
Damian entered engineering and walked towards the naked hologram. He figured that was probably a good place to start. He glanced at HASA, then to the Lieutenant and nodded.
"HASA is there any particular reason you've appeared without clothing and have not materialized any as I requested?" Dijaat asked next, "Also computer halt at line four thousand one hundred eight." He had noticed something in the code and needed to review it.
The scrolling code stopped at the desired line. "Humanoids employ clothing to avoid embarrassment, Lieutenant Parker," replied HASA. "Are you embarrassed?"
Dijaat rubbed his brow for a moment. Standing in front of him was a naked Spaniard woman in her twenties at least she looked to be in her twenties and he didn't know how else to explain to her that it was inappropriate... That the HASA was being inappropriate.
"What's the current diagnostic?" The Security Chief asked as she pulled up schematics of a different kind on her console.
Taking Dijaat's lead, he too began to scroll through various lines of code. He went to answer the Chief's question, but waited, for Dijaat to take the lead.
He looked at Commander Di Pasquale for a moment, "I'm not sure yet," He told her over his shoulder while still looking at HASA. "It's not that I'm embarrassed HASA it's that it would be more professional for you to be wearing clothing during the diagnostic procedures... Also, why did you display in the nude in the first place?"
HASA tilted her head slightly to the left, the movement doing nothing to move the long curly hair that covered her delicates. "You requested that I resemble a human woman. Clothing was not in the request."
Dijaat thought that HASA's behavior was really quite strange. He tapped the base of his chin for a moment while he considered the response. Dijaat then looked at the Commander, "I have a theory Commander," He said quietly. "But, we can discuss that at a later time." There was a reason he was being selective in what he said and it fit in with his theory.
"Oh?" Camila asked.
He'd noticed that Akorem had also arrived, "Lieutenant can you please further analyze code line six thousand eight hundred and two. I think there is a discrepancy there."
"Aye, it looks like it's supposed to route through a regular subroutine system, but it's routed through one of the command subroutines, which might explain why it had access to commend level systems," Damian replied while studying the lines of code around it.
"Computer, initiate low level photonic burst at HASA," Camila instructed as she ignored the others.
The avatar began to flicker under the bombardment. In addition, the code displays also flickered. HASA looked over to Commander Di Pasquale. The diagnostic consoles all instantly went dark as the flickering continued.
"Interesting," the Security Chief said. "There shouldn't have been a reaction but there was. That means it can be hurt."
"Computer terminate the photonic burst," Dijaat ordered. He then addressed HASA, "Was that in any way painful or uncomfortable?" He asked with his voice remaining even albeit somewhat full of concern.
"It's a hologram," Camila said. "It doesn't have feelings. My job is to ensure that I can kill or stop it if I need to. I also never ordered the photonic burst to stop, Lieutenant."
So that HASA wouldn't hear what he was thinking he had grabbed a blank PADD off the nearby table and typed a sentence out before handing it to the Commander. 'After reviewing some of the code I have reason to believe that HASA may be gaining some sort of artificial intelligence.'
"Nonsense," the ombre haired woman said. "It's a hologram that glitched when we hit that ion storm."
HASA answered the engineer, "The disruption has reduced the ability to generate a physical appearance by thirty percent and growing. This disruption will soon be beyond acceptable para--"
Suddenly, HASA disintegrated, leaving behind only the code displays.
Damian looked at his console. "Whatever the disruption is, it's cascading through its systems, which include the holomatrices. It's also affecting its ability to respond to commands."
Camila gave a nod and then deactivated the photonic barrage. "My job is done," she said.
Dijaat rubbed the bridge of his nose, "You're an interesting woman Commander," He said with his eyes closed. "Computer discontinue the photonic bombardment and prepare to reactivate HASA... This time reactivate HASA with clothes though."
The computer responded with a negative buzz before clarifying, "Unable to comply. The holographic matrix has been damaged. Automatic correction is underway and will be completed within one hour."
Dijaat rubbed his forehead, "Computer was there any erroneous coding for HASA's sub-programming?"
"Variance in holographic avatar construct programming is within acceptable limits."
Dijaat heard the response, "Okay," He muttered under his breath, "Computer explain the failure to bring HASA back online?" He requested. Dijaat didn't know if he really desired the answer to his question or not, however, had a distinct guess as to the problem. HASA didn't want to show up of its own accord.
"The holographic matrix has been damaged. Automatic correction is underway and will be completed within fifty-nine minutes."
"Commander," Dijaat said without looking at Camila, "You're not very good with technology are you?" He asked rhetorically. "Computer please alert me when the program is ready to be resumed once more." He stated sarcastically and wondered if the computer would pick up on it.
"Well," Dijaat said next, "There's nothing we can do for fifty-nine, or so, minutes. So why don't we find an Ensign to throw at the warp core?" He suggested with his voice still dripping in sarcasm and then proceeded to head towards his office.