Articles of the Federation - Keith R. A. DeCandido [122]
“Of course I do, don’t be ridiculous,” the EMH said.
Frostily, Nan said, “Understand, Doctor, that I’m required by law to make that statement and ask that question, and also understand that you’re in the Federation council chambers right now. Do you understand that?”
Again, the EMH said, “Of course,” but his tone was-well, not conciliatory, but at least less aggressively snide.
Maddox smiled at his witness. “Doctor, thank you for coming. May I ask, for the record: What are you?”
“A sentient hologram.”
“Are you a Federation citizen?”
“Yes. In fact, I voted in the last election.” Casting a furtive glance at Nan, he added, “For you, of course, Madam President.”
Smiling sweetly, Nan said, “Thanks.”
“For how long have you been a citizen?”
“Since Voyager’s return at the beginning of 2378. Prior to that, I was, like the rest of the crew, in the Delta Quadrant.”
“What was your status on the ship?”
“Chief medical officer.”
“Prior to that?”
“I did not exist prior to that. Aside from the occasional test run prior to Voyager’s embarkation, I was first activated after Voyager was sent to the Delta Quadrant. I remained active for virtually the entire seven years of our sojourn toward the Alpha Quadrant.”
“Who constructed you?”
“Dr. Lewis Zimmerman, one of the foremost authorities on artificial intelligence.”
“Why were you created?”
“In order to provide a supplement to medical staffs on starships during emergencies. The EMH program was meant primarily for combat situations, given the threats from the Borg, and later the Dominion.”
“You were built as the first generation of such holograms, yes?”
“I-and other EMHs like me-were the first, yes.”
“Subsequent generations have been put to use since then?”
Up until now, the EMH had been answering Maddox’s questions with all the aplomb of the rehearsed question-and-answer that Nan knew this was. At the mention of his successors, however, the snideness came back. “There have been newer EMH models, yes.”
Before Maddox could ask his next question, Patek asked, “Madam President, I fail to see the relevance of this witness to the issue at hand.”
Nan had lost all patience with both of them. “Dr. Patek, I could see the relevance of this witness if I was blind-folded, so don’t think you’re gonna impress the council by professing ignorance just at the moment.” She turned to his fellow scientist. “As for you, Captain, move this along. The podium-beating option’s looking better by the second.”
“Of course, Madam President,” Maddox said deferentially before turning back to his witness. “So you were a machine.”
“A computer program, if one wishes to get technical, made photonic flesh.” He smiled. “If one wishes to get poetic.”
“And you were a prototype. Dr. Zimmerman even named you ‘EMH Mark 1’ by way of making it clear that you were the first of many.”
The EMH folded his arms. “I suppose-if one must-one could look at it that way.”
“So here you are-a machine built as a test run, named in such a way as to make it clear that you were just a trial. Yet here you sit as a Federation citizen. You’ve moved past your original programming.”
Patek started waving his arms about again. “Madam President, while Captain Maddox has made a nice rhetorical point, it’s- “
Nan pointed at him. “Don’t knock nice rhetorical points. I happen to be rather fond of them, myself. And before either of you gets going, I think we get your point. The EMH here started out life pretty similar to B-4. He’s done pretty good for himself, all told. We get it. Are there any other witnesses?”
Maddox looked disappointed, as if he had more to say, but as far as Nan was concerned, she’d let him go on too long. “No, ma’am.”
“Dr. Patek?”
“No, ma’am.”
She turned to the side seats. “Councillors?”
Eleana asked, “Where is B-4 now?”
It was Patek who answered the Deltan councillor’s question. “At Daystrom, being cared for, as he has been for the past year.”
“Has he asked to leave?”
“No,” Patek said.
Maddox added, “He has said several times that he likes Daystrom more than the lab