Star trek Computer Technology

[Lucky]

Duotronic Technology

DAYSTROM: Your engineer there wouldn't allow us the power necessary without your orders. 


KIRK: Mister Scott, hook in the multitronic unit to the ship's main power banks. 


SCOTT: (sullenly) Aye, aye, sir. Mister Harper. 


SPOCK: Fascinating, Doctor. This computer has a potential beyond anything you've ever done. Even your breakthrough in duotronics did not have the promise of this. 


SPOCK: The M-5 has been perfected, Commander. Its potential is a fact. 


MCCOY: Frankly, the only fact that I'm concerned about is if this thing doesn't work, there are not enough men aboard to run the ship. That's begging for trouble.

SPOCK: Doctor, this unit is not a human body. The computer can process information, but only the information which is put into it. 


KIRK: Granted, it can work a thousand, a million times faster than the human brain, but it can't make a value judgment. It hasn't intuition. It can't think. 


DAYSTROM: Can't you understand? The multitronic unit is a revolution in computer science. I designed the duotronic elements used in your ship right now, and I know they are as archaic as dinosaurs compared to the M-5. A whole new approach.

MCCOY: The biographical tape of Richard Daystrom. 


KIRK: Did you find anything? 


MCCOY: Not much, aside from the fact he's a genius. 


KIRK: Genius is an understatement. At the age of twenty four, he made the duotronic breakthrough that won him the Nobel and Zee-Magnes prizes. 


MCCOY: In his early twenties, Jim. That's over a quarter of a century ago. 


KIRK: Isn't that enough for one lifetime?

DAYSTROM: This is, (calmer) this is Daystrom. 


M5: Daystrom. Acknowledged. 


DAYSTROM: M-5, do you know me? 


M5: Daystrom, Richard. Originator of comptronic, duotronic systems. Born 


DAYSTROM: Stop. M-5, your attack on the starships is wrong. You must break it off.

ARD'RIAN: Toy? This is the most incredible android I've ever seen. 


DATA: Have you seen many? 


ARD'RIAN: Actually, no. You're the first. 


GOSHEVEN: Only you would get this excited over a walking calculator. 


ARD'RIAN: Cybernetic intelligence fascinates me. Are your neural pathways duotronic? 


DATA: No, positronic. 


ARD'RIAN: I didn't know that was possible! What's your memory capacity? How many operations per second? I have a million questions. 


DATA: I'm afraid I have no time to answer a million questions. I have a mission to accomplish. I need to know more about your people, and Gosheven seems unwilling to talk to me further.

SCOTT: What have you done with the duotronic enhancers? 


LAFORGE: Those were replaced with isolinear chips about forty years ago. It's a lot more efficient now. That's an EPS power tap. 


SCOTT: Ah. 


LAFORGE: So, you were saying earlier that you were on your way to the Norpin Colony when you had a warp engine failure?

O'BRIEN: The original Enterprise used an old-style duotronic sensor array. If we wait for just the right point in the scan cycle, we can decloak the Defiant for almost three seconds without being detected. 


SISKO: Is that enough time to transport us aboard? 


O'BRIEN: Barely.

PARIS: Give me a hand. If we can repair his vocaliser he might be able to tell us what's been going on. It looks like he burned out a resister. 


TUVOK: A what? 


PARIS: That's a few centuries before duotronic circuitry. 


TUVOK: I see. How do you propose we repair him? 


PARIS: Well, first of all, I've gotta remove this damaged tube. No problem. Just a few crossed wires. 


TUVOK: Your knowledge of this technology is most impressive. 


PARIS: Oh, thanks. Got it.

KIM: Whoa, back off. This could be dangerous. 


EMH: No, wait. It's speaking to us. 


KIM: Speaking? 


EMH: In duotronic algorithms. Hold on. My translation matrix is interpreting. It says it's injured. It needs our help. It's asking why it can't see, or feel its arms and legs. It's terrified. Can you identify yourself? It's saying that its memory has been damaged. It doesn't remember its name. Don't worry. We're going to help you. Crewman Lang will remain with you. 


KIM: What do you think? An artificial intelligence? 


EMH: One that doesn't seem to realise its artificial. 


KIM: Maybe we should tell it the truth. try to jog its memory. 


EMH: No. I don't want to risk psychological trauma. 


KIM: Psychological trauma? Doc, this is a machine. 


EMH: One which is confused and asking for our help. We should beam it aboard. 


KIM: Not until we know what we're dealing with. Away mission protocols dictate that we 


EMH: Morality dictates that we help. It may not be flesh and blood, but it's clearly in distress.

BOMB/EMH: It was an attempt by the enemy to divert me from my target. 


TORRES: No, your access codes are encrypted. 


BOMB/EMH: They must have developed an infiltration code. 


KIM: What if it wasn't the enemy? 


BOMB/EMH: Who else would try to divert me? 


KIM: Correct me if I'm wrong, but these are the same duotronic algorithms that you use to communicate with. 


BOMB/EMH: My own people wouldn't try to stop me. 


KIM: Maybe they changed their mind. 


BOMB/EMH: The enemy is ruthless. My target is a threat. Why would my people call off the assault? 


KIM: If we clear up some more of these memory files, maybe we'll find out. 


BOMB/EMH: Your assistance is no longer required. 


TORRES: What's wrong? You afraid you might find out you're not supposed to destroy that installation? 


KIM: Let us finish the job. Then you can decide what you want to do with the information. 


BOMB/EMH: Proceed. 


KIM: Does the name Strategic Command Matrix mean anything to you? 


BOMB/EMH: That's my control centre. They ordered my launch. 


KIM: Well, it looks like your orders were rescinded. See for yourself. 


BOMB/EMH: All long range tactical armour units. Terminate mission immediately. 


KIM: Keep reading. 


BOMB/EMH: It says the war is over. It ended nearly three years ago. My launch was a mistake. There was a malfunction in one of the command sensors. It activated a series of launch sequencers. My people managed to shut most of them down, but thirty four weapons were fired. Including me. 


KIM: I guess this means you can disarm yourself now. 


BOMB/EMH: No. There's no confirmation code here. We avoided the enemy's minefield so they're trying to deceive us. 


TORRES: The confirmation could be in one of your damaged memory files. 


BOMB/EMH: Or maybe it was you. Deceiving me to implement your pacifist philosophy. 


KIM: That's not true.

Breakthrough computer system invented in 2243 by Dr. Richard Daystrom, used until its replacement by isolinear technology as the basis of computers for over 80 years on Federation starships -- such as the main computer system of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701.

Multitronic Technology

WESLEY: War games. I'll be commanding the attack force against you. 


KIRK: An entire attack force against my ship? 


WESLEY: Have you heard of the M-5 multitronic unit? 


KIRK: That's Doctor Richard Daystrom's device, isn't it? Tell me about that. 


SPOCK: The most ambitious computer complex ever created. Its purpose is to correlate all computer activity aboard a starship, to provide the ultimate in vessel operation and control. 


WESLEY: How do you know so much about it, Commander? 


SPOCK: I hold an A-7 computer expert classification, Commodore. I'm well acquainted with Doctor Daystrom's theories and discoveries. The basic design of all our ship's computers are Doctor Daystrom's. 


KIRK; What has all this got to do with the Enterprise? 


WESLEY: You've been chosen to test the M-5, Jim. There'll be a series of routine research and contact problems for the M-5 to solve, plus navigational manoeuvres and the war games problem. If the M-5 works under actual conditions as well as it has under simulated tests, it will mean a revolution in space technology as great as warp drive. When your crew has been removed, the ship's engineering section will be modified to contain the computer. 


KIRK: Why remove my crew? 


WESLEY: They're not needed. 


KIRK: How much security does this gadget require? 


WESLEY: None. Doctor Daystrom will see to the installation himself and he'll supervise the tests. When he's ready, you'll receive your orders and proceed on the mission with a crew of twenty. 


KIRK: Twenty? I can't run a starship with twenty crew. 


WESLEY: The M-5 can. 


KIRK: And what am I supposed to do? 


WESLEY: You've got a great job, Jim. All you have to do is sit back and let the machine do the work.

KIRK: Doctor Daystrom, this is my first officer, Mister Spock. 


SPOCK: I am honoured, Doctor. 


DAYSTROM: Thank you. Thank you very much. Captain, I've finished my tests on the M-5, and it must be hooked into your main power plants in order to be operative. 


KIRK: Well, by all means, do so. 


DAYSTROM: Your engineer there wouldn't allow us the power necessary without your orders. 


KIRK: Mister Scott, hook in the multitronic unit to the ship's main power banks. 


SCOTT: (sullenly) Aye, aye, sir. Mister Harper. 


SPOCK: Fascinating, Doctor. This computer has a potential beyond anything you've ever done. Even your breakthrough in duotronics did not have the promise of this. 


SPOCK: The M-5 has been perfected, Commander. Its potential is a fact. 


MCCOY: Frankly, the only fact that I'm concerned about is if this thing doesn't work, there are not enough men aboard to run the ship. That's begging for trouble. 


DAYSTROM: Now, who is this? 


MCCOY: Doctor Leonard McCoy, senior medical officer. 


DAYSTROM: Well, I'm sorry, but this is a security area. 


KIRK: I wouldn't worry, Doctor. Doctor McCoy has clearance throughout the ship. 


(Harper and Scott connect the unit, and the warp drives fluctuate.) 


MCCOY: Is it supposed to do that? 


SPOCK: If I can be of assistance, Doctor. 


DAYSTROM: No, no, no. Thank you. I can manage. There's nothing wrong, Captain. Just a few minor settling-in adjustments to make. As you can see, all is in order now. 


KIRK: I'm curious, Doctor. Why is it called M-5 and not M-1? 


DAYSTROM: Well, you see, the multitronic units one through four were not entirely successful. This one is. M-5 is ready to take control of the ship. 


KIRK: Total control? 


DAYSTROM: That is what it was designed for, Captain. 


KIRK: There are certain things men must do to remain men. Your computer would take that away. 


DAYSTROM: There are other things a man like you might do. Or perhaps you object to the possible loss of prestige and ceremony accorded a starship captain. A computer can do your job and without all that. 


KIRK: You'll have to prove that to me, Doctor. 


DAYSTROM: That is what we're here for, isn't it, Captain?

KIRK: Have you located the malfunction, Doctor? 


DAYSTROM: As I suspected, it is not a malfunction. M-5 was merely shutting down power to areas of the ship that do not require it. 
Decks four and six are living quarters, are they not? 


KIRK: Yes, that's correct. 


DAYSTROM: And currently unoccupied. 


SPOCK: I am not familiar with these instruments, Doctor. You are using an entirely new type of control mechanism. However, it appears to me this unit is drawing more power than before. 


DAYSTROM: Quite right. As the unit is called upon to do more work, it pulls more power to enable it to do what is required of it, just as the human body draws more energy to run than to stand still. 


SPOCK: Doctor, this unit is not a human body. The computer can process information, but only the information which is put into it. 


KIRK: Granted, it can work a thousand, a million times faster than the human brain, but it can't make a value judgment. It hasn't intuition. It can't think. 


DAYSTROM: Can't you understand? The multitronic unit is a revolution in computer science. I designed the duotronic elements used in your ship right now, and I know they are as archaic as dinosaurs compared to the M-5. A whole new approach.

KIRK: All right, Daystrom, let's turn this thing off. 


(But as he approaches the unit, he is thrown sideways by a green forcefield.) 


KIRK: Force field? 


DAYSTROM: It's not my doing, Kirk.


SPOCK: I would say, Captain, that M-5 is not only capable of taking care of this ship, it is also capable of taking care of itself. 


KIRK: You mean it's not going to let any of us turn it off.


Captain 's Log, stardate 4731.3. The M-5 multitronic unit has taken over total control of the Enterprise.


[Engineering]


KIRK: All right, Doctor, you built this thing. How do you propose to turn it off? 


DAYSTROM: This exercise is a trial for M-5. A shakedown. We must expect minor difficulties, but I assure you they can be corrected. 


KIRK: Correct it after you release control of my ship. 


DAYSTROM: I can't. 


SCOTT: Captain, I suggest we disconnect it at the source. 


DAYSTROM: Give me a few moments with it. 


KIRK: No! Stay here. All right, Scotty. Turn it off. 


(Scott and an engineer get the device they use to attach M-5's power supply to the ship, and head over to the junction box. But as soon as the engineer steps in between M-5 and it's power, he is disintegrated.) 


KIRK: That wasn't a minor difficulty. That wasn't a robot. That thing murdered one of my crewman and you tell me you can't turn it off? 


DAYSTROM: It wasn't a deliberate act. M-5's analysis told it it needed a new power source. The ensign simply got in the way. 


KIRK: And how long will it be before all of us simply get in the way? 


SPOCK: M-5 appears drawing power directly from the warp engines, tapping the matter-antimatter reserves. 


SCOTT: So now it has virtually unlimited power. Captain, what'll we do? 


KIRK: Spock, Scotty, come with me.

KIRK: Report, Spock. 


SPOCK: The multitronic unit is drawing more and more power directly from the warp engines. The computer now controls all helm, navigation, and engineering functions. 


MCCOY: And communications and fire control. 


KIRK: We'll reach the rendezvous point for the war games within an hour. We must regain control of the ship by then. 


SPOCK: There is one possibility. The automatic helm navigation circuit relays might be disrupted from engineering level three. 


KIRK: Scotty? 


SCOTT: Aye. I can take them out and cut in the manual override from there. 


KIRK: How long? 


SCOTT: If Mister Spock helps me, maybe an hour. 


KIRK: Make it less. 


MCCOY: I'll get the man responsible in the first place. Where is Daystrom? 


KIRK: He's with the M-5 unit, watching it. I think it surprised even him. 


SPOCK: Most illogical. Of all people, he should have known how the computer would perform. Of course, the M-5 itself has not behaved logically. 


MCCOY: Please, Spock, do me a favour and don't say it's fascinating. 


SPOCK: No. But it is interesting.

MCCOY: He'll have to be committed to a total rehabilitation centre. Right now he's under sedation and heavy restraints. 


SPOCK: I would say his multitronic unit is in approximately the same condition. 


KIRK: That's exactly the situation I was hoping for when I forced the M-5 to realise it had committed murder. 


(The group walk out of the medical bay to McCoy's office.) 


KIRK: Daystrom felt such an act was against the laws of God and man. The computer that carried his engrams also believed it. 


SPOCK: Captain, why did you feel the attacking ships would not fire when they saw the Enterprise apparently vulnerable? Logically, that is the sort of trap M-5 should have set. 


KIRK: I wasn't sure. Any other commander would have simply followed orders and destroyed us, but I knew Bob Wesley.

BASHIR: Well, he's stable for now. But the neuro-depolariser did damage his brain. Even on full life support, his higher cortical functions will fail within the next hour. 


O'BRIEN: He committed suicide just to prevent us finding the cure. 


BASHIR: We had him cornered and he knew it. He just couldn't let one of Section Thirty One's darkest secrets get away from him. The frustrating thing is the cure's still in there somewhere. 


O'BRIEN: Julian, this might sound a bit morbid, but what if you were to use your Romulan mental probes now? 


BASHIR: His memory pathways have been scrambled, probably to prevent someone from doing just that. There must be some way to retrieve that data. 


O'BRIEN: Maybe we should just let him die in peace. 


BASHIR: Miles, I need a multitronic engrammatic interpreter. 


O'BRIEN: Or maybe I'll find you a multitronic engrammatic interpreter. 


(Later) 


O'BRIEN: This is crazy. 


BASHIR: Oh, it'll work. 


(Later again.) 


O'BRIEN: You have me re-routing so many power relays and transfer coils I can't guarantee any of this will work without running a series of diagnostics. 


BASHIR: I've already done the diagnostics, Miles, in my head. 


(Sloan is now hooked up to the gizmo by a band around the forehead.) 


BASHIR: The neural interface will then provide a basic pattern to my hippocampal nuclei. 


O'BRIEN: I give up. You've explained it to me three times and I still don't get it. 


BASHIR: You just have to trust me, Chief. I know what I'm doing. 


O'BRIEN: But even if you can link minds with Sloan, how are you going to find the cure? 


BASHIR: The entire experience will be processed into images and sounds that my conscious mind can comprehend. In essence, I will see the neuronal pathways in Sloan's brain as literal pathways or streets or corridors or something. 


O'BRIEN: Oh, so you're just going to wander around these streets looking for a little box labelled The Cure? 


BASHIR: As strange as it sounds, it may be just that simple. Or it may be a good deal more surrealistic. I may wind up in memories of Sloan's childhood. 


O'BRIEN: Will he be, you know, aware of what you're doing? 


BASHIR: I won't know that till I'm in there. We don't know what the conscious mind can perceive this close to brain death. 


(O'Brien hands Bashir a second headband.) 


O'BRIEN: How will you get out? 


BASHIR: One of the advantages to being genetically enhanced is the ability to control my own vital signs. When I find a cure and I want to get out, I'll send my hypothalamus a signal to raise my blood pressure forty percent, and the equipment will automatically break the link. 


O'BRIEN: What if you get disoriented or lost in some nightmare of Sloan's and he dies while you're still in there? 


BASHIR: Worst case scenario, I die with him I suppose. But I think that's a manageable risk. 


O'BRIEN: I'm going with you. 


BASHIR: What? 


O'BRIEN: You heard me. And it's not open to debate. If you're determined to go on this lunatic mission inside Sloan's head, then somebody with an ounce of sanity has to be with you. 


BASHIR: You just want to come because you don't want Captain Sisko to find out what we're doing. 


O'BRIEN: There's that too.

ZIMMERMAN: I'm increasingly dubious as to the outcome of this effort. The EMH pathways are seriously degraded. They might not accept a matrix overlay. 


KES: We have to try. Please hurry. 


ZIMMERMAN: I assure you I'm working as quickly as I can. If I don't prepare the multitronic paths properly there's no chance of success. 


KES: It's going to work, Doctor. I'm sure of it. 


EMH: What is? 


ZIMMERMAN: Very well. We're as ready as we'll ever be. I've programmed the computer to install my heuristic matrix onto the EMH primary circuitry. We'll both have to be taken off line for the overlay to be made. After the re-initialisation occurs you should activate the Emergency Medical Hologram. 


KES: I understand. 


ZIMMERMAN: You realise there will be no second chance. After this, I will no longer exist. Well, it's been a brief existence but apparently a noble one. Computer, initiate programme Zimmerman alpha one. 


COMPUTER: Matrix overlay programme is active. Please stand by.

The fifth incarnation of the multitronic computer system, tested by Dr.Richard Daystrom in 2268 as his latest try at surpassing his own breakthrough duotronic system.

 
Like its predecessor models, this version carried a fatal flaw — Daystrom's use of his own neural engrams to make the leap in artificial intelligence required for the operating system to fully emulate a human mind.

Initially successful in a test aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise, the M-5 caused the deaths of hundreds during combat trials and nearly caused the destruction of its test ship when it refused to surrender. Depending on Daystrom's sense of morality having survived the engrammatic impression, Enterprise's Captain James Kirk persuaded the unit to shut itself down when it was shown in a different vein that it had committed murder.

Isolinear Technology

PICARD [OC]: What have you learned, Number One? 


RIKER: Captain, the ship's engines are cut off from the bridge. The Assistant Chief Engineer pulled out the isolinear optical chips from command. All engines are offline. Wesley has hooked some kind of tractor beam to ship's power and he has it aimed at the door. We can't get past to get at the computer.

WORF: The isolinear subprocessor extends three point five metres. 


RIKER: I've got a clear path to panel J14 baker. What's that going to do for us? 


WORF: J14 baker backs onto science station two, Commander. 


RIKER: Have they reinverted the environmental control sequencer? 


WORF: Yes, sir. Life support has been re-established. 


RIKER: Then you and Casey get up here. Let's get to it.

PICARD: The isolinear chips were definitely altered? 


LAFORGE: Programmed to erase all operator commands once the transfer was complete. 


KELL: But with the chips erased, what evidence remained? 


DATA: The erasures were complete. However, an analysis of the subatomic structure revealed an almost undetectable residual pattern. In time, we may be able to reconstruct the perpetrator's authorisation code. 


KELL: Do you have any idea who's responsible? 


LAFORGE: No, sir. Everyone with the necessary skills also has an alibi, except for me, that is. I was alone in my quarters at the time. 


KELL: Then whoever did this must have been specially trained for the task.

DATA: Computer, link with the shuttle's onboard system. Access the isolinear storage assembly. Scan all chips which contain mission logs. Note any discrepancies. 


COMPUTER: No discrepancies noted.

SCOTT: What have you done with the duotronic enhancers? 


LAFORGE: Those were replaced with isolinear chips about forty years ago. It's a lot more efficient now. That's an EPS power tap. 


SCOTT: Ah.

DAX: What if it's some kind of non-biological lifeform we've never seen before? 


KIRA: Non-biological? 


DAX: Well, it all comes down to how we define lifeform, but just as biological organisms have evolved in our cultures, mechanical life could have done the same in others. 


KIRA: You're suggesting someone left a baby on our doorstep? 


DAX: Possibly. 


SISKO: Do you think we can communicate with it? 


O'BRIEN: In a way, we already have. I mean, it's part and parcel of our computer now. 


DAX: But as far as direct communication is concerned, it may not be capable of that. We haven't seen any evidence that this entity is sentient. 


KIRA: It may be more like a stray puppy that's attached itself to you, Chief. 


SISKO: Whatever it is, it's slowly disabling our station. People, we've got to get it out of there. 


O'BRIEN: It came here when we downloaded the probe's files. If we upload those same files back to the probe, it might go with them. 


DAX: What if it's fully integrated itself into our computer? 


O'BRIEN: I don't think it has. That would make it more like a virus, but I don't see any evidence that it's trying to overwrite our control networks or destroy our systems. I think it's more likely that it simply creates connections with areas of the computer that are active. 


DAX: Almost as though it feeds off the energy of the computer functions. 


O'BRIEN: If I'm right, transferring all of its programming off the station just might solve our problems. 


SISKO: How long since we had any communication from Odo? 


KIRA: Comm. lines have been down over ninety minutes. He's been in there almost four hours now. 


SISKO: Do you happen to know the schedule of his regenerative cycle? 


KIRA: My god, I have no idea, but if he doesn't get back to his pail in time 


(And later still) 


COMPUTER: Subspace emitter aligned. Outgoing data stream activated. 


O'BRIEN: Computer, upload all probe command sequences back to probe's computers. 


COMPUTER: Stand by. Unable to complete requested function. Please abort and retry. 


O'BRIEN: Reset subspace emitter. Reinitialise data stream. 


COMPUTER: Receptors open control. Relays activated. 


O'BRIEN: Upload all probe command sequences back to probe's computers. 


COMPUTER: Stand by. 


(And the power goes out) 


O'BRIEN: It's not as easy as I thought it would be, Commander.

O'BRIEN: Ready, Commander 


SISKO: How long do you expect it to take? 


O'BRIEN: If it works, we ought to be able to get all of the probe's files manually transferred to the six isolinear rods in less than sixty seconds. 


SISKO: Let's do it. 


O'BRIEN: Computer, run a level one diagnostic of all power systems on board. 


COMPUTER: Requested function will require forty three minutes. Stand by

QUARK: Of course not. Make it fast. I have business to attend to. 


ODO: You remember that Subytt freighter we were discussing the other day? The one you claimed was smuggling defective isolinear rods to Bajor? 


QUARK: Yes, yes, what about it? 


ODO: Well, I conducted a little investigation of that freighter, and do you know what I discovered? 


QUARK: That I was telling the truth. 


ODO: That's right. I arrested the first officer and two of the crew. 


QUARK: Congratulations, Constable, I knew you could do it. Now if you don't mind, I'm needed upstairs. 


ODO: Hold on, I'm not finished with you. 


QUARK: Oh, really, Odo? Sometimes I think there's no pleasing you. I help you crack a notorious smuggling ring, yet you still insist on treating me like the enemy. 


ODO: You are the enemy. 


QUARK: Then how do you explain my helping you? 


ODO: That's just it. I can't explain it.

BASHIR: Excuse me, is this the Tozhat Resettlement Centre? 


DEELA: Yes. 


BASHIR: I'm Doctor Bashir from the Federation command at Deep Space Nine. I've been trying to find some information on a Cardassian war orphan who was apparently placed for adoption here. 


DEELA: Yes, the Bajorans opened their hearts to many abandoned children. 


BASHIR: The boy's name is Rugal, and the Bajoran who adopted him is named Proka Migdal. 


DEELA: I don't recognise either of the names. What was it you were trying to find out about them? 


BASHIR: Yes, exactly what are we trying to find out about them? 


GARAK: The circumstances surrounding the young man's adoption. It took place about eight years ago. 


DEELA: The Cardassians were still here. You'll never find anything from back then. 


GARAK: Oh, the Cardassians are quite meticulous record keepers, Madame. They've taught many worlds, including this one, how to keep records. I find it difficult to believe that none exist from that time period. Certainly computer entries made on a regular basis. 


DEELA: I wouldn't know. I wasn't a volunteer then. I was in the underground. 


GARAK: Really? Perhaps we have met. 


BASHIR: Look, can we just check your computers? 


DEELA: Our computers don't work. I can't get a technician to come out. We're not exactly a top priority. 


GARAK: Perhaps I can be of service. 


BASHIR: You can fix computers? 


GARAK: I dabble with isolinear data subprocessors. It's a hobby of mine. 


(A little later) 


BASHIR: I continue to underestimate you, Garak. 


GARAK: It's no more difficult than sewing on a button, actually. Excuse me.

O'BRIEN: Okay, one more time. These are all isolinear rods. The ones with the white labels contain data relating to the engineering system controls, the red labelled ones are for library and information storage, and the blue ones are? 


JAKE: I'm never going to get this.

JANEWAY: I don't understand. The gel packs have an extremely reliable track record. It's almost impossible to damage them. Why did this one malfunction?


TUVOK: Unknown. Lieutenant Torres is running a materials analysis on the gel pack. In the mean time the unit has been replaced.


JANEWAY: How many do we have left in reserve?


TUVOK: Forty seven.


JANEWAY: Those gel packs run half the critical systems on this ship. Once they run out, that's it. We can't replicate new ones.


CHAKOTAY: It might be possible to switch over some systems to conventional isolinear circuits.


JANEWAY: Good idea. Start looking into it.

KIM: Captain, the bio-neural network is failing sequentially. We're losing systems faster than we can compensate with backups.


CHAKOTAY: What about changing over to isolinear circuitry?


KIM: Torres is working on it, but it's a long way from being ready. It couldn't even maintain life support at this point.


PARIS: Propulsion is down.


KIM: Every system on the main grid is down. Communication, transporters, turbolifts and life support.


JANEWAY: Bridge to Engineering.


TORRES [OC]: Torres here, Captain.


JANEWAY: Transfer whatever power you can to life support, and keep working on the isolinear circuitry.


TORRES [OC]: Understood.

Computing mechanism used aboard Deep Space Nine. In 2369, Neela sabotaged a coprocessor in Security by adding a subspace device to it that disabled the Promenade's weapon detectors. Neela was therefore able to bring a phaser to the Promenade in her assassination attempt on Vedek Bareil.

Information storage and processing media used aboard starships circa 2329, and in general usage since around 2349. The chips are composed of a linear memory crystal material and are often mounted in wall racks containing dozens or hundreds of the devices.

Isolinear chips replaced the duotronic system previously in use on Federation starships.

In 2367, while under Romulan mind control, Chief Engineer La Forge altered several chips to covertly beam weapons via cargo transporter to the planet Krios, and to erase all record of the beaming afterward.

Translucent orange computer storage and processing media used on Cardassian-designed facilities such as Deep Space Nine. Isolinear rods are roughly equivalent to the Federation's isolinear optical chip.

Quark owns a number of unauthorized rods containing programs than enable him to defeat computer security measures and access restricted data.

The Son'a deployed several isolinear tag drones upon the Ba'ku, in an attempt to relocate them while the Son'a harvested their planet's metaphasic radiation.

The drones, once airborne, are fully automated. Their isolinear tags allow for a ship in orbit to easily lock transporters on subjects en masse, especially when transporter inhibitors are in place, as they were when Picard and crew used such inhibitors to protect the Ba'ku.

Several drones managed to successfully lock onto their subjects, but several drones were also destroyed by the Enterprise crew during both phaser and hand-to-hand combat.

Bio-nueral Technology

(Inside the mysterious object, Trip and Malcolm are removing a floor plate.) 


REED: Commander. 


(They've uncovered a round thing with thick wires leading off it in 4 directions.) 


REED: Registers as some kind of bio-matter. 


TUCKER: Organic circuitry? 


REED: Maybe we should get Phlox to come down and take a look. 


TUCKER: Not a bad idea.

STADI: Intrepid class. Sustainable cruise velocity of warp factor nine point nine seven five. Fifteen decks. Crew complement of one hundred and forty one. Bio-neural circuitry.


PARIS: Bio-neural?


STADI: Some of the traditional circuitry has been replaced by gel packs that contain bio-neural cells. They organise information more efficiently, speed up response time.

KES: What is it?


TORRES: It's your new patient. It's one of the bio-neural gel packs.


EMH: Ah yes, I'm aware of these devices, but I've never seen one.


TORRES: It's malfunctioning but I can't find anything wrong with it mechanically. I thought that you could look at the biological component.


EMH: Interesting. 


(The EMH puts the pack on a biobed and raises the curved arms over it.)


EMH: Initiate the scan.


KES: Scanning beam is active.


EMH: Ah, ha!


TORRES: What?


EMH: The patient is sick.


TORRES: Can you be more specific?


EMH: To discuss the patient's condition in front of the patient would be a serious breach of professional etiquette. It's been suggested that I cultivate a greater sensitivity to my patient's needs. Don't worry, my little friend. 


TORRES: Doctor.


EMH: Very well. The biological component of the circuit device has an infection. A very contagious one.


TORRES: Is the crew in any danger?


KES: I don't detect any sign of infection in you, Lieutenant.


EMH: I suspect the contagion is not harmful to humanoids. If it were, we probably would have seen evidence of illness in the crew by now. But in order to protect the ship's circuitry, you'll have to isolate and quarantine all the affected gel packs until a treatment regimen can be initiated.


TORRES: I'll have to take the forward grids off line. We'll lose replicators but I can reroute the primary systems. How long do you need?


EMH: I don't know. Unless we find the source of the infection, we won't be able to stop it from spreading.


TORRES: Okay, I'll tell the Captain.

Captain's log, stardate 48859.3. Lieutenant Tuvok has reported what may be a possible explanation for the infection in the bio-neural gel packs. I have asked Lieutenant Torres and her team to investigate Neelix's kitchen.


[Mess hall kitchen]


TORRES: Get me a schematic of the airflow patterns for the whole ship.


CREWMAN: Aye Sir.
TORRES: The cheese is full of volatile bacterial spores. It has to stay isolated in this portable containment field.


CREWWOMAN: What is this?


NEELIX: That's just a Laurelian pudding. It has to simmer for four hours.


TORRES: The spores must have travelled through that intake and then into the ventilation system.


TUVOK: Where they were disseminated throughout the ship, subsequently infecting the bio-neural circuitry.


NEELIX: I feel awful about this. I assure you I had no idea.


(The lights go out.) 


TORRES: More gel packs must be down. If this is getting to the environmental systems we may be in more trouble that we thought. Neelix, this wasn't your fault. The important thing is that we found the source. Get the cheese to Sickbay. The Doctor should look at it as soon as possible.


CREWMAN: Yes, Lieutenant.

KES: Her renal organs are functioning at twenty percent of normal and her cardiovascular system is on the verge of collapse. 


EMH: Twenty milligrams of lectrazine. 


KES: Cardiovascular and renal systems are stabilising, but her neural patterns are fading. What is it? 


EMH: In her parietal lobe. It looks like some sort of implant. It's a very complex web of bioneural circuitry. Nanofibres. 


KES: Could this be what's causing the problem? 


EMH: On the contrary. According to these readings, the device is actually storing her synaptic patterns, processing them and transmitting neural electrical impulses to the rest of her systems. 


KES: Are you saying it's some kind of artificial brain? 


EMH: No. I'd say it's more like a neuro-cortical stimulator, designed to supplement the higher brain functions. 


KES: But it's not working any more. 


EMH: From what I can tell, the implant itself is functioning, but it's connected to mostly dead nerve cells. If we don't do something quickly, she'll be brain dead in a matter of minutes. 


KES: What about trying to stimulate cell regeneration with a high dosage of inaprovaline? 


EMH: Very impressive, Kes, but I think it's too late for that. Get me a high frequency RF transmitter. You're going to have to hurry, Kes. The patient's brain function is diminishing rapidly. Now, set the delta band frequency of the holo-emitter to eight point six tetrahertz. 


KES: What are we doing exactly? 


EMH: Transferring the patient's synaptic patterns into the holo-buffer before they degrade completely. 


KES: Is there enough storage capacity in the holo-matrix for such complex data patterns? 


EMH: There's enough capacity for my programme, isn't there? And my programme contains over fifty million gigaquads of data, which I don't have to tell you is considerably more than most highly developed humanoid brains. 


KES: What good is preserving her synaptic patterns if there's no body? 


EMH: I'm creating a holographic body. Not only will we be able to communicate with the patient, but we'll have an accurate model of healthy Vidiian physiology that will aid in treating her actual body. Computer, project the patient's skeletal structure. Now add internal organs. Add musculature. Now apply epidermal layers. Computer, use transporter records to recreate the patient's clothing.

JANEWAY: Still no sign of the crew, but these sensor readings are highly erratic. A bioelectric field is permeating the ship. 


NEELIX: Where's it coming from? 


JANEWAY: I can't localise it. Let's try accessing the ships internal sensors, see if we can get a better reading. 


(She accesses a wall panel.) 


JANEWAY: Same problem. The main computer is offline, so is the comm. system. This is strange. One of the bio-neural gel packs in the mess hall ruptured, but most of the systems in there seem to be functioning normally. Let's get to the bridge. 


(Further along the corridor they come across a tool box and PADD.) 


JANEWAY: Someone was doing maintenance work on this power relay. All the equipment is still active, but the work hasn't been completed. 


NEELIX: It's almost as if they dropped what they were doing and ran. 


JANEWAY: Come on. 


NEELIX: This isn't the welcome home I was expecting. 


JANEWAY: Me neither, but if there was an attack of some kind, why didn't


Chakotay try to contact us or send out a warning buoy? I'm picking up a comm. signal about ten metres ahead. It's coming from inside this room.


NEELIX: This is Ensign Wildman's quarters. Is she in there? 


JANEWAY: I can't tell. Let's take a look. Stand ready.

PARIS: B'Elanna, thank God you're here. The natives are getting restless. 


TORRES: What's the emergency? 


PARIS: I volunteered to help out while Neelix is away on the trade mission. The heating array overloaded, it incinerated a twelve kilo pot roast and all the food replicators went offline. 


TORRES: Mmm, looks delicious. Maybe there's a problem with the bioneural gel pack in the replicator panel. 


PARIS: Actually, I'm a pretty good cook when Engineering's doing it's job. 


TORRES: Oh, so this is my fault? 


PARIS: Well the gel packs are your department, aren't they? Besides, what was I supposed to tell all these hungry, irritable people? 


TORRES: You know, I think that there's a plasma relay on deck seven that really needs repair. 


PARIS: Oh, no. You can't leave me now, Lieutenant. 


TORRES: Oh, you need me. I'm touched. What's going on here? Looks like this gel pack has an infection. Half the neurodes have been burned out and the pack is filled with some kind of mucilaginous compound. Tom, call the Doctor and tell him 


(Torres reaches for the gel pack. It explodes, covering her hand with mucus.) 


PARIS: B'Elanna!

EMH [OC]: Seven, do you hear me? 


SEVEN: It's all right, Doctor. False alarm. 


(A short time later, they are both looking at Vessel Schematic 4747.)


EMH: Look here. I think I've found the problem. There are malfunctions in a number of neural gel packs. As a result, false readings were fed to the sensors which detected an emergency when there was none. 


SEVEN: We must repair them. 


EMH: They seem to be in sequence six theta nine. We'll need replacement packs and a repair 


(Seven gives the EMH a box.)


EMH: Repair kit.

EMH: These tubes certainly weren't designed with creature comfort in mind. It seems to me the shipbuilders should've created a space in which one can walk upright. 


SEVEN: But they did not. It doesn't help to complain about it now. 


EMH: I'll complain if I want to. It's comforting. 


SEVEN: We can access sequence six theta nine from this junction. 


(Two gel packs are blue, but one is black.)


EMH: Odd. I've never seen this kind of neural activity in the gel packs. 


SEVEN: In what sense? 


EMH: The neurodes are discharging in random bursts. I would imagine the nebula activity is causing it. I'll this back to Sickbay for further study. 


SEVEN: I will reroute the command processors to bypass this series. 


EMH: This journey certainly hasn't lacked excitement. I can't complain about being bored. 


SEVEN: Since you find it comforting, you'll undoubtedly find something else to complain about. 


EMH: No doubt. You really should try it. 


(The EMH glitches.)


SEVEN: What's happening? 


EMH: My programme is degrading. 


SEVEN: The mobile emitter? 


EMH: I don't know. I have to get back to Sickbay. Hurry. 


SEVEN: I am hurrying. 


EMH: If the mobile emitter goes offline while I'm out of Sickbay, my programme may be irretrievable. 


SEVEN: Don't panic. It's counterproductive. 


EMH: That's easy for you to say. You're not facing cybernetic oblivion.

SEVEN: Astrometrics. 


COMPUTER: Diagnostic complete. 


SEVEN: Analyse. 


COMPUTER: Quantum failures are present in thirty three percent of gel pack relays. 


SEVEN: Reroute all functional relays through subprocessor chi one four. 


COMPUTER: (normal) Rerouting complete. Relay failures bypassed.

SEVEN: You mean I imagined him? 


EMH: Yes. 


SEVEN: I heard Lieutenant Paris call for help. I saw him and the others. Did I imagine them as well? 


EMH: I believe so. When I studied the gel pack, I discovered the radiation was producing a degradation in the synaptic relays. I'm guessing there's been a similar effect on your Borg implants. The radiation could be altering the neurotransmitter levels in your sensory nodes. That would explain why you're hearing voices, seeing images. 


SEVEN: They seemed real. 


EMH: Hallucinations usually are. That's what makes them so frightening.

EMH: Are you sure these are the right coordinates? 


KIM: Positive. 


EMH: Apparently, whoever sent the distress call was rescued. 


KIM: Maybe, but as long as we're here we should make a thorough search. Spread out. 


EMH: Ensign. 


(The EMH has found a device half buried into a rock wall.)


KIM: This is the source of the distress call. 


EMH: What is it? 


KIM: I don't know. Paratrinic shielding, a dense energy matrix, bioneural circuitry. 


EMH: Bioneural? 


(The device lights up.)


KIM: Whoa, back off. This could be dangerous. 


EMH: No, wait. It's speaking to us. 


KIM: Speaking? 


EMH: In duotronic algorithms. Hold on. My translation matrix is interpreting. It says it's injured. It needs our help. It's asking why it can't see, or feel its arms and legs. It's terrified. Can you identify yourself? It's saying that its memory has been damaged. It doesn't remember its name. Don't worry. We're going to help you. Crewman Lang will remain with you. 


KIM: What do you think? An artificial intelligence? 


EMH: One that doesn't seem to realise its artificial. 


KIM: Maybe we should tell it the truth. try to jog its memory. 


EMH: No. I don't want to risk psychological trauma. 


KIM: Psychological trauma? Doc, this is a machine. 


EMH: One which is confused and asking for our help. We should beam it aboard. 


KIM: Not until we know what we're dealing with. Away mission protocols dictate that we 


EMH: Morality dictates that we help. It may not be flesh and blood, but it's clearly in distress.

JANEWAY: How's our patient? 
TORRES: Complicated. It uses bioneural circuitry to mimic humanoid synaptic functions. 


KIM: But its memory core is damaged. It's suffering from a technological form of amnesia. 


JANEWAY: Any theories as to what it might be? 


TORRES: It could be a probe, or a communications device. 


EMH: Whoever our friend is, he wasn't alone. He claims to have been travelling with a companion. 


JANEWAY: If there's another one down there, it might give us a few answers. I'll be in Astrometrics scanning the surface. Give our guest my regards. 


EMH: Of course, Captain. Lower the containment field. 


(The EMH approaches the device.)


EMH: How are you? Well, that's an interesting question. Ensign Kim and Lieutenant Torres are attempting to repair your damaged circuitry. That's what I wanted to talk to you about. You're not an organic being. You're technological. You're an artificial intelligence embedded in a machine of some kind. No, there's no mistake. We believe the damage you suffered in the crash is causing your confusion. Look at it this way. You and I have something in common. Just because we're not organic beings doesn't mean we're in any way inferior. Well, you're metallic, over a metre in length, cylindrical. Oh, you're quite sleek, actually. You're welcome.

EMH: I understand your concerns, but the device hasn't shown itself to be hostile. 


TORRES: Not yet. But it's only a matter of time before it puts the pieces together. 


EMH: All the more reason we should talk to it, explain our concerns. Ask for help in defusing its explosive components. 


CHAKOTAY: If it's programmed to detonate, there's no telling how it will react. 


JANEWAY: Agreed, We have to neutralise the threat now. Suggestions? 


SEVEN: Transport the device off the ship and destroy it before it harms anyone. 


EMH: Seven, this is a sentient being we're talking about. 


SEVEN: Very well. Return it to the surface and deploy a warning buoy to alert other vessels. 


EMH: I refuse to believe our only options are to kill it or abandon it. 


TORRES: What if we could separate the bioneural circuitry from the explosive? 


JANEWAY: Take the weapon offline but salvage the intelligence. 


KIM: They're fully integrated. Where would we store the intelligence once we shut the device down? 


EMH: The answer's obvious. Download it's synaptic patterns to a holographic matrix, like mine. 


CHAKOTAY: Then what? 


EMH: Try to find out where it came from, and return it to it's people. 


SEVEN: The device is extremely complex. One error and we'd risk detonation. 


EMH: Saving life often entails risk. 


JANEWAY: Harry, B'Elanna, assist the Doctor. 


EMH: Thank you, Captain. 


JANEWAY: At the first sign of danger, we transport it off the ship. Understood? 


EMH: Understood.

PARIS: If we could shut down the force fields around Sickbay, I could get a transporter lock on it. 


SEVEN: Even if you were successful, we can't beam it far enough from the ship to escape the blast. 


CHAKOTAY: She's right. Our best option is to disarm it. 


PARIS: Good luck. It's got an internal sensor array. If we try so much as to loosen a screw, boom. 


(Neelix enters with a piece of tech.)


NEELIX: Commander, I think you should take a look at this. It's a power node I used to enhance the replicator system. I acquired it last week on a trading mission. It has transkinetic energy regulators and bioneural control circuitry. Remind you of anything? 


CHAKOTAY: Our friend in Sickbay. 


NEELIX: I didn't make the connection at first, but when I overheard a few of the engineers talking about the weapon I went back and I checked the schematics on this. It's the same technology. 


CHAKOTAY: Who did you acquire it from? 


NEELIX: A merchant named Onquanii. 


SEVEN: Did he say where he got it? 


NEELIX: No, but he seemed eager to trade. Maybe he'd tell us if we made it worth his while. 


CHAKOTAY: Scan for his vessel. If you find him, send an encoded message. Tell him about our problem. 


PARIS: Aye, sir.

SEVEN: I've studied the weapon's schematics. My nanoprobes can be adapted to disable its bioneural circuitry. However, I would need direct access to its primary control port.

PARIS: Ma'am? 


JANEWAY: We could pre-programme every kilometre. That way we'd only spend a second or two at impulse every time the computer executed a turn. 


PARIS: Auto-navigation the entire way?


JANEWAY: No offence, but the neural gel packs can calculate vectors a little faster than you can. 


CHAKOTAY: B'Elanna? 


TORRES: We'd need a more accurate scan of the region. If we even graze one of those vacuoles


KIM: We could send a shuttle ahead. 


TUVOK: The Delta Flyer. Its sensors are more advanced. 


JANEWAY: The Delta what?


TUVOK: Forgive me. I must have been thinking of another starship. 


JANEWAY: Prepare a shuttle. I want all of Voyager's systems operating at peak efficiency by the time Tom gets back. If we're going to pull this off, there's no margin for error. Dismissed.

JANEWAY: Maybe you'd better fill me in. 


CHAKOTAY: This looks like the time you forged a temporary alliance with the Borg. 


SEVEN: What's happened to this vessel?


CHAKOTAY: Captain Janeway, meet Seven of Nine, tertiary adjunct of Unimatrix zero one. 


SEVEN: When a Borg cube travels trough a transwarp corridor, the temporal stresses are extreme. To keep the different sections of the Cube in temporal sync, we project a chronoton field throughout the vessel. 


JANEWAY: How? 


SEVEN: Each Cube has specially designed conduits. If we install similar conduits throughout this vessel, then generate a sufficiently powerful field, we may be able to force Voyager back into temporal sync. 


CHAKOTAY: Temporal sync with what? 


SEVEN: The vessel will return to the moment of the original chrono-kinetic surge. Since the surge will last for six or seven seconds, Commander Chakotay will have a short time in which he could try to counteract the warp core reaction. 


CHAKOTAY: Even if we could replicate these conduits, we'd have no way to get them through the temporal barriers. 


JANEWAY: Bioneural circuitry. 


CHAKOTAY: Captain? 


JANEWAY: It runs through every section of the ship, almost like a nervous system. If we could inject the gel packs with your serum, we could use them to transmit the chronoton field. 


SEVEN: The warp core could be recalibrated to generate that field. 


JANEWAY: Work on it. Chakotay and I will see about modifying the serum. 


SEVEN: Your plan is inefficient. 


JANEWAY: Why? 


SEVEN: There are only two of you. If I were to assimilate you into a small Borg Collective, you could then assimilate others. The work would proceed more rapidly.


JANEWAY: Sorry, but I like my plan better. We'll be back.

ZET: We have another assignment for you. I've been going over the schematics of your vessel, and I'm intrigued by this bio-neural circuitry. I want you to bring us a series of these gel packs.


EMH [on monitor]: The gel packs are integrated into the ship's systems. I can't just remove them without someone noticing. 


ZET: You've proven yourself to be very resourceful, Doctor. You'll find a way. Remember, we're monitoring your perceptual subroutines. We can see and hear everything.

Advanced Federation technology which adds synthetic neural cells to a soft-sided circuitry module, designed to organize information more efficiently and speed up response time. The new feature is standard on Intrepid-class starships such as the U.S.S. Voyager. Their organic elements are, however, subject to damage from organic infection.

1) Resistors are not used in Star trek! This kind of proves they aren't using electronics on any level somehow.

2) Bio-neural circuitry on Voyager at least seems like it is more trouble then it is worth. Voyager may have been a new ship with experimental systems, but the Gel-packs just get infected far too easily to be reliable, and how do the biologic agent keep getting into the sealed packs?

3) What is the point of Bio-neural circuitry on Voyager? The Federation already has working A.I. like the M5.

4) The use of optical systems is interesting as we are looking into them now because we are losing large amounts of energy as heat just transmitting information between chips, but also it seems very useful for Quantum Computing.


I wish I could have found more information on the main computer on the ship.

[Sideswipe]

No one ever brings up the bio neural technology outside of Voyager, I always thought it was either a failed or abandoned experiment.

[2046]

The first rule of Trek Club is "we don't talk about the gelpacks".

And except to give the ship something else that could break, the writers agreed. Most of what it could've been used for (AI stories and such) was already covered by the Doctor, and no connection was ever made between his uniqueness and the ship's, which should have been a no-brainer. I'm not even sure the Doctor's systems had a gelpack at all.

Certainly the way the ship's computer was written gave no indication of superiority to the E-D computer.

All in all, it was another bad idea that only served as a missed opportunity.