The Mismeasure of Man

Posted on 21 Mar 2014 @ 4:00pm by Lieutenant Teth Miir & EMH Mark X-C "Shirley"

1,746 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 06 - Legend of Souls
Location: USS Galileo, Deck 3, Sickbay
Timeline: MD 2, 0900

ON:

Counselor Miir quietly entered sickbay, doing his best not to draw attention. After all, it wasn't unusual for him to be there. He checked in with medical on a regular basis. This time, though, he was avoiding the senior medical staff and others who are disturbed by sentient artificial lifeforms.

It was in fact that very reason that the counselor decided to pay the EMH a visit that day. Some of the crew, specifically his well meaning but woefully misguided and tactless friend and room mate, made their views very clear. So as a result, the counselor was concerned for the emotional well being of the EMH-X.

"Computer, activate EMH."

The hologram dutifully began being projected from the ship's holoemitters, materializing roughly in the center of Galileo's compact Sickbay in response to being called forward.

"Please state the nature of the medical emergency."

"There is no emergency." Teth said as he moved closer to the hologram, "I just wanted to speak to you."

The EMH was more than a little surprised at the counselor's request. It was very rare that the hologram be called upon to do anything other than the duties for which it was programmed.

"On which subject Lieutenant? You know I have an extensive knowledge of Caitian physiology - perhaps you are looking for some advice?"

"Not today. I am more interested in you. How often are you activated?"

Puzzled, the hologram accessed his database to analyze the activation rate of his program. Of course it would have been simple for the Lieutenant to find that information on his own, but the EMH was programmed to serve.

"This program is activated approximately 4.55 times per Earth calendar month dependent on ship staffing levels and mission parameters."

"Do you spend most of your time attending to medical emergencies?"

"I attend to the needs of the crew as necessary, be that emergency surgery, a bacterial outbreak, or the occasional scrape and cut during the quieter hours of the Galileo's operation. Why do you ask?"

The hologram was still confused. Perhaps this was an analysis of it's effectiveness, but if that were true, the EMH would have expected an engineer to be running the test, not a counselor. Maybe Galileo was shorter on crew that the Doctor knew?

"I am just curious, I never gave the EMHs at my previous posts much thought. Depending on the post, they had varying degrees of interpersonal interaction with the crew. What did you think of Dr, Mott's emotional outburst regarding your presence at the medical briefing?"

The EMH shrugged, something that was unusual in the program of a hologram that was supposed to have understanding of a wide range of materials, but seemed suitable for the current situation.

"Dr Mott reacted in an emotional way to a stimulus. He obviously bears resentment to the skill of the Emergency Medical Hologram program within Starfleet Medical. As a sentient life form he is owed his own opinion. He is wrong, but it is still his opinion."

Teth chortled. He agreed with the hologram's assessment but decided to not mention it.

"So the resentment some of the crew members hold towards you doesn't bother you?"

"Why should it? Organics have always held resentment in the front of their minds for holograms, especially those who are aware that they are holograms."

The EMH contained much in it's database, not only medical information, but social, economic, engineering and even some tactical data. It was no surprise that organics found holograms somewhat disturbing at times.

"That seems fair enough to me. You certainly do have a lot of advantages over most organic lifeforms. I know you are capable of experiencing a range of emotions. I was curious about your reactions to your interaction with the crew. Logic seems to always prevail in the end for you. I think our Vulcan comrades would be quite envious."

The EMH had to agree with the words of the Caitian. The Vulcan species held onto logic as the core of their cultural personality, and indeed the hologram was programmed to do something similar - place the medical needs of the many above the medical needs of the few where necessary.

"My interactions with the crew are merely a response from my personality subroutines to the input from my patient. Otherwise I would be nothing more than an...encyclopaedia as Dr Mott put it. As caustic with his tongue as any of his bodily fluids. Bolians - hmph."

"Well, my personality is the result of a complex series of chemical reaction. I don't see that it's much different from your subroutines."

The doctor was more than happy to discuss at length the biochemical nature of organics and the associated lack of efficiency and extrapolation that was involved as opposed to the ordered and highly disciplined subroutines that made up it's holomatrix, but in in unusual twist decided to hold it's photonic tongue for now.

"I am curious as to the purpose of this conversation Lieutenant. If I were an organic I would presume that you were wanting to know how I was feeling. Quite difficult when I am simply a collection of photons and force-fields after all?"

"So, you don't consider yourself alive?"


The hologram thought that would have been obvious. Holograms were still not regarded as officially living beings by the Federation, even if certain individual programs had been granted that right. There was no reason for the EMH to see itself as alive as it purely...was.

"Alive? No. My program does not meet the requirements to be considered a living creature. I only exist because the finest holoengineers in Starfleet dreamed me into existence."

The EMH wandered from one side of sickbay to the other, picking up a tricorder and absentmindedly examined it, turning it from one side to the other, and switching it between his hands.

"And what do you think I am Mr Miir? Your Dr Mott would have you believe that this tricorder and I are the very same thing. Just a tool to complete a task. Would you agree with his analysis?"

"Not at all. In fact, as far as I know, all of the EMHs and other Starfleet service holograms are sentient. Right? That's part of what makes you so valuable."

Having a bit more time to kill, the caitian took a seat on the nearest bio-bed, which was just high enough to allow him to swing his feet over the side without touching the floor.

The EMH definitely had all of the worst attributes of an engineer and a doctor combined. All the brutal and blunt honesty of the former and the god complex of the latter. No doubt all just pieces of his creators that were carried on in his program. Almost as if he was their child.

"Where do you personally draw the line of what is or isn't alive?"

The EMH wasn't used to being asked questions that involved pulling on it's own thoughts and opinions. Those of course being again, nothing more than the results of complex algorithms that it had been given during it's creation.

"Medically, or ethically? I suppose medically speaking I draw the line at the same standard pattern that scientists have always used. As a hologram, I cannot reproduce, I do not use cellular respiration to generate energy, and I do not grow. I am the same program I have always been and I will be until the day I am decompiled."

The hologram was used to seeing organics change on a daily basis, each scan he took of them would be subtly different in it's makeup, a different level of an amino acid, an extra sequence of neural engrams floating around in their brain, each time a different creature, yet still the same. The EMH however, if you examined it's code, would be unchanging.

"And your opinion Counselor? Where do you draw the line?"

"I don't know." he admitted, thoughtfully, "But I know you're alive. You're intelligent and self aware and capable of improvisation while problem solving. Even though your emotional responses are results of algorithms, they exist nonetheless."

Miir studied the hologram's face for any change in expression. Perhaps he was speaking to a very high-tech lightbulb. But intuitively, he felt that the EMH was alive.

The hologram was almost surprised to hear an organic refer to it's program as being alive. The very core of it's software told the EMH that it was a tool, to be used as required by the medical team in order to deal with short term medical emergencies. No different to a fire suppression device, or a portable forcefield generator.

"I suppose my program does have certain...adaptive qualities. I am designed to learn new techniques and develop procedures as I see fit in order to give better care to my patients. But I am sure the majority of the crew would not see things as you do Lieutenant - perhaps the tricorder reference is still a little too comfortable for them to deal with than face the fact that a sentient being can be created from nothing but photons and forcefields?"

"You're probably right. Even though we have been working with artificial lifeforms for centuries now. Some of us more than others, of course. The Institute of Cybernetics and Computational Research on Ferresa is pretty well renowned."

Teth smiled at the hologram for a moment before springing back down from the biobed and clasping his hands.

"Should you ever want to bother yourself with the company of an organic lifeform, I am always available. I've enjoyed our conversation. It has been enlightening.

The hologram wasn't sure if the Counselor's comment was a joke involving photons, or indeed a genuine acknowledgement of time enjoyed. To avoid confusion, the EMH let out a short chuckle before returning the tricorder to the instrument panel.

"Organics...occasionally have their uses Lieutenant. Should I find myself in that situation, I shall send for you."

Turning it's back as if to walk away, the hologram managed two or three paces before turning around sheepishly to face the Caitian.

"Actually...such a situation is now. Would you mind turning my program off before you leave?"


"But of course." Teth agreed with a curt nod in the direction of the EMH.

"Computer, deactivate emergency medical hologram."

OFF:


Lt. Teth Miir
Counselor
USS Galileo

&

EMH Mk-X
Emergency Medical Hologram
USS Galileo
[PNPC Holliday]

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