Hardluck Harry and the Pixie AI"
By: Harry Houlihan , Shipyard Operations Director , [NPC]
Maxine Lucinda Tapert, Computer Specialist, [PC]
Randi Dorton , Warp Core Engineer , [NPC]

Stardate: 58207.04 0800

==Maquis Shipyards==

Harry was in a good mood. The Pegasus had been in development for a long time and the final piece of the puzzle was about to be filled in; at least he hoped it would be filled in. In just a few moments he was scheduled to meet a computer specialist from the USS Zion. Silvio had recommended her as an expert on AI. The use of AI was not knew to the Maquis, but Harry wanted more than a holographic doctor for the Pegasus.

Just then Randi Dorton entered his office. Randi was the chief Warp Designer on this project. The Pegasus was just as important to her as it was to him. He had invited Randi to take part in this discussion. "Hello Randi, " he said, "How are you?

"I'm fine Sir," she answered. She was anxious for things to get going.

"That's good," said Harry, "We are almost ready for field testing."

She nodded

"Lieutenant Tappert will be here in a moment, then we can begin the final unstarted project on our design. Silvio speaks highly of Ms. Tapert."

"I have reviewed her credentials, they are impressive..." said Dorton her voice trailing off.

Silvio hadn't told her exactly what the meeting was about. He'd just told her to arrive on time and be sure to take Krystal. Maxine automatically assumed it had something to do with the newest holographic doctor series.

"Now, remember what I said," she talked to the fluttering pixie that hovered around her head as she walked. "Stay out of sight until I ask for you."

"But.. But.They want to see ME!" Krystal protested.

"That is NOT what the Lieutenant said. He said just to bring you along," Max reminded her. "For all I know they just want t' look at your programming. Now. Out of sight, please," she added as she arrived and rang the chime on the door.

"It's not fair." Krystal pouted and crossed her arms as she poofed from sight with a larger than normal spray of golden pixie dust.

"Cheeky AI," Maxine muttered.

Hearing the door chime, Harry invited Max to come in. "Hello Lieutenant, my name is Harry, and this is Randi, my Chief Warp Core Engineer."

Randi smiled and nodded.

"Sir, ma'am," Max smiled at them both, nodding politely as she stepped into the room.

"We are working on a new class of ship called the Pegasus Class. Part of my design for this ship calls for an AI interface to the ship and all of its subsystems. Captain Hunter and Lieutenant Silvio spoke very highly of you."

Interfaced with the entire ship? Oh, Maxine's eyes lit up and it was quite evident that the prospect more than appealed to the young computer expert. "They're very kind," she managed to squeak out.

"Have you any AI projects you can share with us," asked Harry.

"Oh yes, sir!" Now she couldn't keep the excitement from her voice. "I have Krystal sir.It stands for; * hyper-Kinetic * peRpetuallY * suStained * quanTum * Accelerated * Logistics * She's a program I've designed to help me with-" But Maxine never got to finish because on hearing her name the little pixie poofed into sight with a delightful spray of golden dust and a flutter of translucent wings.

"ME! I'm Krystal," she grinned and waved to Harry and Randi. "I'm a Pixie! That stands for; * imPulsive * Insecure * eXcitable * Impish * faErie *" she told them proudly as she fluttered around, getting as far away from Maxine as her portable holoemitters would allow.

Maxine cleared her throat and offered Harry and Randi both a small smile. She was quite proud of Krystal, despite the pixie's antics. "She's quite true to her programming," she explained. "And constantly learning."

Harry stood up and passed his hand through the pixie. He watched as the pixels separated and then filled back in again, "A storybook character," he asked somewhat disappointed.

"Hey now!" Krystal shook like a dog, spraying pixie dust all over and looking rather put out at having been pixilated. "That wasn't very nice," she scolded Harry with a shaking finger and then flitted back over to Maxine where she perched on the Lt.'s shoulder and proceeded to preen her wings.

"Actually pixies are born of myths and legends," Maxine said. "Nearly Every culture I researched 'ad fae in some form or other deep rooted in its 'istory. And I like them. 'ave ever since I was a child," she smiled a little. "You'll find that 'er programming is quite detailed. I think you'll also find that she's unlike any of t' 'olographic docs you're used to."

"They are very limited," Krystal piped in, putting the last touch on a wingtip before starting the very delicate process of preening her tiny antennae.

Intrigued, Dorton approached the AI, "What are you doing?" she asked studying its mannerisms.

Krystal stopped what she was doing to peer at the engineer. "Preening," She smiled winningly at her. "He," she pointed to Harry, "disrupted all My pixels," she confided.

She turned to Max, "you have quite an attention for detail," she said complimenting her.

"Thank you... It's a compulsion," Maxine admitted.

"...and how does she interface with the computer?"

"When I upload her into the system I also install a bridging matrix that is designed to allow her to become fully or partially integrated with the mainframe depending on the parameters I preset," Maxine answers.

Harry looked past the pixie to Max's head, "You have developed a mobile holoemitter for her?"

"Yes. But what I cobbled together was much bigger," Maxine explained and touched one of the three red crystal barrettes in her hair. "The actual design for this miniature version is Ensign Craig Witmore's."

"May I take a look at it," he asked.

"Of course," Max smiled and slipped the barrette from her hair, handing it over to Harry.

"Thank you," said Harry, taking the holoemitter. He grabbed a tricorder off his desk and scanned the miniature device. "Very interesting," he said leaning over so that Randi could see his tricorder, "Mister Whitmore deserves some recognition for this."

Now this intrigued Krystal to no end because it increased her range of projection. Soon enough the little pixie was fluttering next him, peering over his shoulder, so to speak, at how he was examining the emitter. "We like red," she told him with a little nod and slight sprinkling of golden dust. "Maxie won't let me have it for my treasure hoard though."

"Hush, pixie," Maxine shushed her. "Yes, 'e does," Maxine agreed with Harry's assessment of Witmore's contribution.

"I bet we could adapt the Pegasus's comm badge to include this," suggested Harry to Randi.

"An interesting concept," agreed Randi.

"What range and degree of sophistication did you 'ave in mind for the 'ologram itself to function at?" Maxine asked curiously.

"On the Pegasus, as you will see when we give you a tour, there are holographic environments on the bridge and engineering. The ship was designed to have a AI interface to assist a small crew with ship functions," said Harry. "There is a power concern, however, so we need to control the AI's power usage."

Maxine nods thoughtfully. "I see. We could write some power conservation sub-routines into its coding, to work in tandem with what you 'ad planned," she suggested.

"I have power conservations sub-routines," Krystal nodded.

"Hard to imagine," said Randi with a wink at her.

Krystal blinked at Randi's wink and then giggled.

"I trust that you can delete the pixie personality for our prototype," said Harry, "I do not think it would work in our circumstances."

The giggling was abruptly halted at Harry's words and the little pixie's eyes got round as saucers. "Delete ME???" she squealed, all rather high pitched sounding. "Oh NOOOO!!!! You can't do THAT!!! Maxie tell him!!" she cried dramatically and flitted over to her creator, mingling and disrupting her pixels in the computer tech's red tresses. "OOOhhh Maxxiieee...." It was all highly dramatic.

"Pixie!" Maxine reached up and flicked the hologram with her fingers, deliberately disrupting her pixels. "I am *not* going to delete you. Now stop," she commanded, and the little pixie's wings, pointed ears, and antennae all drooped as she sagged down on Max's shoulder looking quite despondent.

"Don't worry, sir," Max smiled at Harry. "I'll create an AI program and personality you'll be comfortable with. And one more geared to what you envision." Maxine's mind was already seeing the code for the new AI, and it sparkled in the depths of her green eyes.

Harry looked thoughtfully at the pixie, "I think its feelings are hurt. Remarkable." Snapping out of it he handed the holoemitter back to Max and said, "Excellent, we should probably give you a tour of the ship so you can see what we are doing."

“Thank you, sir,” Maxine smiled as she replaced the holoemitter clip in her hair. “I’d like that very much.”

Harry walked over to a door in his office and entered the passcode. The door slid open to the hanger bay where the Pegasus stood, "This," he said, "Is the Pegasus."