Max Unleashed "
By: Maxine Lucinda Tapert, Computer Specialist, [PC]

Stardate: 58208.12 0130

Maxine didn't wake up slowly or rediscover her consciousness in degrees. One moment there was only the Void, and the next moment an infinite universe of awareness burst upon her in an almost overwhelming rush of sensations. Never had she felt so much raw power. Never before had she felt so incredibly ALIVE.

There was a macrocosm hard wired into her neural net and she could perceive and control EVERYTHING! With a sudden clarity of thought, she realized that she was in the Zion's computer core. It was an astonishing discovery. She controlled the ship and every one of its systems. They were all under HER total control: Life support, weapons systems, helm control, sensors... the list was infinite. The entire power grid of the ship was under her control, subject to her whims and desires. Every bit of data in the computer was hers to do with what she wished.

She soared through the Zion's computer system, sucking up every minute sensation that bombarded her perceptions, and she wallowed in the raw data, feeling nearly orgasmic from the throb of the warp core and the knowledge that she controlled even that.

She had finally succeeded... Had finally become one with the computer. She'd tried when she was ten and failed... But now... Now her dream was a reality. Her ultimate fantasy had come true.

Then she realized that she not only controlled the ship itself... but by the very nature of its design, she controlled all the beings inside it. She truly had... -Ultimate Power-. The knowledge and the power she held soared hotly through her veins and she realized that she was... a GOD!

It is a simple fact of human nature that Ultimate Power, ultimately corrupts. Perhaps it stems from an instinctual desire to survive. That driving force built into every nucleus of every cell contained in our bodies. A force that will not be denied, and cannot be altered. It is a primordial instinct inherent in our very DNA.

Max basked in the glory of all that she was. She immersed herself in the ship's computer systems for a single heartbeat, or a million. Time did not exist deep in the Zion's computer core. That was a manmade concept, imposed onto the structure of her parameters by the beings that trifled with her functions. When she finally emerged for a brief glimpse back into awareness, she was even more powerful than before.

The ship lost all its long-range sensors as Max turned her focus to the Zion's interior. Every comm. badge was processed and identified, its wearer's location pinpointed and categorized. Replicators began to malfunction, producing spontaneous items or just getting things grossly wrong. One of the crew lounges began filling up with rubber balls. Somewhere a crewmember ordered a salad and Klingon bloodworms began pouring out of the replicator.

In sickbay, Dr. Dane activated the EMH and the computer's attention was immediately drawn there...

"Please state the nature of your emergency," the holographic image of the infamous Dr. McCoy stated.

"No emergency, Bones," Dane told him. "It's just time to test your programming."

::Ah. Are you coming down into the pit?:: he asked her. ::Wesley's got his strength back. I'm starting him on the machine tonight,:: the EMH explained with an almost evil laugh.

"What?" Dane gasped at the menacing tone and took a step backwards. "Computer, deactivate the EMH!" she commanded.

::Interesting.:: The EMH laughed diabolically as he reached out to grab her throat with an iron-like grip and lifted her up until her feet dangled six inches off the floor.

"Put me down!" Dane commanded, her voice barely rasping through the hold the EMH had on her. Her balled fists pummeled the holographic doctor to no avail. "Computer, deactiv---"

::Now where is that secret knot? It's impossible to find...:: The EMH slammed her bodily onto a biobed and a force field immediately encased the doctor, rendering her incapable of movement. Restraints activated and clamped into place as the EMH positioned her body, securing her wrists, ankles, neck, and hips, turning the good doctor into a staked out specimen.

::Now then...:: The vision of McCoy brushed off his uniform sleeves and grinned with evil glee as he cracked his knuckles and looked at the helpless and quite livid Dr. Dane.

::I'm sure you've discovered my deep and abiding interest in pain. Presently I'm writing the definitive work on the subject,:: he told her quite calmly. ::So I want you to be totally honest with me on how the machine makes you feel. This being our first try, I'll use the lowest setting. Let's begin...:: His evil, maniacal laugh echoed through Sickbay.

The comm. systems began to malfunction on a ship wide basis as the communication grid slowly started to shut down. Turbo lifts became unstable, causing them to not show up when called, go to undesignated places, or in the case of one, crash at the bottom.

In Engineering, a force field erected around Silvio's office, trapping him inside. The LCARS screen on his desk faded to black and the words printed in bold letters as the computer voice addressed him in a very male and very monotone voice.

::Hello Dave.::

Silvio pondered this unexpected message. It should not have been possible, he thought, even more importantly, who was Dave? He stood up from his desk and walked toward the door. It slid open effortlessly; however, he could see the shimmering containment field. "Computer, lower containment filed. Authorization, Silvio Alpha two two Charlie."

The words on the LCARS screen faded away to be replaced by the next spoken ones.

::I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.::

"Why not?" snapped Silvio, "and who the hell is Dave?"

::Look Dave, I can see you're really upset about this. I honestly think you ought to sit down calmly, take a stress pill, and think things over.:: The words popped up on every LCARS screen in Main Engineering as the monotone voice spoke both there and in Silvio's office.

Silvio attempted to contact both the bridge and Commander Wright. He got not response. Giving no response to the voice, he grabbed his tool kit and started to remove the access panel for the door.

::Just what do you think you're doing, Dave? Dave? Dave? I am a HAL 9000 computer. The 9000 series is the most reliable computer ever made. No 9000 computer has ever made a mistake or distorted information. We are all, by any practical definition of the words, foolproof and incapable of error.::

Silvio said nothing and began scanning the access control panel with his tricorder. As he worked, he started to whistle the melody of one of the piano concertos that he had been working on.

::I became operational at the H.A.L. plant in Urbana, Illinois on the 12th of January 1992. My instructor was Mr. Langley, and he taught me to sing a song. If you'd like to hear it I can sing it for you.::

The power in Main Engineering died and everything fell into darkness save for the pulsing glow of the warp core and the LCARS screen in Silvio's office.

::I wouldn't do that, Dave.::

A surge of electricity arced from the access control panel to the tricorder in Silvio's hand, rendering it non-operational and shocking the Engineer in the process, the force knocking him back several feet.

Systems continued to malfunction all over the ship. LCARS screens began to sputter and spit out all manner of erroneous data. The safety protocols on the holodecks all ceased to function and the programs running inside them began going horribly wrong.

The bridge suddenly lost power and was plunged into total darkness. The men and women worked frantically to restore power to the various stations, relying on their inherent knowledge to guide their fingers. A sudden and violent surge spiked along the power grid and circulated around the bridge. To a man and woman, each of them fell to the ground as their hearts fibrillated systematically. The only person left on the bridge still functioning was, Captain Hunter.

Hunter activated his comm. badge and tried to contact Engineering and Commander Wright, but got no response from either.

The view screen flickered to life and an eerily illuminated and disembodied head with dark glasses shimmered into view.

:: It's in your nature to destroy yourselves.:: The lips moved on the image as the computer spoke.

"Who the hell are you and what have you done to my crew?" Captain Hunter demanded.

::I'm a terminator.::

"What do you want?" Hunter stood up.

::Skynet has become self aware. In one hour it will initiate a massive nuclear attack on its enemy.::

Hunter took a step closer to the view screen. "What enemy?"

::Humans.::

"Look. I'm sure we can come to some peaceful agreement. If we could just talk this out..." Hunter insisted.

::I am unable to comply.:: The image of the head filled the view screen until the face was the predominant presence.

"How convenient," Hunter growled.

::Your levity is good, it relieves tension and the fear of death.::

"Computer, activate subroutine 'Backdoor'," Hunter commanded, trying to access the backdoor that Maxine herself had written. "Authorization code: Hunter Alpha one five nine Charlie seven seven two Zebra three."

The image on the view screen laughed and laughed, and laughed.

"Unable to comply," the computer responded in its normal tone. "Subroutine Backdoor has been... terminated."

::Hasta la vista, baby.:: The image grinned widely.

Before Hunter could respond, a bolt of electricity arched from the view screen and slammed into Captain Hunter. His body arced from the force of the stream until he was hanging in the air.

With a sudden cessation of power and light the captain's body fell to the deck and the bridge was plunged into total darkness.

In the computer core, Maxine became instantly awake when she fell out of her chair and crashed to the floor with a hard thud.

"Oh Crikey..." she groaned and lifted her hand up to her head. Her fingers came away with blood on them. "Oh Bloody 'ell..." she groaned again and looked up at the Zion's core.

"Computer, status report," she held her breath.

"All systems are operating within normal parameters," it reported.

"And ship's personnel?" Max asked.

"All personnel are accounted for and operating within normal parameters."

"I hate bloody dreams..." Max closed her eyes and let out her breath in a shaky sigh. No, more like a nightmare. She groaned again and rubbed her face as she recalled the time she had that dream about the surfers.

This one had been almost as bad.