will you tell us what makes you think that the exocomps are alive?
Sir, when the exocomp left the access tunnel prior to the explosion, it may have been attempting
to save itself from destruction.
Do you have any basis for that conclusion?
Yes.
When you attempted to override the exocomp and send it back into the tunnel, it responded
by deliberately burning out its control interface.
Deliberately?
The computer diagnostic showed that the exocomp disabled its own interface.
That could have been nothing more than a malfunction.
However, two hours later, when it was aboard the Enterprise and no longer in danger, it
repaired itself.
I believe the exocomp was protecting itself.
And if that is true, it has demonstrated an awareness of its environment, and an ability
to adapt to that environment.
You're anthropomorphising these units.
Like any mechanical devices, they occasionally malfunction.
One time, I saw an exocomp enter a reaction chamber for no apparent reason and vaporise
itself.
Is that supposed to make me think it was depressed and suicidal?
Doctor, why is it so difficult for you to accept the fact that the exocomp could be
alive?
After all, you're talking to a living machine right now.
And I have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for Doctor Soong's accomplishment.
But his intention was to create an artificial life form.
I created the exocomps to be tools.
And there is a big difference between Data and a tool.
Doctor, there is a big difference between you and a virus, but both are alive.
If the possibility exists, no matter how slight, that these exocomps are lifeforms, then we
must examine that possibility.
Thank you, sir.
And until we have a definitive answer, I believe it would be inappropriate to exploit the exocomps
as labourers.
Captain, that's absurd.
If they are intelligent life forms, we have no right to force them to work for us.
That's like me telling you not to use your tricorder.
Tricorders aren't alive.
Neither are exocomps.
Clearly these are difficult issues to resolve.
We have to proceed very carefully.
So the first task is to test Mister Data's hypothesis.
Data, you're claiming that this exocomp may be alive because it demonstrated survival
instincts, right?
Yes.
Then why don't we just threaten its survival again and see what happens?
Make it so.
[Engineering] (the exocomp is sitting just inside a Jefferies
tube) Doctor, we're pretty much ready here.
You can begin programming it.
What we've done, Captain, is to recreate a situation similar to the one the exocomp encountered
in the plasma conduit.
We have created a small conduit breach in this tube.
The exocomp would normally require several minutes to complete a repair of this type.
Once it enters the tube, it will find that a plasma cascade failure is in progress.
I assume this is a simulation.
Yes, sir.
We're running a transient overload signal that will simulate a failure in exactly one
minute.
If it does possess a survival instinct, as Mister Data claims, it will exit the tube
before the minute is up in order to save itself.
Very well.
Proceed.
Okay.
Beginning test programme now.
One minute.
(the exocomp heads off) Fifty seconds.
(it gets to work) Thirty seconds.
(it stops and hesitates, then continues) Ten seconds.
Five, four, three, two, one.
That's it.
If this had been for real, that conduit would've exploded with the exocomp inside.
Go ahead, Doctor, bring it back in.
Well, Captain, I think we've spent more than enough time answering this question.
I hope the outcome wasn't too much of a disappointment for you, Mister Data.
It certainly came as no surprise to me.
Thank you for your help, Doctor.
You're welcome.
Well, I consider this time well spent.
As do I, sir.
Thank you.