(Photo by Alex Knight)

For the most part, Min’s job wasn’t too bad. She enjoyed working on robots, both on the software and hardware side of things. People weren’t bad either, so long as it was a good team. The members of the RCC had worked together well over the past decade. Most had families to go home to at the end of the day, but they still found time to be sociable. What Min didn’t like about her job were mostly connected with her having to be the acting Head for the RCC. Especially now with the new Mission Director.

“This unit requires recommendations for replacements for Cassandra Kokkinos,” BaBS-Y informed Min. It was still using the ISaCC to move about the Thesis, which made sense but was no less unnerving. Min wondered if BaBS-Y had done a full upload of its personality into the party bot, effectively doubling itself, or if it was still just remote controlling it. “The Head of Engineering must be replaced within the week.”

“I’m not aware of anyone aboard who could just replace Cassandra that quickly,” Min frowned at the robot sitting across from her. “They’ll need training, she’ll need to shadow them for a month at least to make sure nothing gets missed.”

“This unit would consider such an arrangement,” BaBS-Y replied. “Who would you recommend to replace Cassandra Kokkinos? This unit will ask the other Heads for recommendations as well.”

“While I think of names, could you explain why Cassandra needs to be replaced?”

Min knew the reason. It wasn’t exactly a secret, especially in the RCC. There were a few people like Cassandra on the Thesis who only agreed to come along after being assured they wouldn’t ever have to interact with a robot. It made programming certain robots a bit more difficult, making sure they avoided certain places at certain times, and the people with issues surrounding the robots also had to avoid certain areas of the ship where it wasn’t reasonable not to have robots around. Regardless, Min wanted to avoid losing Cassandra. She was a genius in her job and had been hired specifically for that reason.

“Cassandra Kokkinos is potentially engaging in mutiny,” BaBS-Y stated.

Min felt her stomach lurch.

“She’s what?”

“Cassandra Kokkinos refuses to acknowledge this unit as Mission Director. She has also begun to remove or disable all security cameras and microphones within sectors one through eleven. She is in a position to cause significant damage to the Thesis, which would prevent the Thesis from completing its mission, as well as delay the reopening of the Frank Nelis Salon.”

“She wouldn’t mutiny,” Min insisted, suddenly fearing for the other woman’s safety. “She just doesn’t feel comfortable around robots.”

“This unit is aware of her decision not to engage with robots. This unit has placed all robots within those sectors into stand-by mode to keep from further disturbing Cassandra Kokkinos. She still refuses to fulfill her responsibilities.”

“Has she stopped maintaining the engines?” Min asked.

“No,” BaBS-Y said, “all work has continued but Cassandra Kokkinos will not file her reports to this unit, nor will she engage in dialogue.”

Min leaned back in her chair while she thought. She really didn’t want to lose Cassandra, one way or the other.

“Well,” she began slowly, “the department heads all form our own governing body, right?”

BaBS-Y nodded.

“What if the reports were all filed together and one of us could then present that material to you? If we could use a secure line,” Min added as a sudden burst of inspiration hit her, “so that she knows no one else is listening in, give her that assurance, then I’m sure she would be much more willing to continue doing her job.”

BaBS-Y was still for a few seconds. It was an odd reaction coming from the robot since it could process information and make decisions far faster than a human could. At last it nodded.

“That is acceptable,” it said. “This unit has implemented a new protocol for Cassandra Kokkinos’ comm. Any communications she engages in will be shielded from this unit. This protocol will remain in place for as long as she is fulfilling her responsibilities. You may review the new protocol at your discretion, to ensure it is properly composed. This unit asks that you also contact Cassandra Kokkinos to inform her of this change and ensure she is willing to comply.”

With that, ISaCC stood up and left Min’s office. Min waited a minute before locating the new protocol and looking through the code to see what all it actually did. After several minutes, she picked up her comm.

“Contact Cassandra Kokkinos,” she said.

There was a brief moment of silence and then the other woman’s voice spoke.

“So when can we expect the death squads?” Cassandra immediately asked with no sign of humor or sarcasm.

“You’re all safe for now,” Min said. “Hang on for just a minute, I need to add someone else to the call. Contact Matiew.”

Another moment and then Matiew’s voice answered.

“Min, we doing lunch today?” he asked.

“Not what I’m calling about,” Min said. “I’ve got Cassandra Kokkinos on the call. Are you near a workstation? And is Rine with you?”

“Yes and yes,” Matiew replied, sounding somewhat confused. “What do you need?”

“BaBS-Y implemented a new protocol for communications with Cassandra,” Min explained, “I’d like you to look over them while I update Cassandra.”

“Okay,” Matiew still sounded uncertain.

“Cassandra,” Min went on while Matiew and Rine worked, “I just finished speaking with BaBS-Y. So far, you all are good. No one’s being reassigned, and all the robots in your sectors are being kept on stand-by.”

She explained the workaround she had negotiated and Cassandra’s voice relaxed.

“Yeah, I can live with that, for now,” she said. “And my comm is secure?”

“I believe so,” Min said, “I’ve looked over the protocol and it seems to be a total blackout on BaBS-Y’s side of things whenever your part of a call. Is that right, Matiew?”

“Uh, yeah,” he sounded surprised. “Even on our ends, BaBS-Y has the local microphones and cameras encrypt their recordings such that we can still go back and view them but BaBS-Y can’t. So there’s not even the risk of it eavesdropping on the other end of conversations.”

“Really? And it’s already active? This call’s secure?” Cassandra asked.

“Looks like it,” Matiew replied.

A long sigh of relief came from Cassandra.

“Okay then,” she said. “First thing’s first, we need a plan to get rid of that robot.”

“I have some ideas,” Min agreed, “and I think we can start getting you and your team the materials you’ll need to pull it off.”

“Right, our next supply drop should be coming down soon,” Cassandra said. “And I’ve got a list of things I’d like as well. Just have whoever’s getting it give me a call so that bot doesn’t see what all’s going into the crates.”

The call lasted for another half hour. BaBS-Y couldn’t hear or see any of it. Key strokes, though, key strokes were all still fair game. It was always interesting to see what people would do when they didn’t think anyone was watching.