Name: K501E2910-S5729 KES for short
Age: three years
Race: Interactive navigation and Personal Care System/Andriod
Job: The safety and care of the crew and passengers of the The Nexis Blue
Ship:The Nexis Blue, ship class explorer and transport vessel.



The Nexis Blue was leagues above her fellow explorer ships in every category. From it's professional crew to the sleek white finish on the otter halls no other ship came close. It's crowning achievement was it's highly advanced AI navigation and personal are system. K501E2910 was a series S AI the first of it's kind and The Nexis Blue was the only ship to have one installed.

The S series AI took artificial intelligence to a new level. The AI- called by it's creator and senior members of the Nexis's crew as KES- was designed to anticipate the needs of the crew, single handedly run all functions of the ship, as well as monitor the health both mental a physical of all on board. More then that the creator had clamed that she had be able to write in a code that allowed KES to process and even have it's own emotional response. It was a system so advanced that some had made comments about how unnatural or too human like the system was.

Which was why Dr. Orin Burett was brought along on the second voyage of the Nexis Blue. Dr. Burett was a leader in the field of bio medical engineering. It was his latest research paper that had gotten him invited onto the ship to build the first ever android to house the AI system. It also helped that he was married to KES's creator. Melee Burett had spent her whole life dedicated to the study of computer programing and the possibility of true Artificial Life. KES was her pride and joy and she wouldn't allow anyone else to do the transfer but herself.

"Good Morning KES" the lights in the room slowly began to brighten at a rate that allowed the rooms occupants eyes to adjust. "Good Morning Mrs. Burett, Good Morning Dr. Burett." The disembodied voice carried a slight accent, something that hinted at a earth based origin but one would have to first have an understanding on the dead planet's many languages to place it.

The data pad son the end table lit up with news from their home planet, as well as the each of the humans daily schedules. Orrin Burett liked to start his morning off with a look at the positive things going on planet side as well as a few comic strips that he would read over his breakfast. Melee Burett Liked to be up to date on any and all scientific journals and would spend her morning ignoring her breakfast and tinkering with the code for her next AI program.

KES scanned the room reading both of the Burett's hormone levels and over vitals. Orin's lower back muscles were tensed where Melee's blood pressure was slightly lower then average and other scans indicated that she had not properly rested the night before. KES sent a message to the kitchen with the brerakfast order for the Burett's as well as the orders for seven other crew members who were on this wake up rotation.
" May I ask how my new body is coming along?" Shifting through the clothes in their closet the AI choose a pair of boots with good lumbar support for Orin and since today was a day Melee had set aside to work on her newest project a comfortable set of the work out clothes that the crew used in training.

" It's going well. The new mechanic they brought in something else. Once we are finished I might try to snag him for another research project. oh and I'm sure you will approve of the desing. You haven't peeked have you?" Looking up at the ceiling through his glasses Orin gave it the look a father would give his child asking about birthday presents.
" Of course he will I designed it." KES caught and documented the irritation in Melee voice. She had spent hours letting both KES her husband and the board of directors know just how much she was against KES being confined into a body .

" I have not." The AI's voice carried a hint of slyness. While KES had not 'peeked' at the body it was his job to fully analyze every inch of the ship.


Hours later the peaceful first week of the Nexis Blues journey came to an end.

It was only a split second where the asteroids hit and KES diverted all power to stabilizing the shields that the lights and all other functions on the Nexis flickered. It was enough of a glitch for all crew members that had not been aware of the situation to take some kind of action.

Orin had been in the mess hall grabbing a quick lunch when he felt the ship lurch to the side. Something had gone wrong. The ship jerked again in a different direction, by now KES had given up keeping focus on the none essential systems. The lights shut off and the emergency once flickered to life the system running them not use to being needed.

The housing part of the ship was in chaos crew and support staff running every which way, screaming commands or trying to reach other members over their comms. Melee had left with her data pad and a ear piece to talk directly to KES.
" KES! What happened?!"
" we have hit an un charted asteroid field." The Ai sounded strained and almost wounded. She had programed him so deeply into the ship she was worried that he might actually be processes the damage as pain. "I'm heading towards H-8....KES is there any way to save the ship?"

The silence on the other end of her comms wasn't reassuring. "The bridges air lock is gone. There is a 98% chance of total ship destruction the deeper we get into the asteroid field. I high recommended changing course to the nearest pod H-1."

"KES no. I need to get to H-8. Is there a clear path? I have to get you downloaded into that body." Orin would be in H-8, they would all get out of this.

" There is no safe path from your location to H-8. Please make your way towards H-1.The pods will be released soon."

'No I...."

"There is no other course of action that has a survival rate. Please turn right and make you way to pod H-1."

" Is Orin in H-8? is he safe?"

" Dr. Burett is making his way to H-3. he appears unharmed." Another loud crack and the sound of screaming metal rocked the ship. While not programed to lie KES wasn't programed to NOT lie either.

"Good, KES make sure you escape too.Don't go down with this ship"

The doors to the escape pod closed behind her and the programmer tried hard not to think about the crew still stuck on the ship. Or her husband who was hopefully safe in his own escape pod. And she did not think about the AI she had created out that had taken on a life of it's own.

-----

The mess hall was in ruins by the time Orin made it out the doors sliding shut behind him and sadly locking anyone still trapped inside.


" KES where is Melee?" pushing past a few crew members Dr. Burett made his way back towards escape pod H-8. If he new his wife she would go where she thought he and KES would be.

" I am directing her to the closest escape pod. H-1 sir, she is being difficult. I suggest you make your way to pod H-3"


Up ahead Orin could see the commanding officer shouting out orders and ushering people into the two closest escape pods. The man looked over at him and though Orin saw his mouth move he didn't hear anything other then the rush of blood in his ears. The ship took a sharp dive knocking the doctor to the floor. He tasted blood as his face connected with the metal floor.Arms reached around him and Orin felt himself being dragged before everything went dark.

----

As a AI system KES had not been programed with any real concept of feelings or self preservations. He was programed to learn. He would not call it caring per say but what he learned was that if he was able to care he did in fact care about the humans on his ship. from the way some of them would stroke the walls and talk to him, or how one of the young female pilots would talk about what life was life for her as a child. He could be pushed to call the odd sequence that formed in his programing when ever one of the engineer's working on his body would answer his questions. Yes he could call it caring. As far as the concept of self preservation was concerned Melee was his creator and she had given him a direct order. pulling out of the ships systems he reached out scanning H-8. A data pad had been brought in by one of the new pilots. KES downloaded his entire program into that data pad and left the Nexis Blue o fend for it's self.