The Oppressor's Wrong Read Online Free Page A

doesn’t mean change the entire system, Data,” O’Brien said in a somewhat tired tone. “We could build a separate console.” He looked at Muñiz and Stevens. “Maybe rig up something out of those old multitronic systems you two scrounged up.”
    But Stevens was shaking his head. “That’s working in the opposite direction, Chief. Comparatively, the model-nine processors are still much faster than anything we can rig out of the trash.”
    â€œM-maybe you could—” Barclay began.
    â€œLooks like we’re going to need to rewrite the protocols.” Porter ran a hand through his thick, short dark hair and blew air between his lips. “The program doesn’t take into consideration the encryption needed for holographic indexing at the speeds this ship utilizes. Wow. That’s going to require a whole new set of command logarithms.”
    Daniels hung his head and sighed. Why hadn’t anyone thought of this? It was like fitting a shuttle-sizedwarp core into a starship-sized core cradle. The core would just fall right through.
    But then again, he’d never tried to integrate his small program into something as incredibly advanced as the
Enterprise-
E.
    â€œAh—you know you—you could—”
    â€œHow long would that take?” O’Brien asked.
    â€œA day or two,” Sage said. “I’m not as familiar with this model circuitry.” He smiled. “But I’d love to learn.”
    â€œWe cannot continue to delay the
Enterprise’
s departure to Starbase 375,” Data said.
    O’Brien nodded. “I know. We don’t have time if we’re to get you up and running before then. We need to find another solution. Everyone look for any other cogs in the gears.”
    Muñiz nodded and grabbed up the padd resting on the nearest console. He glanced at the readout, frowned, and then held out his hand to Daniels. “May I see your tricorder?”
    Daniels handed it to Muñiz and then moved closer to see what had him puzzled. He looked at the diagnostic screen over the engineer’s shoulder.
    â€œSome of these initial syntax errors are wrong,” Muñiz said as he looked from the tricorder to the padd. “I don’t think this is the main problem, but Ithink this might be one of the associated anomalies. But it appears not all of the database is loaded.”
    â€œOf course it is.” Data moved to stand on the opposite side of the console, facing the engineer. “I supervised the upload myself.”
    â€œWell.” Muñiz shook his head. “According to this diagnostic, there’s only twenty-three percent embedded.”
    â€œI
saw
the database upload.”
    â€œI’m sorry, sir.” The engineer held out the padd. “But I’m only looking at what the computer is telling me.”
    â€œSo are you saying I am wrong and the computer is always right? Computers also make mistakes, not just me. And I do not appreciate your double-checking my work.”
    Daniels straightened at the sound of irritation in Data’s voice. The android had been responsible for cataloging the components and their variations before uploading the database into the sensor’s memory. He absently wondered why there was a partial upload—unless the speed difference also caused the database to be dumped. Either way, he didn’t suspect the android of any faulty work.
    But apparently that wasn’t the way Data was seeing it.
    â€œI wasn’t checking your work, sir,” Muñiz said, lookingup from the tricorder to meet Data’s gaze. “We’ve already established that the protocols need to be rewritten in order to be compatible with the sub-processors.” He looked at Data. “I was just checking to see if the database itself needed to be coded for a holographic imaging matrix. And it does—only a part of it uploaded at all.”
    Daniels nodded. Now he