SPACE: THE FINAL FRONTIER. THESE ARE THE VOYAGES OF THE WWF TITANPRIZE. IT'S MISSION: TO EXPLORE AND ENTERTAIN NEW SOCIETIES AND NEW CIVILIZATIONS.  TO BOLDLY GO WHERE NO WRESTLER HAS GONE BEFORE!

TITANPRIZE CREW:

Captain Vince McMahon
First Officer, Commander Shane McMahon
Chief Engineer, Commander Stephanie McMahon
Chief of Chiefs, Commander Linda McMahon
Chief of Security, Commander Kane
Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Taker
Diagnostics Officer, Lieutenant Commander Jericho
Tactical Officer, Lieutenant Commander Austin
Transporter Chief, Lieutenant Commander Debra McMichael
Communications Officer, Lieutenant Commander Rock
Counselor Al Snow (assisted by H.E.A.D.)

... And many more!

LT. COMMANDER JERICHO'S QUARTERS

    Welcome to Titanprize IS Jericho!  This is the ayatollah of rock 'n' rolla's personal log! Your party host, and WrestleFleet's very own paragon of virtue -- Just coming up with some new catchphrases.

    Lt. Commander Rock and I had a little contest going. Crocky won. He had more catchphrases then I could dream of! Oh, before I forget: Now playing --- the BEST 20th century metal band eeeeeeeeeever! Fozzy!

    I was stuck on double duty shift in Engineering today. Lucky me. Apparently Chief Engineer Stephanie McMahon failed to appear. Maybe she had a young Ensign to cheer up.

    Hopefully it wasn't Ensign Angle. I mean, not that I care... it's just that----

    "Captain McMahon to Lt. Commander Jericho. Report to my ready room..."

    Interruptions, interruptions. I'll write up my meeting with the Cap. as soon as I find out what the hell he wants.

CAPTAIN'S READY ROOM

    "Lt. Commander Jericho, we are currently orbiting a planet made up mostly of caves. I imagine there will be some good resources in those caves!"

    An away mission! Things were looking up. I would finally get a break from Engineering.

    Where the hell was Stephanie anyway?

    As if he could read my gorgeous positronic mind, the Captain answered my question, "Commander Shane McMahon and Commander Stephanie McMahon are on the planet already. They are studying the caves and have informed me they need more equipment. Rope, flashlights, and so on. Here's the list..." Captain McMahon handed me a padd.

    I read it. Why was I suddenly equipment boy? Well, might as well ask,  "Doesn't Ensign Angle usually look after away team equipment?"

    "Well, yes he does... but I would need two officers to carry everything. Whereas if I send you, I only need ONE officer thanks to your strength. Now go, Lt. Commander. Help them down there and remind them to report back to the ship as soon as they can!"

    I stood up, "You got it, Junior!" I replied, then headed out.

    Apparently, Vince didn't know about Shane's order for me to stay away from Stephanie.

    Oh well... McMahon wanted me down on the planet... within speaking distance of his little girl. I couldn't defy an order from my Captain now, could I?

PLANET SURFACE

    "What are you doing here, Lt. Commander?!" Commander Shane McMahon asked as he came into view through the transporter beam.

    "Your father sent me down here with your equipment!" I  replied, and dropped the bags and tool belts on the cave floor.

    "Why did my father send YOU! Angle is the bag boy!"

    "Apparently, Captain McMahon didn't seem to think Angle could handle it!" Shane really grated on my nerves sometimes. Hell... ALL the time!

    "I don't want you anywhere near my sister! I thought I made that perfectly clear?" Shane demanded.

    "Apparently you didn't inform your father of your order to me, Commander Jerky, did you?" I asked.

    "How DARE you speak to me that way?!  I am First Officer aboard the WWF Titanprize, I don't need attitude from arrogant androids!" Shane replied, "Now LEAVE!"

    "I can't do that. I'm here on Vinnie-mac's orders. Until he tells me otherwise, you're stuck with me," I smiled. See, I could be annoying too!

    "I may have to take drastic action if you don't leave, Lt. Commander," Commander McMahon threatened.

    "And what would that be? Talk me to death?"

    "Perhaps you need to be reprogrammed?" Say WHAT? Would Shane really do that to ME? "I SAID leave... unless you want to face off against WrestleFleet's very own Giant Killer!"

    I had to laugh. "Giant killer?"

    Shane didn't take too kindly to my laughter, and decided he would tell me so by shoving me, "You want to start up with me, 'bot? "

    Not very mature for a Commander...  but unfortunately, my reaction was just as immature.

    "I'll start up with you ANY day, Commander Jerky!" I snapped, then shoved Commander McMahon right back.

    Stephanie came around a cave corner and saw our shoving match. She came up to both of us, finger wagging angrily,  "Will you two behave yourselves?" She asked. "This is TOTALLY unprofessional!"

    Shane glared at me with a vengeance, then quickly speared my beautiful no-selling titanium body.

    Unable to control my fall, I felt my body hit something soft. I reached behind me, but for the first time in my android life, I just wasn't fast enough! All my programming, all my speed.... for nothing!

    Commander Stephanie's screams echoed throughout the cavern as she fell into the large black chasm behind us.

    Time seemed to stop... and if I had a heart, I'm sure it would have stopped as well.

    "STEPH!" I threw weasel boy off me and went to the edge of the chasm, "Stephanie?" I called down, but only heard my own voice echo back at me.

    "STEPHANIE!" Shane cried out, and pushed me out of the way as he stepped dangerously close to the precipice.

    I grabbed Shane and threw him to the ground. He may have considered that insubordination. I considered it the only way to prevent HIM from joining his sister.

   "I'm going down there!" I informed him, "There's rope in the backpacks. Get it out, tie it around a stalagmite, and lower it to me. I'll be too far down to hail the Titanprize for a beam out!"

    Commanders don't like being told what to do by inferior officers... especially androids. Shane made his displeasure known, "How DARE you order me around. I'M the superior officer!"

    "I don't give a DAMN what you are!" I told him. And, to borrow a phrase from Ensign Angle, it was true. I didn't. He could write me up for all I cared.  "Just DO IT... or your sister is as good as dead!" With that, I jumped over the edge... and hoped my landing would be as exact as I had calculated.

    I landed on the lower ledge of the chasm and quietly thanked Irvine Inc for my acrobatic skills.

    "Steph?" I whispered. In the darkness, I could make out the slightest outline of Stephanie's body. She was lying precariously close to the edge, unmoving. I knelt beside her, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in my empty chest. I found myself pleading to whatever would listen to let her be all right.

    She HAD to be all right.  If not...

    I felt warm liquid seeping through the knees of my uniform. There was no mistaking what it was... but I had to see. I had to make sure.

    I pulled a flashlight out of my WrestleFleet tool belt, and flicked it on.  The ledge was soaked with Stephanie's blood. A large deep gash zig-zagged violently across her forehead -- the ugly proof she had hit the jagged rocks on her way down.

    My survival programming kicked in. I quickly took off my uniform top and tied it around Stephanie's head tightly, hoping it would at least slow the bleeding. She was breathing... but barely.

    I ripped the comm badge off the now bloody top and tapped it. I received only static.

    Finally, weasel boy flung the rope down to me. I tugged on it to make sure it was secure. Despite the situation, I still wouldn't trust Shane. What does that say about Shane that I would think he'd let his own sister fall to her death?

    I carefully threw Stephanie over one shoulder, and climbed the rope back to the top.

    "How is she?" Shane asked desperately as I lifted Stephanie over the ledge.

    "Out of my way!" I hissed. The negative energy surges were pulsing through my systems like wildfire.

    I never thought I could fall victim to pretend emotions... but then again... perhaps I wasn't pretending anymore...

    I gently put Stephanie down on the floor of the cave, but not before Shane took one more verbal shot at me, "I will fry your circuits if she's dead, Lt. Commander! I swear I will! I have never despised anyone as much as I despise YOU!"

    "If you have a problem with me, then go whine to your daddy! While you're at it, you can explain how Stephanie ended up falling over the edge of that chasm in the first place!" I snapped, then pulled back and punched Commander McMahon. HARD.

    My patience had run out with wonderboy.

    "I'll have your rank!" Shane hissed as he put a hand to his aching jaw.

    I ignored him and tapped my comm badge, "Lt. Commander Jericho to the WWF Titanprize. We have a medical emergency! Beam two to sickbay immediately!"

    Stephanie and I disappeared in a glitter of light. I could only imagine how Shane fumed as he tapped his own comm badge, and returned to the ship.

WWF TITANPRIZE - CAPTAIN McMAHON'S READY ROOM - later

    "How did it happen?" McMahon demanded as he glared at his son and myself. "Tell me how the hell my daughter ended up in a coma in Sickbay?!"

    Shane spoke first, "It was the Y2J Unit's fault, pops! He misjudged the stability of the cave.  The rocks gave way as Steph neared the ledge, and she fell! He was sloppy with his scans! He should be demoted!"

    Captain McMahon looked towards me, "Is this true?" he asked.

    Shane offered me a sidelong glare. What was I supposed to do? Let Captain McMahon think Stephanie was hurt because Shane and I started a fight? Or agree to Shane's lie, and tell the Captain that it was a fault in my programming?

    "Of course it's true!" Shane answered for me, "Slopiness costing a fellow crewmember harm is worthy of a demotion, pops!"

    He was really pushing for that demotion, wasn't he?

    "Damnit!" McMahon shouted, then hit his desk with a fist, "Damnit damnit!" McMahon paused, then looked at me, eyes narrowed.  "You are supposed to be a flawless machine, yet you go and make a mistake like this? How could you misjudge the stability of a cave floor?" he asked.

    "Forgive me, sir," I replied.  "Being so far underground affected my sensors. I will have Ensign Matt check my programming immediately," Wow... I was a good liar.

    McMahon glared at me. I knew what he would say next wouldn't be good, "If my daughter doesn't come out of her coma, you will have no need to check ANYTHING! You, Lt. Commander Jericho, will be taken offline until further notice!"

    I nodded humbly, "Understood, sir..."

    "DISMISSED!" McMahon snapped.  I walked out, but stood in the hallway as the doors slid shut.  I heard Captain McMahon sigh, "Let's pray your sister comes out of this ok... and keep that damn Y2J Unit away from her! He's caused her enough problems already..."

    I could hear the coldness in Shane's voice as he replied, "Already taken care of, Pops..."

    Yes. He HAD taken care of it, hadn't he? He had even gone to so far as to threaten to reprogram me if I refused to stay away from Stephanie.

    So why didn't I just stay away?

    Strike one for Lt. Commander Jericho.

SICKBAY - three days later

    I stood beside the diagnostics table staring at Stephanie. She lay there pale, and unmoving. I was determined to stand there until she woke up, Shane's orders be damned. "Commander?" I started. Would she hear me? "Skankanie?" I waited. Nothing.  I ran a hand through my hair, exasperated, "Please wake up, Steph," I whispered, though if I were to analyze my voice patterns, there were probably hints of desperation.

    I wanted Stephanie to be all right. The fact that I could be taken offline if she wasn't was only a secondary concern.  Ironic.  Here I was facing what humans would consider death, and yet that wasn't my main reason for wanting Stephanie to awaken.

    I studied Stephanie's face, ignoring the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. Bruises blossomed over the Commander's eyes, and the white gauze wrapped around her head was already stained through with blood.

    "Staring at her isn’t going to wake her up any faster, Lt. Commander," Nurse Saturn said as he came up to me.

      I shook my head. I should have been able to catch Stephanie before she went over that cliff! In fact, I shouldn't have even started up with Shane! It was MY fault.

      "I heard you climbed down and pulled her up before she went over the lower ledge. You saved her, Lt. Commander," Saturn said.

    I looked at Saturn. His consoling wasn't working.  "Did I really save her?" I asked bitterly. This bitterness wasn't pretend. Something had to be wrong with my systems... "Look at her! Did I just delay the inevitable?"

    Saturn looked over the readouts on the diagnostic table, "Well, if it helps any," he said, "Her life signs are pretty stable…"

    "Her body may be fine," I replied, "But what about her head? How long until she wakes up?"

    Nurse Saturn sighed, "That’s something I can’t answer," he was regretful, "All anyone can do is wait and see," Saturn replied, "I have to dress her wound. Excuse me a moment," Saturn said, and proceeded to dispose of the dirty gauze on Stephanie’s head and replace it with a clean one. He then excused himself and headed off to his other Sickbay duties.

    I turned back to Stephanie.  "I’m sorry, Steph," I knew she couldn’t hear me. Besides, it didn't matter how many times I apologized. It wouldn't do any good if she never woke up.

    Guilt? This was a new one for me.

    Saturn had told me earlier that neither Commander McMahon, nor Captain McMahon had bothered to visit the Chief Engineer yet. Shane and Vince had, however, paged Dr. Taker constantly to ask about Stephanie’s progress, but saw no point in visiting unless there was a change in her condition. They had ship’s duties to tend to.

    Logically, I couldn’t disagree with that… but even though Stephanie was in a coma, I knew she could at least TELL whether someone was with her or not. I had my OWN duties to tend to, but I always seemed to find time.

     Ensign Jeff Hardy and myself had previously been informed by Nurse Bearer that we were Stephanie’s only consistent visitors, although Angle would show up occasionally and then bolt the moment Dr. Taker looked at him... that olympic wimp.

    Angle was another matter all together. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but I didn't want him near Stephanie. Ever!

    Of course, MY only reason for visiting Stephanie so much was merely because it was MY fault she was there in the first place.

    To borrow from Ensigns Edge and Christian - this whole guilt thing totally reeked of suckitude.

    Ok... so the guilt thing wasn't my only reason for visiting her...

    "Hey, Skankanie," I started, "Jeff is going to come by as soon as he’s off duty, but I thought I should tell you the latest gossip before he makes up his own stories. Seems Lita is mad at him for dancing in the Smackdown again. She compared him to some 20th Century ‘King of Pop’, Michael…. something…" I shook my head, "Jeff really IS an idiot. You’d think he’d learn from the LAST time he tried to bust a move!" I tried to smile, but I knew she wouldn't see,  "Speaking of the Smackdown and dancing … I think Bradshaw had too many drinks the other night. He decided to dance on the Smackdown bar with Ensign Scotty. It was rather disturbing, let me tell you. He tried to do some old form of dance called Breakdancing. Let’s just say Bradshaw can’t dance worth shi—"

     "LT. COMMANDER JERICHO!" I heard an angry Shane McMahon burst through the Sickbay doors.

    I turned to him. The Olympic jackass stood beside the Commander. Oh joy... both in the same place at the same time. What a lucky guy I was today!

    "How DARE you defy my orders!" Shane ranted, "I told you to STAY AWAY from my sister!"

    It's kind of funny to see Shane rant... seeing that little vein in his temple pulse like mad. Just like dear old dad!

    Of course, I really wasn't in the mood to be yelled at, "Commander Jerky, why don’t you just shut the hell up?"

    "You are THIS close to cleaning the toilets in the Smackdown, Lt. Commander!" Commander McMahon seethed, "You are an insubordinate, arrogant officer and I have had it up to here with you!"

    I smirked. Couldn't help it, really, "So… what’s your point?"

    "My point is … that I am writing up your insubordination and reporting it to my father!" Shane replied.

    "How can you write up my insubordination on an order your father knows nothing about?" I asked, then raised an eyebrow at Shane’s suddenly pale complexion. I was willing to bet there were a LOT of things going on aboard the Titanprize that Vinnie-mac knew nothing about.

    "Get out of here, Lt. Commander!" Angle finally spoke up. "Or I’ll drag you out myself!"

     "Oh… am I being threatened by the Olympic wimp?" I asked. It was sort of sad, really, to see Ensign Angle trying to act like a bad boy.

    "What the hell is going on in my Sickbay!" Dr. Taker’s voice boomed angrily as he came up to us. He glared at each of us in turn, "All three of you, get your stank asses OUT of here!"

    "Dr. Taker… as a man of integrity, surely you should realize that it’s this Y2J Unit causing all the ruckus, not your Wrestlefleet Olympic hero!" Angle spoke.

    "Do you want me to TOSS your stank ass out?!" Taker asked as he glared at Angle, "LEAVE!" he snapped, "Now!"

    Dr. Taker literally shoved all three of us out of Sickbay.

    I took a moment to look back at Stephanie. Was that a tear sliding down her cheek? I couldn't tell, as Taker slid closed the doors so quickly I had to jump not get my perfect nose caught.

    I turned to Angle and Shane, made a fist, and punched the Olympic Ensign hard, knocking him to the floor.

    Angle held his jaw, "What was THAT for?" he asked.

    "I had to hit SOMEONE," I replied, then smirked and turned to Shane, "And far be it from me to hit a superior officer!" With that, I pushed past the two buddies and headed to Engineering.

THE SMACKDOWN - four days later - 0300h

    I sipped my synthehol slowly. I really didn't feel like being here, but I didn't want to sit in my quarters all night either.

    "How's Stephanie?" Terri asked as she leaned on the bar across from me.

    "I don't know. I'm prohibited from visiting Sickbay. I haven't seen her for a few days now. From what Jeff tells me, there's been no change."

    "You're really worried about her, aren't you?"

    I shrugged, but before I could respond, the horrible sound of Commander Pat Patterson singing at the Karaoke machine sliced through the bar like a knife.

     Patterson's voice was like nails on a chalkboard. No. That's not entirely fair. Nails on a chalkboard sounded BETTER, "I see trees of green........ red roses too. I watch 'em bloom..... for me and for you. And I think to myself.... what a wonderful world..."

    "Oh man..." I groaned. This was the worst rendition I had ever heard!

    Terri rolled her eyes, "He sings that EVERY karaoke night! He doesn't get any better either..." she looked at me, and smiled, "Why don't YOU go up there and sing?"

    "ME?" I asked. I WAS tempted to jumped on stage and sing one of MY favourite songs, but, "I'm not in the mood," I told her, then put my drink down, "However, I will do THIS..."   I climbed up to the stage and yanked the mic out of Patterson's hands mid-song, "Will you please SHUT the HELL UP?"

    Patterson looked at me as if I had just taken away his favourite toy. And maybe I had.

    I could have sworn the crowd in The Smackdown were chanting for me, though that could have just been wishful thinking.

    Either way, I needed something to cheer me up. Grabbing Patterson's legs out from under him and wrenching his back seemed to do the trick.

    The Smackdown crowd seemed rather appreciative of my actions... until Bradshaw came up and took the mic from my hands, "Move, boy, it's MY turn to sing!"

    Great. Just what I needed. I decided that NOW would be a good time to leave the Smackdown... and maybe sneak into Sickbay for a few minutes.

SICKBAY

    I looked down both sides of the hall carefully, then quickly snuck through the Sickbay doors. I went up to Stephanie's diagnostics bed and saw the wound on her head had begun to heal. She now only required a large bandage pad. At least it looked better then the gauze.

    Regardless of how nicely her head was healing, Stephanie had yet to show any signs of waking.

    I gently ran my fingers over the ugly bruises on her face, as if I could make them go away.

    "Weasel boy hasn't come to visit since that day Taker kicked you, him, and Angle out of here," a voice spoke up.  I turned to see Ensign Jeff Hardy leaning against a wall, his hair the only burst of colour in the otherwise drab sickbay.

    "You heard about that?" I asked.

    Jeff nodded, "Who hasn't? Everyone knows Shane's a dumbass anyway," he said, then nodded to my hand, which I had yet to remove from Stephanie's face, "She needs that, you know. She needs the feel of a human touch..."

    "I hardly have a human touch..." I replied. In fact, some would say my touch was downright robotic. I can't imagine why..

    I took Stephanie’s hand instead.

    "I've been talking to her while you've been banned from Sickbay. Holding her hand and stuff too. For once, Lita isn't mad at me for touching Steph," Jeff smiled, then grew serious, "But I think Steph would rather have YOU here..."

    "Why? I'M the one who let her fall!"

    Jeff sighed, "And they say I'M the idiot!"

    "But you ARE an idiot, Jeff..." I replied, then raised an eyebrow, "Why are you here so late anyway? Isn't it past your bedtime?"

    "Oh ha ha... funny, Chris!"

    "Well Lita oughta pull that leash in a bit more. She's actually allowing her sugar muffin to visit another woman in the middle of the night," I shook my head in mock disappointment, "Shame on you..."

    Jeff smirked, "Lita and I use chains, not leashes,"

    "Yeah... sure you do... and Commander Kane is really my dentist!"

    "He could be! I don't know what dental plan androids use!" Jeff answered. Jeff had a funny way of trying to lift people's spirits.

    I looked down at Stephanie. What was that? "Jeff? Look..."

    Jeff quickly came over to me and studied Stephanie's face. "Is that a smile?" he whispered back.

    "I think so!"

    "Maybe if we keep talking---" Jeff started.

    "We... as in... you too? We want to wake her UP, not put her back to sleep,"

    Jeff  furrowed his brow, "Hey!"

    "Take her other hand, Jeff. Maybe if she knows that there are TWO people here... even if she can't hear us..."

    "How could anyone NOT hear you, Chris?" Jeff replied, "You're so damn loud!"

    "You're mighty snotty tonight, little Jeffery. I'm proud of you!" And I was. I almost felt as if Jeff was a chip off the old block. He had picked up my attitude so well... though he would never eeeeeeeeeeeeever be as good as the original!

    "I had a great teacher," Jeff answered.

    Stephanie moaned slightly. The rainbow-haired one and myself grew quiet.  Unfortunately, Stephanie made no other sound.

    "Do you think she's coming to?" Jeff asked hopefully.

    "I don't know,"  I replied, then shook my head.  "I should leave... just in case Commander McJerky decides to visit," I began to pull my hand away, but felt a tug. I looked down and saw that Stephanie's hand had closed around my own.

    "Don't go..." the voice was so quiet. Barely even a whisper.

    I stood still, "What?!"

    Stephanie's dim eyes fluttered open, and she looked directly at me, "Don't go..." she repeated.

    "Skankanie!" I replied, relief flooding through every wire in my body, "You're finally awake!"

    Jeff quickly waved to Nurse Bearer, who was busy on the other side of the room, "She's awake!" he shouted happily, "Quick! Get Dr. Taker!"

    "Ooooh yes..." Nurse Bearer replied, then tapped his comm badge, "Bearer to Taker. Our patient has awaken!"

LT. COMMANDER JERICHO'S QUARTERS – three days later

    I wondered how Stephanie was doing. I hadn't seen her since she had woken up. I had heard that Shane and Vince had graciously found time to visit her. How nice of them.

    Dr. Taker demanded Stephanie stay in Sickbay for a few days to be sure she didn't relapse.

   I was startled by the chimes on my door. Now who would be visiting me this late? Only one way to find out. I opened the door to see Stephanie standing there, looking pale and bruised, but alive.

   "Steph!" I started, then quickly pulled her in and hugged her. Why? Damned if I knew! "Listen, I'm sorry about that whole 'almost falling to your death' thing,"

   Stephanie seemed rather surprised at my strange display of affection. Heck, I was surprised myself!  Stephanie closed her eyes. I don't know why. She seemed to be enjoying the hug... maybe a little too much.  I quickly let go of her. Wouldn't want her thinking that I--well, it didn't matter what she thought. I wasn't looking forward to being reprogrammed by Commander Jerky.

    She looked up at me, "Why did you cover for Shane?" she demanded.

    "Would your dad really believe it was SHANE who started the fight?" I asked. "I'd rather him think I made a mistake in my scans then think I became victim to some strange anger-induced malfunction... even though I DID, I suppose..."

    "But you're incapable of getting angry... aren't you?" she asked, "I mean, you usually turn your emotion chip off when--" she paused, then  grew concerned, "Wait a minute... is your emotion chip malfunctioning?"

   I studied her for a moment.  Should I come clean? I may never have another chance, but how to go about telling Stephanie that her little chip was a failure? I guess bluntness was as good a way as any, "Speaking of my emotion chip... funny thing about that. It never worked in the first place,."

   "WHAT?!" she gasped.

   I flicked back my fingernail and popped the chip out. I held it out to her, "It was sabotaged,"

   Stephanie studied the sliver of silicon in my hand, "But... your personality... the snide comments... the jokes...! How---"

   "I pretended,"

   Stephanie took the chip and looked at it, "No..." she whispered, "All my hard work!" she stared up at me, looking rather sad and pathetic,  "It was all for nothing! You'll never feel anything again!"

   "Well... I pretended AT FIRST..."

   Stephanie furrowed her brow, "At first? What do you mean?"

   Hell, if I couldn't understand it, how should I expect HER to? "Somehow that whole personality thing became ingrained into my programming. I didn’t need to PRETEND any more. It was just… THERE… " I tried to explain, "But I still can't feel what humans feel. My programming will never evolve THAT much! Good thing too. I really don't want to become all weepy and emotional like YOU do all the time..."

   Stephanie did not look amused, "Why didn't you TELL me?" she asked angrily.

   A pissed off Stephanie was never a good thing, "And what would that have accomplished? I wouldn't have had reason to pretend. It was the pretending that caused my programming to change and adapt!" I replied. And I had no doubt it was true.

   Stephanie raised an eyebrow, "And why, may I ask, did you feel the need to pretend it worked?"

   "Because if I didn't, you'd be crying a river, whining about how hard you worked... like now!" And why did I care about that? Good question. Wish I had an answer.

   Stephanie frowned, "Well excuuuuuuuuuuse me for being HUMAN! Yes, I worked hard on that thing! If it didn't work, I would have liked to know! I could have FIXED it!"

   "But I don't NEED it now!" I tried to explain. Steph could be slow on the uptake sometimes. "So in a way, it DID work!"

   Stephanie opened her mouth to protest, then realized I was right. Well of COURSE I was right! I was very rarely wrong! "Fine. Fine..." she muttered.

    Well I was glad we were in agreement.  But now, one more thing had to be settled, "This stays between you and me. If Captain McMahon found out, or Shane even----"

   "TRUST me," Stephanie started, "The LAST person I would tell would be Shane!"

   "Good. Now that we have THAT settled... you'd better leave before the hallways get busy and people notice who's quarters you're coming out of,"  Stephanie seemed hesistant... but she headed to the door. "One more thing,"  Stephanie turned back to me. I allowed her a slight smile, "Glad to see you awake, Commander Skankanie..."

   Stephanie nodded, "Glad to see you NOT taken offline, Lt. Commander Jerkicho," she replied, then headed out.

   Well... I guess that was nice of her to say...

    Now if only I could figure out how my programming had developed this far...

   "Your heart’s desire is to HAVE a heart! You’re like the tin man…"

    Chyna’s words came back to haunt me. I remembered the trip to the Kanatian mountains. I remembered the wish Crash had made as the Houdinian held a dusty old book in his hands -- a wish for everyone deserving to get their heart’s desire. It had come true for Crash, Chyna, and even those Cocky Kanatians Edge and Christian…

   So why did I find it so difficult to accept?

    End log.

COMMANDER STEPHANIE McMAHON’S QUARTERS

    Chief Engineer's personal log, stardate 100820.00.

    It seems the Y2J Unit has developed a personality without his emotion chip. How is that possible? It's a wonder of Engineering! Irvine Inc. would never have expected one of their AI Units to surpass its programming.  Of course, Irvine Inc. would never have expected one of their units would be on a ship overrun by rebellious Nytrons – including one that would try to reprogram the Y2J Unit to be her own personal plaything – and then have that ship later lost in an uncharted region of space.

    I will have to study Lt. Commander Jericho a bit closer.  Perhaps I'll find some OTHER emotions to bring to the surface...

    End log.