Myriad Universes_ Echoes And Refractions Part 36

"What does it do?" Sito asked.

"It is an information transfer," Data explained, "utilizing a small probe that downloads intrusive code into a target's computer systems. Once in place the code begins rewriting the computer's software, impairing operation. This particular transfer had been specifically coded for Romulan systems, and so was able to take out the wardrone's communication capabilities in a matter of nanoseconds."

"So the Romulans don't know you're out here, then?" Sam Lavelle asked.

"Not as yet, Lieutenant," Data said, "but sources within the Klingon-Romulan Alliance report that, once contact with the wardrone was lost, another s.h.i.+p was sent out in search of it, which is due to arrive in short order."

"Sources?" Picard repeated, suspiciously.

Data opened his mouth as though to answer, appeared to think better of it, then shut it again. "A discussion for another time, Captain."

La Forge had been sitting back, scowling with his arms crossed and with mounting frustration, waiting for anyone to ask the question he was burning to have answered. But instead they were all going on about software viruses and ancient civilizations.

"Look," La Forge said, pounding his fist on the table, "I still don't understand why you disappeared in the first place!" He realized he was shouting, but didn't care. Seeing Data again after all this time brought back the feelings of betrayal he'd experienced all those years ago. "You say you were on some quest. A quest for what? Just what are you doing down there, anyway?"

Data looked at him, head c.o.c.ked, lips pursed in that familiar expression of confusion. "I thought I had already explained that, Geordi. We are attempting to explore the limits of artificial life, free from unnecessary constraints."

La Forge glanced around the room, and saw that he wasn't the only one either confused or dissatisfied or both by that answer. And he knew that Data could see it as well.

"Captain, Geordi, all of you," Data said, glancing around the table, "if you come with me to the planet's surface I can show you. Then maybe you will agree that what we have built there is worth saving."

Isaac stood at the door to the captain's ready room.

"Come," came Picard's voice from the other side, and the door hissed open obligingly.

"Captain?" Isaac stepped inside. "Do you have a moment?"

Picard stood by his desk, preparing to beam down to the planet's surface. At the conclusion of their meeting in the observation lounge, only a short while before, Data had simply stood up from his chair, walked to the far wall, and then waited while a doorway suddenly materialized in thin air. Beyond the rectangular s.p.a.ce, which seemed cut into the fabric of s.p.a.ce-time itself, Isaac had seen a brightly lit room with stone walls and unfathomable machinery. Data had paused at the threshold, repeating his invitation to Picard and the others to accompany him through the gateway, but Picard had insisted that the away team use the Enterprise transporters instead.

In a few minutes' time, the away team was to convene in the transporter room, but in the meantime, Isaac had concerns he felt compelled to voice.

"Certainly, Mister Isaac, have a seat." Picard motioned to the couch along the wall, and came over to sit down himself. "What is it you wanted to discuss?"

Isaac sat down, but was silent for a moment, trying to find a way to frame his thoughts.

Picard studied Isaac's expression. "Is something troubling you, Commander?"

"Yes, Captain," Isaac finally allowed. "It regards the news of this android refuge, and what Data has told us about his activities these past ten years."

"Yes?"

"I have..." Isaac searched for the correct term. "Concerns," he finally finished, "about my own reactions."

"Oh, I see." Picard nodded, thoughtfully. "Do you care to share them?"

Isaac opened his mouth to speak, but it was a moment before he framed his response. "As you are doubtless aware, Captain, I hold Data in some considerable esteem, not only by dint of his being the first of my kind, but also in recognition of his individual contributions as a Starfleet officer."

A slight smile drew up the corners of Picard's mouth. "He was an exemplary officer, there is no question."

"Yes," Isaac agreed. "And at the same time, I have always had somewhat...ambivalent feelings regarding the abrupt nature with which Data terminated his service to Starfleet, and the way in which he left without explanation. I have sought answers from other older-generation Soong-types, but they were not forthcoming."

"Well, as Data explained," Picard said, recalling what his former officer had said earlier at the conclusion of their briefing, "all of the Soong-types in Starfleet were invited to take part in the 'migration,' as he calls it, and those who declined all agreed to erase the details about the destination from their memory banks."

Isaac nodded. "Which certainly accounts for the impressions I received when questioning the other androids in Starfleet about the disappearances." He paused. "But having the suspicion of a solution and having that suspicion confirmed are two different matters, I find. And now that I am faced with the prospect of seeing the results of Data's work firsthand, I find that I am...conflicted."

Picard arched an eyebrow. "Conflicted?"

"Yes, Captain. It raises certain questions about allegiances, affiliations, and loyalty. I admire Data, but disagree with some of the actions he has taken. I agree, however, with his objections to the Federations restrictions on android 'reproduction.' It occurs to me that, should I travel to the planet's surface and find that the results of the inhabitants' efforts are valedictory, then the possibility exists that..."

Isaac trailed off, finding it difficult to verbalize his thought processes.

"Then you might be tempted to follow in Data's footsteps," Picard finished for him.

After a moment's consideration, Isaac nodded. "Yes, Captain. Succinctly put."

Picard smiled and reached over to pat Isaac's shoulder in a familiar gesture. "I think you worry needlessly, Isaac. If the experience of these last years is any indication, you have the potential to be as fine an officer as Data ever was, if not better. And I have come to trust your sense of judgment, as well as your dedication to duty. If you have concerns about what future actions you might take, rest a.s.sured that I do not."

Isaac considered the captain's words for a moment. "Still, Captain, I find it difficult to reconcile my admiration for someone with my disagreement with the actions they take."

Picard's smile widened. "That's what being part of a family is all about."

"Family, sir?"

"Of course, Isaac. What else is Data but a part of your family? Oh, perhaps not in the biological sense, but in terms of sharing a common origin, in having a similar makeup and similar capabilities, most definitely." The captain paused, and his face took on a somewhat wistful impression. "Take it from someone who knows, it is quite possible to love and admire a member of your family while still disagreeing with them vehemently. My own brother..." He chuckled, shaking his head. "I doubt there is a person alive with whom I have the potential to disagree more than I do with Robert, but I love him no less, for all of that. That's part of what brothers do...part of what families do...They disagree, they argue, they fight. And yet, at the end of the day, there are ties there stronger than any difference of opinion."

"I suppose so," Isaac said, far from convinced.

"Blood is thicker than water, Mister Isaac."

"Sir?" Isaac wore a quizzical look.

"It's an old expression. It means..." The captain scratched his chin. "Oh, I'm not sure what it means, to be honest. But what it suggests is that family is family, and that admiration and respect do not always run parallel with agreement and concord."

Isaac nodded, thoughtfully. After a moment, he said, "Thank you, Captain." He rose to his feet. "You have given me much to consider."

Picard smiled, and stood beside him. "Try not to worry, Mister Isaac. I have every confidence in your judgment. And as for me, I'm most curious to see this planet of androids."

"As am I, Captain," Isaac said with an eagerness that surprised him. "As am I."

Wesley Crusher had finished meeting with his staff in main engineering, a brief session to make sure they were prepared for any contingencies, and stood waiting for the turbolift that would take him to Deck 6. When the door slid open, Sito Jaxa smiled at him from inside.

"Going my way, Wes?"

Crusher grinned, and stepped inside, sliding a phaser and a tricorder into their respective pouches at his waist.

"It's been a while since we were on an away mission together, hasn't it?" Sito asked.

After thinking back for a moment, Crusher grimaced. "Oh, that time on Risa," he said. "When the weather control network went down."

Sito wore a lascivious grin. "And that Orion woman gave you a horga'hn, remember?"

"Remember? How could I forget?" Crusher rolled his eyes. "How was I to know she was inviting me to join her in jamaharon?"

"Well, if you'd paid attention at the briefing..." Sito began, with a shrug.

"I was busy recalibrating the warp coils!"

Sito grinned. "You know, Wes, I think that if you could just marry your warp drive and get it over with, everyone would be much happier. No mere woman could ever command such devotion."

Crusher scowled, playfully punching her on the shoulder. "That's not fair, Jaxa. I've dated loads of women."

Sito narrowed her eyes. "Name one," she challenged. "And n.o.body that you shared dinner with once at the academy mess hall counts."

Crusher opened his mouth, then closed it again. "Well, there was..." He snapped his fingers in triumph. "Robin Lefler," he said, proudly. "See?"

Sito c.o.c.ked an eyebrow, looking at him quizzically. "Seriously? That's your answer? Robin Lefler? When did she transfer off the Enterprise, again?"

Crusher was sure that Sito knew full well. "Three years ago," he answered in a quiet voice.

"Three years, Wes," Sito repeated. "And have you even talked to a woman since then?"

Crusher quirked her a smile, looking at her pointedly.

"Not me, Wes, I don't count."

"What, aren't you a woman?" Crusher's grin widened.

"As far as you are concerned? No." She shook her head. "No, no, no. I am just a fellow officer."

Crusher couldn't help but sigh. "I don't know, Jaxa. I just...It's not easy for me to meet women. I can understand concepts that leave the Federation's leading scientists baffled, but I can't even begin to understand women."

Sito shook her head, sympathetically. "Wes, I don't think you understand people." She gave him an appraising look. "You get along just fine with androids, though. Maybe this Turing is the place for you, huh?"

He gave her a sidelong glance.

"Oh, I know," Sito said, punching his arm. "What you need is an android woman. One programmed to be interested in head-bending science that only you understand. Like a warp core on shapely legs." She leered. "She'd be all your pa.s.sions rolled into one!"

The turbolift bleeped when it reached its destination, and as the doors slid open, Crusher treated Sito to a weary smile.

"Jaxa?" he said. "Remind me next time just to wait for another 'lift, okay?"

Having met to discuss their mission in the ready room, La Forge and Picard rode down in the turbolift to join the other members of the away team in the transporter room on Deck 6.

"I take it you aren't going to object to me beaming into an unsecured, unfamiliar environment, Number One?" Picard quirked a smile.

"Would it do any good if I did?"

Picard chuckled. "That's the engineer in you, never wasting energy or effort unnecessarily."

"I also tend to overestimate how much time a task will take, so that when it's done sooner I look like a miracle worker." La Forge grinned. "Or have I said too much?"

The turbolift bleeped, and the doors slid open.

"Ro's not going to be happy about me going, you know," Picard said, stepping out.

"She's not going to be any happier about being left in command, I can promise you that."

Commander Ro met them at the transporter room, proving them both right.

"Captain, I strenuously object. Regulations dictate that the captain should remain on board the s.h.i.+p, and the away team be led by a subordinate officer." She rolled her eyes in La Forge's direction. "The first officer, for example."

The rest of the away team was already a.s.sembled. Besides the captain and La Forge there was Lieutenant Crusher, Lieutenant Commander Isaac, and Lieutenant Sito. Ro had been waiting at the transporter controls, as if in ambush, standing beside Transporter Chief Hubbell.

"Your objection is noted, Commander," Picard said evenly. "But in addition to having a personal interest in these matters, La Forge has more experience with positronic androids than anyone else in the crew..."

"More than anyone outside the Daystrom Inst.i.tute..." Crusher muttered under his breath, admiringly.

La Forge smiled. It was only a slight exaggeration.

"And as for me," Picard continued, "Data has insisted that I beam down personally." He held up his hands in mock surrender. "What is a poor captain to do?"

Ro bristled, but nodded.

"Captain?" Hubbell began, uncertainly. "Have you selected the beam-in coordinates?"

"Still waiting on those, Chief," Picard said. "Though I expect we'll be hearing from our host any moment now."

"Sorry for the delay," came the voice of Data from behind La Forge.

The first officer wheeled, startled, and saw the familiar android standing a few steps behind, in a corner of the room, far from the door. When he'd...appeared in the room...whether one called it "transported" or "teleported" or came up with some new terminology to describe the Iconian gateways Data had described, he hadn't made a single sound, not a pop or a hiss or even a transporter's low whining hum.

"I have discussed matters with the others," Data said, stepping farther into the room, "and preparations have been made for your arrival."

"Very well," Picard said, tugging down the front of his jacket and nodding toward the transporter chief. "If you can give Chief Hubbell the coordinates, the away team is ready to accompany you."

Picard stepped onto the transporter pad, followed by the others. Data joined them a moment later, having given Hubbell the required information.

Data stepped onto the empty s.p.a.ce between La Forge and Isaac. He turned and glanced at La Forge's uniform. "Red suits you, Geordi."

"I was wearing Command Red when we first met," La Forge reminded him, more casually than he'd expected.

"Your mother must be pleased," Data said.

La Forge couldn't help but grin. "Yeah, but Dad wasn't quite so delighted, I'm afraid. But then, he never really forgave me for not following him into the sciences."

Data nodded, his expression thoughtful. "It is...difficult to be a parent. Perhaps when you have children of your own you will understand."

Before La Forge had a chance to ask what that was supposed to mean, Data had turned to the android who stood on the other side.