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Chapter Text

The starship Enterprise moved cleanly through space, moving farther and farther away from the Romulan Neutral Zone. There had been a slight scare at some of the Federation's outermost posts and colonies involving the detection of possible Romulan ships in the area, and the Enterprise had been ordered to go investigate these claims. Thankfully, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, so the starship was permitted to go about its usual routine.

"Take us off yellow alert, Lieutenant Worf." Picard had demanded that it be on while they were in the vicinity of the Neutral Zone.

"Yes, Captain."

Next to Data, Ensign Crusher breathed a sigh of relief, which he believed was an understandable human reaction. Most beings did not seek out danger.

Riker slumped awkwardly in his seat, bringing his leg up to rest on the chair. Data was always perplexed by this. Was the commander incapable of using the seat properly? 

Once they were far away enough from the Neutral Zone, the captain spoke. "Set course to Ranous VI." Picard stood as his combadge dinged, the voice of Dr. Crusher then reminding him of a physical that he had been delaying for two months, three weeks, three days, seven hours, and twenty-five minutes exactly. 

After engaging in temporary eye contact and silent conversation with the captain, Commander Riker slid to the other seat to occupy the con.

Data never understood why Picard and some other humans would ignore and delay physicals. He never once missed a check up with Geordi himself; after all, what use would he be if he were damaged? Humans as well needed to make sure that they were in adequate if not optimal condition every now and then.

Wesley gave a small sound of frustration, typical of him when the computer system of the Enterprise wasn't up to his preferred standards, but something told Data that that was not the case this time. That was a relatively human thing, was it not? Perhaps he would have to speak with Counselor Troi on whether or not it was possible for him to learn how to read into human behaviours and perhaps gain an acceptable amount of empathy.

"You are stressed." Data spoke, moving his head in the direction of the ensign.

"Kind of, yeah." The teenage boy agreed with the android's conclusion.

The lieutenant-commander twisted in his chair slightly. "Is it because the captain left momentarily? Sometimes, I have observed that crewmembers feel more pressure in the absence of their leader than they would if they were present."

Wesley only looked confused and raised an eyebrow.

"I have prepared for this situation."

He widened his eyes. "You have?"

Data nodded enthusiastically, his emotion chip granting him abilities he had longed for for years. Well, he hadn't been capable of longing for anything then, but that was besides the point.

"How?" Crusher looked back and gained eye contact with Riker, who shrugged.

The android rose from his seat. "Let me explain. In the absence of the leader, efficiency ratings have always tended to drop, so recently, I have taken to trying to prevent this from happening. Geordi, do you have my box?" He turned to his friend.

Geordi looked as though he was trying not to laugh. "I sure do, Data." He pulled out a small cardboard box from underneath his station.

"What is it?" Troi sounded especially curious.

"In order to palliate any detriments seen in the absence of the captain or other common authority leader, I have created a way to simulate their presence." Data responded and shuffled through the box a little bit.

He then proceeded to pull out a very lifelike, very detailed, felt puppet of Picard.

Troi gasped. "You made this, Data?" His developing emotions always warmed her heart. It was like experiencing a child grow and learn on the starship.

"Yes." The android confirmed this.

"How does this improve efficiency?" Worf's deep voice grumbled. "The captain is still absent."

Data looked his puppet Picard in the eyes for a moment before walking to Riker. "Commander, may I suggest that you put this on your dominant hand?"

Riker, who had been dying of silent laughter, wiped away his tears. "Yes, I'll put the Picard puppet on. How many do you got in there?"

"I have created a selection of all the Enterprise's leaders." Data answered immediately.

"They're really cute, Data." Wesley laughed from his station, his stress having been relieved not by the presence of the puppet but by the hilarity of the situation.

Geordi agreed. "Yeah, Data has been spending a lot of time making these." He held up a random one, this one of Worf.

"Is that me?" The lieutenant inquired.

Data nodded. "Yes, it is."

He stared for a moment before nodding in approval. "It looks like a tiny warrior."

"It does represent you, Lieutenant." The android pointed out.

Riker stared at the puppet now on his hand. "Make it so." He badly imitated the captain while moving the mouth up and down.

"For that, I would suggest pressing the topmost button on the inside of the head." Data offered his hell.

Troi smiled. "It has buttons too? These are amazing, Data." She didn't think Starfleet would approve of the professionalism of using an imitation puppet of the captain, but it was cute and did no harm. Anything that Data did that could help him develop not only his emotions but also ways to cope with them was a good thing.

Riker smirked at the puppet for a moment before pressing the button.

The puppet then created noise. It was Captain Picard's voice coming from the puppet, a recording that must have come from the computer.

"Make it so."

Chapter Text

Data focused on maintaining normal breathing and blinking patterns of a human as he subconsciously repeated everyday routine tasks at his station; it was almost as if he was on autopilot. The android could do many tasks at once, but he had limited it to the two: whatever Picard ordered him to do and reviewing his memory files. Geordi had commented earlier that it seemed like he was almost daydreaming whenever he did that.

He was on the bridge, but his mind was figuratively elsewhere. More specifically, 2366. Despite it being 1105 hours, Data thought back to a time in 2366 when it had been 1300 hours. That was when his daughter finally succumbed to complete neural system failure and was subsequently deactivated.

It was the Federation's Bring Your Child to Work Day, and while Picard thought it was unnecessary and dangerous in some cases, he allowed it on this one occasion. Ensign Crusher was with his mother instead of at his usual station, and around the ship, children were accompanying their parents to their stations and experiencing life in the work place (sometimes from a safe distance).

Data, however, was childless. His daughter's programming had been incorporated into himself, yet he still felt a strange sense of...absence, he believed. While not being an expert on emotions by any means, he still believed that what he was experiencing right now was caused by the presence of other children around their parents. Not to say he was jealous of them per se, but their presence reminded him of his own failure to save his daughter's life.

He hadn't even noticed that the captain had been trying to get his attention.

"Data?" Picard raised his eyebrow at the still android, who was unaware of the situation at hand.

After his name had been repeated enough, several bridge members looked in confusion to the android robotically completing his tasks and seemingly zoning out.

"Is he ignoring you?" Riker knit his eyebrows together in confusion.

Geordi shook his head. "No, he wouldn't do that. Maybe there is something wrong with his auditory sensors." He frowned.

Picard considered that a possibility, but he turned to Troi. "Counselor, can you sense anything from him that is...strange? Unusual?"

Deanna had been staring at the android with a face of intense sadness, having sensed his grief. "He feels extreme sorrow, guilt, grief." She fell silent.

"Why?" Riker adjusted his position in his chair. "Has anything happened to him recently?"

She shook her head. "No, not recently. His feelings are coming from past experiences."

La Forge snapped his fingers. "That makes sense. It's not his auditory sensors, Captain; whenever Data reviews his memory files, he just kind of zones out sometimes." He shrugged. "I think it has to do with his emotion chip."

Picard tugged on his shirt. "Why would he be looking at his memory files on duty?" He knew this was very out of character for the android.

"Something must have reminded him of the past, triggered the memories to come to the forefront of his mind." Troi responded. "I can't tell exactly what memory he is reviewing and perhaps reliving right now." She met the Captain's gaze. "I'll make sure to meet with him as soon as possible."

He agreed. "Make it so."

"But how do we fix this now?" Riker asked. "How do we snap him out of it? If he's just stuck reviewing his memory files, could we try to regain his attention?"

The counselor considered this although she was unfamiliar with how the android specifically worked.

"Some of his sensors should still be active." Geordi agreed. "His visual sensors are probably offline, and the auditory sensors might be as well. His touch receptors should be fine though."

Picard understood and approached the android, touching him on the shoulder.

"Yes, Captain?" He immediately turned around, having snapped out of his memories.

The Captain looked relieved. "Data."

"Yes?"

"We thought we lost you for a second there." Riker called out from behind him.

Data paused. "I do not understand."

"You were daydreaming." Geordi explained.

"Yes, I was reviewing my memory files."

Picard arched an eyebrow. "On duty?"

He looked baffled for a moment. "I was not aware at the time. I apologize, sir; it will not happen again."

"Is there anything that would help you keep focus until you can talk to Counselor Troi about these memories that are causing you so much stress?" The Captain spoke out of concern.

He nodded in confirmation.

Troi agreed. "Yes, I sent Worf out to get him a few minutes ago."

Picard looked up, surprised. He hadn't even heard the Klingon leave the bridge.

"Wait, 'him?'" Riker looked confused. "Who is Worf bringing up here?"

Just in time, Worf returned to the bridge. "This cat is who I was bringing up here."

"Spot?" Data let the cat jump onto his lap although he was confused about why she was there.

The Captain looked to the Counselor for information.

"Sometimes, having a pet nearby can help ground people in the moment." Troi explained. "I think she'll allow Data to focus."

Data pet his cat absentmindedly. He supposed that some cat owners considered their pets a child as well, so perhaps Spot would be allowed to stay.

"I see." Picard nodded. "I suppose that it is acceptable for now until a better solution is reached, but Data, do try to find a solution with Counselor Troi quickly." He encouraged.

The android eagerly accepted and paid closer attention to the cat. Geordi felt better after seeing Data interact with him, but he was glad that he didn't have to go near Spot. Spot was incredibly overprotective of Data and was definitely not afraid to use claws and teeth to protect the android. And those things hurt.

Riker snorted. "I think Spot should be an honorary acting ensign for the time being." He joked.

Picard allowed himself to laugh slightly at that, and despite the fact that it was a joke, Data took his cat's presence on the bridge very seriously.

A small, cat-sized acting ensign's uniform appeared on Spot the very next day.

Chapter Text

"You are tense." Troi observed coolly.

Data made a sound of agreement. It didn't sound human--more like a machine whirring--but the counsellor got the message nevertheless. Following the Captain's suggestion, the android had been religiously reporting to Troi when he had a question regarding his new emotions.

"Has something been stressing you out lately, Data?"

She observed that he didn't seem as invested in their talk as he normally was. The second officer merely sat in the chair across from her, looking as tired as an android could. It was concerning to say the least as she usually saw this behavior out of the more depressed crewmembers.

"No." He finally answered.

"Has anything changed with your work or social life?" She pressed.

Data blinked slowly as if he had forgotten to for a while. "No."

"You seem...saddened by something."

"You said I wad tense." He cocked his head to the side in confusion.

Troi smiled at him. "Emotions are complex things as I'm sure you've come to realize. People usually feel many layers of emotions at once."

"I see."

"Data, are all of your relationships going well?"

"If you mean my friendships, then, yes." The android responded clearly.

The counsellor leaned forward, confused as to why the android was suddenly thrown into a stressed state. "Is it your emotion chip?"

"I do not understand what you mean. I am here because of my emotion chip." Data answered to the best of his ability.

"No, Data. Is the sudden bombardment of all these new feelings at once stressing you out? Most people aren't left stranded in adulthood and in the workforce when their emotions start developing. You, however, are still developing emotionally in a very stressful environment. Regardless of if it is different than what it usually is or not, such tension could be a side effect."

Data nodded along with her. "This sounds accurate. What should I do with this information?"

"What coping skills do you use?" The counsellor inquired.

The android picked at the hemline of his uniform, an odd quirk he had picked up sometime after having the chip installed.

"You are very artistic." She probed.

"Yes. That is my coping skill."

Troi pursed her lips. "You play the violin. You sing. You can dance. You paint. You make puppets and who knows what else. However, I think that you would benefit by picking up some more."

"Oh? Like what?" Data seemed interested in what else he could do.

She always loved that childlike curiosity. "Have you written poetry?"

"Yes. For Spot."

The counsellor remembered that well. "Perhaps you could try journaling of going on walks. Exercise has proven to be quite the stress reliever."

Data shook his head. "Exercise only benefits organic beings due to their access to neurotransmitters. It does not help me."

Troi should really ask Geordi about what specifically makes Data different than the rest of them, but now was not the time.

"If when you say 'journaling,' you mean the writing, then, I have not partaken in the activity, but I have made some logs about similar topics."

"I see." Troi frowned, wondering if any coping skill would work for the android. "And was that helpful?"

"No."

"You are quite artistic. Do you find those skills better than others?"

Data considered this. "Yes."

"Great!" She continued on that path then. "Are there any forms of art you have not tried yet?"

"Accessing." Data paused. "Yes, counsellor. There are many art forms that I have not experimented with including but not limited to the arts of origami, makeup, hair, and a few forms of martial arts."

Troi thought for a moment. "Do you want to learn how to braid someone's hair?"

"Yes, I think I would like that." Data nodded his head.

The counsellor smiled for a bright couple of seconds before guiding the android's hands carefully towards her hair.

By the time the session was over, Troi was quite proud of Data, and he was proud of himself as he had picked up a new skill. The counsellor's hair was braided in a complex and beautiful way. Soon after, Beverly had allowed him to braid her hair before an operation to keep it out of her way. He was also pleased with those results.

Chapter Text

"I'll be right back, Data." Geordi promised the android, wiping the sweat off the engineer's forehead. "I have to get another tool."

"That is all right." The android smiled at his friend as he left the room.

The wiring and mechanics inside his head were exposed where Geordi had been working on it, but as he was not in enemy territory, Data decided not to close it. Instead, he opted to 'daydream,' so to speak, and access his memory files. Humming along to an improvised tune, he sank from reality.

"That should do it."

Data snapped back into the present time by his best friend closing his head back up. "Hello, Geordi."

"Hi, Data." The engineer grinned. "I'm now officially on break; would you like to go to the Holodeck?"

Needless to say, the android took to the idea almost immediately. He too was on break as Troi advised Picard and Riker to allow him some time after being repaired by Geordi. Every time a tool had to be used to fix him, all it did was remind him of how inhuman he was.

They masqueraded as Holmes and Watson once more and even visited the sentient Moriarty after making sure he would not take over the Enterprise once more. The Holodeck seemed to cause a lot of problems in that regard. The murder afoot had obviously been too easy for Data and Geordi although he still found it a useful resource to practice reading emotions.

The dynamic duo then traveled to Ten Forward, and Data noticed that he was walking with a sort of skip in his step. Odd. He presumed it was due to his mood at the moment.

Entering the room, the android made sure to walk past the spot he had spoken to his daughter quickly without giving it a single glance. He didn't want to deal with sadness today--especially when he was feeling so positive about the day. He hoped Troi would be proud of him next time they met.

"So, Data," Geordi threw warning glances towards those young recruits who found it entertaining to stare at the inorganic being. "How have you been?"

"Very good today." The android beamed and sat up a bit straighter. "And you?"

The engineer laughed. "I'm okay." He smirked, "Your cat been up to anything?"

"Spot is a good cat." Data swore to himself. "They only tear apart things on occasion."

Geordi remembered the cat's sharp claws well, and the skin on his arms prickled slightly. That cat only liked being held on certain occasions by certain people.

"I wonder if Spot is lonely." Data hummed to himself. "Do you think Spot is lonely?"

The engineer pursed his lips. "No. Why?"

"There is no other cats in my quarters for the them to bond with. They are the only one of their kind there. Just like me, they must long for companionship in someone like them."

"They've got you. You are programmed with the knowledge on how to communicate with cats if I'm not mistaken."

"You are correct in that assumption." Data confirmed the detail with a nod. "Maybe I should see if Picard would allow me to get another...."

"You know that Picard would never let anyone have multiple pets."

"But if Spot is lonely, I must." Data looked determined, but after a moment, he leaned forward and stared at Geordi with wide eyes.

The engineer sighed. "I know those eyes, Data. I'm not getting a cat, remember?"

The android sat back. "Spot is lonely; I can feel it."

Later on in the night, Data returned to his quarters. The skip had not left his step yet, but it had only garnered a few laughs and smiles. He wasn't too concerned about it. After all, Geordi just repaired him.

He quickly removed the civilian clothing he had been wearing for his night wear. A shaky hand had caused him to spill some water on it, so he would have to set them out to dry overnight.

While he was doing his nightly maintenance on his teeth, however, the shakes returned, making it nearly impossible to complete the task. Data frowned; had Geordi missed something? It was so unlike the engineer to do so. He must still be excited from the night's adventures.

His cat lay asleep on the bed next to Data's, so the android did not wake them up to see if they were truly lonely. Instead, he took a brush through his hair, which had gained some knots during the night. His knee suddenly shook hard.

Concern bloomed within him. Maybe he should avoid that much excitement at once in the future. Regardless, he went on with his task, ignoring the twitching, which had migrated towards his neck and head. Suddenly, his visual receptors were unable to pick up certain wavelengths of light, leaving him with less colors than a normal human. He frowned. It was eerily silent, or were his auditory sensors damaged too? Geordi had just checked those.

The android had felt his core temperature slowly rise throughout the night, but he had assumed that his hyperactivity was catching up with him. He knew now, however, that that might not be the case. His limbs and neck twitching, his sensors dying, what else was wrong? He suddenly forced himself to into the bathroom and wretched in the toilet. Maybe Geordi had made an accident; he was only human after all. The vomit that came up had no taste though: another sensor down. His head spinning, Data decided that it would be best if he got some rest, and he all but collapsed into his bed and waited for his mechanical body to fall 'asleep.'

Chapter Text

Data was up several hours later, all sensors suddenly online. He could not recall why he felt it necessary to focus on that one fact, but he supposed it could have been due to his awakening. He all but marched towards where he kept his uniforms but frowned when he opened the door. To the best of his knowledge, these were not the uniforms being used at this current time, and he most certainly would have noticed if he had changed it. A diagnostic test of his own revealed nothing out of the ordinary however. Perhaps he should locate the Chief Security Officer to make sure that no immature ensign was trying to fool with him.

He got dressed in the uniform he found and pressed the combadge while walking towards the bridge. "Data to Lieutenant Yar."

A couple crewmembers sent him startled looks. Intriguingly enough, all of them were wearing the new uniform as well.

He felt an odd prickling sensation coming from somewhere within, but it was not physical at all. What was it--confusion? He didn't have emotions.

Where was Lieutenant Yar? She normally replied to him by now. "Data to Lieutenant Yar." He repeated.

His combadge came to life. "Data, this is Captain Picard. I would like to see you on the bridge."

"May I ask why, sir? I am not late."

"No," the captain agreed. "Nevertheless, come anyway."

"Yes, sir."

As soon as he made it onto the bridge, Geordi was holding a tool up to his head as if he was checking for something.

"May I help you, Geordi?"

"You're acting weird, Data."

"How so?"

The engineer sighed. "Why are you trying to contact Tasha?"

"I suspect that someone has changed my uniforms and other parts of my room." He explained.

"Tasha hasn't been here for years, Data."

"No," the android disagreed. "My memory banks do not include any reason why she would have left the Enterprise." The prickling sensation gripped him, and for some reason, he felt some of his functions quickening.

"Data," Counsellor Troi spoke up. "You are panicking."

"Everyone knows that I am not capable of panic or any other emotion."

Riker looked concerned and met eyes with Troi. "You've been capable of it since you got an emotion chip."

Data ran another diagnostic. "When did that get there? I do not recall acquiring it." The sensation--panic--seized him.

"It's okay," Geordi reassured. "I'm just going to check you out."

"Shall we go to the engineering wing then?"

"I'll do it here since this seems to be a bit of an emergency. I just checked you out there too. Sit please."

Data obediently sat down in his chair as Geordi opened a panel.

"You're holding your breath, Data. Try to breathe normally." Troi instructed.

"What happened to Lieutenant Yar?"

Troi bit her lip. "She's gone."

"Gone as in deployed on a different starship?" He clarified.

"No," she responded. "Gone as in..."

"Dead." A wall of grief slammed into him, and Troi's eyes saddened as she felt it.

Geordi clapped a hand onto his shoulder. Data didn't have the chance to grieve her when she really died.

"La Forge, report." Picard requested.

"I'm not all that certain right now. There is evidence of tampering with some of his pathways, but I swear I just checked those yesterday." He frowned. "Whatever it was spread rapidly. There is strain on almost all of his sensors and his memory bank, almost like a virus is trying to take him down. I suspect that it separated some parts of his memory from the rest. He still has them, but his sensors can't find them."

"Is it fixable?" Riker asked.

"It should be, but this would not happen naturally. Someone attacked Data with this virus--someone on the Enterprise right now."

Chapter Text

Picard sighed for the nth time that hour. "La Forge, is there any reason you do not want to move to the engineering wing? I'm sure this would be easier there." The Captain had ordered an immediate shift change, so all of the superior officers were in the conference room.

"It may be easier, but it would certainly be a lot more dangerous." La Forge gripped his best friend's shoulder in a reassuring way. He must not be feeling that great right now with some of his panels exposed in front of the Captain.

Troi nodded in agreement. "Whoever attacked Data must have had a decent knowledge of how he works. Odds are they're from the engineering section."

"Computer, were there any unauthorized life forms inside Commander Data's room in the past 24 hours?"

When they got a negative for their answer, Riker spoke up. "Geordi, who was on duty while you were repairing Data yesterday?"

"Well, there were a few ensigns studying the warp core, and of course, Barclay was there." He responded. "I was around Data almost constantly though."

"But not every moment." The First Officer clarified.

He conceded to that. "There was one time I had to leave to grab a tool, but I was back within minutes."

"That may have been enough time to upload this virus or whatever it is to Data." Dr. Crusher paused. "Have there been any notable symptoms he has displayed besides the memory loss?"

Data cocked his head slightly, causing Geordi to frown. "I am not susceptible to organic viruses."

"Yes, but maybe we would be able to identify how to fix you based on how it has been affecting you." She explained. "Do you recall any other symptoms?"

"My sensors were damaged, and based on their current state, I believe that it is likely that they went offline some time before I went to 'sleep.'"

La Forge agreed. "It does look like that back here. You were twitching a lot last night too, and I for one don't think you were doing it on purpose."

"Why would I have not reported my concerns to you?"

"I don't know, Data, but maybe you could tell us after we reload your memories." He smiled at his friend.

Troi frowned. "Data, is there anything we can do to ease your discomfort and confusion?"

"It would mean the most for you all to carry out your normal duties. The ailments of one officer should not cause the entire command team to shut down. Geordi is suitable for now." He tried to convince them to leave. He just wanted to be left alone.

Picard looked at his Number One and back again. "We're sorry, but this has become an investigation into an attack on a Starfleet officer." He felt himself almost slip into Dixon Hill. "Our man is on board this ship, and we can't have him try anything else."

Riker came into contact with O'Brien. "Riker to O'Brien, for an indefinite period of time, notify either the Captain or I before allowing anyone to transport on or off the ship. Riker out."

The Captain approved of that action. "As for Counsellor Troi, you were just attacked, Data. It is required that she be here now."

The android supposed he could understand that, but it still didn't make sense. He was so sure that Lieutenant Tasha Yar was still a member of the Enterprise crew and so sure that he had no emotions, but both of those were inaccurate. Therefore, there was a greater chance of further miscalculations and misunderstandings in the future.

"Might I suggest, Captain, that we question all those on duty at the time of the incident?" Worf was a bit more aggressive than normal, but Data took that as a sign of affection.

"Make it so."

Chapter Text

"That should do it."

All of a sudden, an influx of memories new and old flooded his neural circuits. Tasha Yar, Kivas Fajo, Bruce Maddox. Data felt panic grip his sternal plate and queasiness settle into his abdominal structures. How could he have just forgotten all of this? What had happened to him?

"Data." It was Counsellor Troi. "I need you to listen to my voice. Can you take some deep breaths with me?" She participated in the exercise to encourage his compliance.

He tried to follow her lead, his mechanical lungs inhaling and exhaling. There was, however, no exchange between oxygen and carbon dioxide; it was merely for show. The same gases that came in came out.

"You're doing a good job, Data." She commented. "Do you think you can sit up?"

The android moved to do so, but half way up, his whole body jerk erratically. Geordi caught his best friend before he fell back to the table he had been laying on in the conference room.

Worf had stationed two trusted officers outside of the door, and everyone except Geordi and Deanna had returned to their normal post for now. The investigation was still ongoing however.

"Do you remember who attacked you, Data?" Troi inquired serenely.

"No." His voice came out incredibly mechanical and staticky, and Geordi winced in sympathy.

"Do you remember when you first started displaying symptoms of the virus?"

The android looked up at his friend, but only one of his eyes seemed to be able to move around.

"He was very shaky when we were at Ten Forward." Geordi thought back. "He seemed fine on the Holodeck though. We were there for about an hour too."

"Data, did you notice anything change on the Holodeck?"

His voice was just as strained and inhuman as before. "I thought it was possible, but I did not voice my concerns because I had just been repaired."

Geordi sighed. "Data, no matter how soon it has been between repairs, you can always tell me if something is wrong. You've never hesitated to do that before."

"It-It-It-It-" Data fell silent and shook his head in frustration.

"It's okay to feel frustrated or annoyed right now, Data." Troi reassured her colleague.

The chief engineering officer opened a panel on his neck around where the human voice box would be located. "Just what I thought. Something is corroding all of your panels and wiring. That's probably the reason you couldn't sit up either."

"Is there any new piece of programming that could be causing this?" She asked out of curiosity.

Geordi shrugged. "I'm not sure. What do you think, Data?"

The android mimicked his friend's shrug. "I find myself unable to check at this point in time." He spoke regretfully, his voice cutting out once or twice.

His friend nodded in understanding. "I'm going to replace your speech panel, Data. Is that okay?"

Data nodded, and Geordi stood up and quickly ran out of the conference room to get the necessary parts.

"How are you doing emotionally, Data?" The counsellor asked.

In all honesty, Data could feel his emotion chip start to corrode. He felt a brief stabbing feeling of loss as he had wanted it for so long, but it was out of his control.

"I'm going to ask Geordi to remove my chip."

Troi's eyebrows furrowed. "Are you sure that is the best path, Data? You've made so much progress; you can't turn back in this stage of your evolution."

"I-I-I-I." He paused before trying again. "I will get it put back in eventually, but it is corroding like all my other parts. My emotion chip, unlike my other parts, however, cannot be replaced."

She understood. "I see, so it is out of necessity?"

He merely nodded in silence.

Soon after, Geordi ran back in, and Data looked pleadingly at the counsellor for her to speak for him. It was obvious that the corrosion was causing him pain.

She spoke up. "Data has asked that you remove the emotion chip as soon as you can to prevent it from corroding." She reported.

Geordi looked stunned for a moment but understood the severity of the situation. "I got you, Data. I'll do that first."

He set to work.

Chapter Text

Ensign Gates stowed away out of the engineering department. His shift had just ended, and he wanted to put as much distance between him and it as possible. It was truly a marvel, a feat of engineering, but it had no right being a Starfleet officer. Was the Admiralty trying to replace all stations with machines?

Later on, he knew that he had succeeded in putting it in its place. The command team was distracted unfortunately, but a minor lapse in their work would be the price to pay if they were to purge the ship of inorganic crew members. Recently, he had been in communication with a man who he knew the android despised. Well, if it were organic, it would have despised him, but it couldn't feel like organic beings could whether or not it had an emotion chip.

He entered his quarters, noticing that his roommate, Ensign Ynis, was not there. She wasn't scheduled to return until much later. He couldn't help but wonder whether or not he would be discovered and if so how soon. Technology had made many leaps over the past couple of centuries, so it was likely that there was at least some surveillance in the area at the time of his crime.

Could it really be considered a crime? At least it definitely wasn't assault. At most, it would be vandalism of Starfleet property. Gates smiled inwardly as he thought about how much the command team would reprimand him if they could hear his thoughts at that time. They valued the hunk of metal and wires way too much.

Suddenly, his communicator beeped even though he was technically off duty. It must be due to the android's damage; they must have realized it was someone from the engineering department. Naturally, La Forge would call everyone who was on duty at the time back for questioning, all for a machine.

"Gates," he responded to the call.

"Ensign, report back down here in five." The chief engineering officer's voice came through.

"Yes, sir. May I ask why, sir?"

There was a pause. "I'll let you all know once you're down here. La Forge, out."

Gates swiveled on his foot and turned back to the door. He probably didn't want anyone to realize what had been done and possibly decide to flee. He wouldn't do that; he was no coward. Plus, it would look even more suspicious if he didn't show up. It would be better for everyone involved if he reported as he was supposed to.

As he made his way down to the engineering wing, he took some time to contemplate. Why did the android not notice that he was messing with its components? Did it? Did it even care? He knew that it wasn't off; La Forge always seemed keen on keeping it 'awake' because of its 'feelings.' He almost laughed out loud at that. How could a bunch of wires have feelings? A conscience? The Enterprise certainly didn't have any of that, and she was a stunning work.

He moved to stand by Barclay, who anxiously fingered the hems of his uniform. He was the last to arrive; hopefully, La Forge wouldn't take note of that.

"I'm sure you're all wondering why I called you all here." The chief engineering officer started. "I did so because the command team has eliminated everyone but those of you standing before me from the suspects' list."

Ensign B'Bora knit her eyebrows together. "Permission to speak, sir?" She paused and waited for his approval. "Thank you, sir. What do you mean by suspects list? Has there been a crime?"

Gates bit his lip. No, what he had done hadn't been a crime. At least not one against a conscious being.

"Yes," he responded. "Lieutenant Commander Data was assaulted while receiving repairs here yesterday. I was with him almost the entire time, but there was a small fraction where I was not. It is the command team's current hypothesis that someone uploaded a virus to Data's programming during this time."

Barclay stiffened, but Gates knew it was due to anxiety rather than guilt. La Forge seemed to know this also. Looking around, the ensign noticed that there were a couple of armed guards around the exits. They were definitely taking all precautions necessary to catch him.

"My question is," he paused. "Who was it?"

Like he was going to straight up answer that question.

"Can anyone tell me where they were and what they were doing while I was gone to retrieve some tools?" La Forge passed something to Worf before continuing to look at them. It was clear that the Klingon had not taken lightly the attack on the android.

Barclay raised his hand. "I-I was working with the dilithium crystals, sir."

"Thank you, Barclay." La Forge turned towards the others. Gates knew that the chief engineering officer didn't really suspect the anxious man. "Anyone else want to tell me what they were doing?"

B'Bora spoke up again. "Ensign Nelson and I were repairing damage to the main replicator shafts, sir."

Gates decided that it would be a good time to speak up then. Not too early, but not too late. "And I, sir, was going over the schematics for new repairs to the phaser banks."

La Forge nodded his head as he looked down the line.

Ensigns Hono, V'ly, and Brakia had been repairing a defective food replicator in the cafeteria at the time. It had been getting orders wrong for days, and honestly, Gates was glad to see it being fixed.

Worf surveyed the group suspiciously, and Gates made sure to show no weakness. Anything could tip the Klingon off to his identity as the culprit.

La Forge sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of his nose. Obviously, he had come no closer in his investigation.

Barclay spoke up again. "If I may ask, sir, how is the Lieutenant Commander?"

The chief engineering officer looked surprised. "I cannot tell you that."

The other man looked slightly put out, but he understood the reasoning behind it.

He turned to Worf. "Keep an eye on them for now, will you? I need to check on Data."

"Understood."

Leaving the room, Geordi took a breath of relief. The air in there was incredibly thick, but he desperately needed to see his friend with or without the emotion chip. He had removed it a few hours prior, and based on how he had been doing lately, the android would probably need to be repaired again soon.

"Riker to La Forge." His combadge buzzed slightly.

"La Forge here."

"You better come quick. Something is wrong with Data."

Chapter Text

"Data? Data, what's going on?" The First Officer clutched the fallen android.

He was kneeling by a nearby bucket, heaving hard. Yellow liquid dripped down his forehead. Sweat, his neural receptors supplied, but he had never done this before. Geordi had come by earlier to take out his emotion chip before leaving to question the engineering team, but that hadn't stopped him from feeling. No, in contrast, it could be argued that the emotions that were plaguing him were coming back at an unforeseen rate.

The android heaved again, but there was nothing to come up. He had not ingested anything recently, but he could feel the strain of his dry heaving taking a real toll on his internal circuits. He felt some snap clean in half.

He couldn't hear anything more. Vaguely, he was aware of his superior officer trying to communicate something to him, but he could not grasp what he was saying. Data briefly wondered if his snapping circuits had made an audible noise that the First Officer could have picked up on, but he was unsure.

Yellow liquid also started to seep from his eyes. That was odd. He had been emotionless for ten minutes and thirty-six seconds before it came back in strong waves, and now, a new feeling, panic, gripped him tightly. He was going to die just like his daughter Lal had. Or they were going to put him out of his pain and disassemble him to examine his parts. He didn't want to be turned off. He didn't want to leave Geordi or any of the other people who he had become accustomed to.

The door opened, but it wasn't the chief engineering officer. Instead, it was the ship's counselor. She dropped the PADD she had been holding and rushed into the room. She was probably saying something out of concern, but Data could only see her mouthing words. His vision grew blurry.

If this was how it was going to end, it could at least be said that he was surrounded by friends and family. He wasn't alone; he wasn't with any enemies. But he desperately wished that Geordi was here. The Watson to his Holmes. His best friend.

He didn't want to leave; he didn't want this to be over. He had just started understanding humans on a level he had not been able to before. He had come closer to accomplishing Dr. Noonien Soong's lifetime goals.

The android dry heaved once more, sobbing. He barely felt Commander Riker holding him anymore, but he faintly registered Troi kneeling beside him and gripping his hand. He wished he had tried harder to live life more, to be a better friend, to be supportive.

Was this what humans felt when they were dying? Did they feel all of their systems break down one by one until there was nothing left? Or was it easier for them? Was it like ripping a bandaid? He felt proud that he had been able to use a human metaphor, but that was overwhelmed by the panic and the pain that came with his virus.

He felt the fluids settle low in his body. Normally, they would be making sure he could move his joints and greasing places like his eyes for clean movement, but with his next heave, all of it came up and onto the floor. It was yellow like so many other parts of his body.

He tried to move his eyes, but without the fluid, all he could do was force them slowly. He felt it click. He felt no more sweat leave his body, no more tears. That was one thing, but that probably meant that he was running dangerously low on fluids.

Would his Father be able to fix him? His Mother? He tried to think back to that time on Omicron Theta, but like always, it escaped him. He had no memory of his time with them, but he couldn't help but feel intense despair when he thought about it. He wanted his Father. He wanted his Mother. He'd even take Lore at this point even though he would probably only laugh at the situation he had gotten himself into.

He felt vibrations come from Riker's chest. He was probably speaking, either to him or to Counselor Troi. It would be a useless venture to try to speak to the android; he couldn't hear anything anymore.

His grip on Troi's hand tightened as he was forced to throw up even more of his internal fluids into the bucket. He felt her tighten her grip in response, probably trying to be reassuring.

Data remembered how his daughter, his baby girl had died. She had been troubled with the sudden onslaught of emotion, just like what he was experiencing right then and there. Could Troi feel that? Did she know just as he did that it was the end? He didn't want to go. There were still so many things he wanted to do, so much more he wanted to know and discover.

He felt more vibrations on the floor, too many for it to just be one person coming in. He tried to look up, but he found that his joints weren't greased well enough to move. The android nearly sobbed on the ground where he knelt. Hell, maybe he did sob; he didn't know anymore.

There was a gentle hand on his shoulder, and he instantly knew who it was without even looking. Geordi La Forge. He forced himself harder to look up, cracking and breaking several of his joints. It didn't matter anymore. There was no hope for him, just like how there had been no hope for Lal. He just wanted to see his friend, enjoy his friend's presence one last time. He tried not to think about all of the adventures that the two would never be able to enjoy again, all of the concerts he would never perform, and all of the artworks that would remain forever unfinished. Just to take in this one moment, that was all Data desired. His visual circuits remained blurry, but he could see Dr. Crusher and Captain Picard there as well. He was not sure why they were there, but he would need of the friends he could surround himself with at this time.

Geordi motioned for Riker to do something that Data did not understand, but it came to him when the First Officer picked him up. His legs fell limp and out of the position they had previously been in, and the commander laid him down on the conference table. The chief engineering officer probably did not want to expose him to the threats in his wing at this time.

His friend was trying to communicate something to him, but he didn't get the message. He attempted to cock his head to the side, and he felt something give. The chief engineering officer looked towards Dr. Crusher for a moment. She said something to him, something he couldn't make out. He would have been able to read their lips if his vision had not gone so blurry. Geordi lifted the plate by both of his ears and set to work.

That repair would probably be the easiest of all of the ones laid out in front of him; all he really needed to do was replace some parts. Data tried not to throw up while he was doing this; he knew how difficult his own circuitry was to fix.

Suddenly, he could hear again. All of them were quiet for the most part, but upon feeling the relief that Data felt, the empath spoke up.

"There are many feelings that I'm getting off of you, Data." Troi voiced. "Can you understand me?"

"Yes." His voice was painfully mechanical, so much unlike the one he and his Father had perfected over the years. "I am...dying, but I am...happy." He figured.

The counselor nodded her head. "You are, Data, but I can still feel your panic."

Riker seemed to be confused. "Why are you happy that you are dying?"

"I...am around friends." His eyes felt horribly, horribly dry. He could barely blink them anymore. "People that I care about."

He saw the Captain turn away and put his head in his hands. Data knew this must be tough for him; they had known each other for so long. Picard had fought for him, secured rights for him that originally had only applied to organic beings. He knew that the Captain was trying to stay strong for the others.

"Well, Data, I'm going to do my best to fix you, okay? I just need to look at your programming, see what has been added. Do you think you could help me with that?" Geordi looked concerned.

"I can tell you where it is not, but whatever it is is programmed to remain hidden from me. To stop me from correcting it." The android responded. "I have tried."

Dr. Crusher spoke up. "Whoever made this thing must have been a genius if you cannot find it."

The chief engineering officer agreed. "I don't think anyone on the suspect list is capable of making a virus like this." He opened the cranial plate again. "I'm not going to lie, the damage is extensive."

"Will he be able to make a recovery?" Picard asked immediately.

He didn't know. "Maybe if I can figure out a way to stop this from progressing. Can somebody get Data some fluids?"

"He's just been throwing it back up again." Riker commented.

The chief engineering officer bit his lip. "He can barely move anymore; his joints need the fluid. Even if he throws it back up, I want to try to get it to him."

"We could try to get it in intravenously." The CMO stated. "I know that it is normally only for organic beings, but we could try."

Geordi paused. "Try it." Clearly, he was desperate.

"Is that why his eyes are...the way that they are?" Troi gestured to his eyes.

Data frowned. What was wrong with his eyes? He knew that he was severely lacking fluid there, so much so that every time he moved them they gave off a clicking sound, but there was nothing really wrong with them.

Geordi confirmed his beliefs. "That's just lack of fluid. The fluids are yellow, you see? So Data's eyes are yellow. Without the fluid, his eyes go to the gray that they are now."

He registered Dr. Crusher leaving, probably to try to find some fluid, but then, he could not register any more. He went into his circuitry to try to find the error, the virus, the addition, and he knew no more.

Chapter Text

It seemed that every time Geordi would fix one thing, another thing would go terribly wrong. Sweat poured down his back, and his anxieties were not helped by the other members of the command team watching him work. Could he actually save his best friend? Not even Data could save his daughter when she started to experience cascade failure. What hope could he possible have of succeeding?

"Is there anything we could do to help?" Troi sensed his worry and urgency.

He bit his lip, trying not to curse in front of the Captain as his visual circuits once again began to break faster and faster. "Yeah, uh, could someone get me some more parts? Some of everything, really. I don't know what I'll need next. Everything's just going wrong."

"Are you losing him?" Dr. Crusher stepped up, wondering if she could be of some help with her medical knowledge of organic beings.

"I hope not, but I've never been the best at understanding Data's programming and circuits." Geordi confessed.

She spoke up. "You are the most qualified engineer in all of Starfleet."

"Yes, but I am no Noonien Soong." Feelings of inadequacy plagued him. "I wish I could help Data more, but I can't work as fast as an android could."

An android. Maybe that was what they needed after all. Geordi always doubted that Lore actually hated Data; he was certain that Lore hated organic beings. Hell, even Q would be able to help Data more than he could at this point. With his powers, he'd be able to right these wrongs instantly, and he did seem to like the crew of the Enterprise more than any other. Or maybe that was just Picard.

Would Lore even agree to helping Data? They had had their differences in the past, but Lore must remember some things from Omicron Theta. Perhaps he held a soft spot for the other android.

Geordi shook his head. What was he thinking? Lore had done horrible things to his good friend; there was no way he had a soft spot for anything. But he would have the ability to help. Maybe if they made some sort of deal?

Seriously, how could he be actually considering asking him for help? Was it just because of his need to fix Data? He'd do anything to get his friend all right again.

He doubted that the other android was even in the vicinity anyway. Both finding him and convincing him to help would take too long, longer than they had to save the second officer. He had to do this himself. He had to prove himself and save his friend.

Guilt ate at him. He had turned his best friend off, hoping that it would halt the virus's progress. It had somewhat worked. It was progressing slower than it had been, but would that make up for the betrayal? He shook his head. Anything to save Data.

His fingers flew through the circuitry in the lieutenant commander's head, trying to find any evidence of tampering. If he could cut the virus off at its source, its point of entry, maybe it would fizzle out. He didn't have much time left at all.

The grayish hue that had originally been spotted in the android's eyes was spreading. His lips turned, then his fingertips.

Dr. Crusher touched them lightly. "He needs more fluids. What happens if he goes bone dry?"

"He won't be able to move; he'll be completely paralyzed. I'd have to replace so many parts." He responded quietly, almost too quiet to hear.

Riker stood. "I'll see what we can do about that."

"Make it so." The Captain, for once, felt truly helpless as he watched one of his closest companions slowly die.

Geordi was down on his luck. He didn't know what else he should try. He stared at the blinking lights for a moment, aware that they were slowly growing dimmer. At least it wasn't as fast as it had progressed before.

Then, it hit him. "Oh, damn."

"What's going on?" Picard's attention snapped toward him.

"Someone's messed with his circuitry right here. They changed his subroutines to reject the fluid that keeps him mobile; think of it like an allergy or autoimmune disorder. Because of this, his body is trying its hardest to get rid of all the fluids in his body." Geordi allowed himself to smile. He had done it. That must be why they couldn't get any fluids in him; it hadn't even worked intravenously.

Crusher sat up straighter. "Is it reversible?"

"It should be, yes, but his recovery will probably take a while. There has been so much damage due to this, so I don't think I'll be able to fix it all in one go. And I don't want him in the engineering wing with the culprit still unknown."

He focused on the issue at once, trying his best to resolve it as soon as possible. Whoever did this somehow made it invisible to Data, but he didn't know how they had done that. Data had a remarkable amount of self awareness.

The repair took thirty-five minutes, but he knew that everything else would take ages. Riker eventually came in with a large amount of fluids for his friend.

"We should try to get it to him intravenously again." Geordi allowed Dr. Crusher to take center stage. He wasn't very good with needles.

Finally sure that Data wouldn't die on the table, he switched his best friend back on.

Data snapped into consciousness and spoke in a mechanical, painful sounding voice. "You turned me off, Geordi."

Chapter Text

"Why did you turn me off, Geordi?" The android's voice sounded more defeated than sad.

"Sorry, I had to. I hypothesized that the virus would at least slow down if you weren't operating." His friend squeezed the other man's hand in a comforting manner.

Data's eyes clicked to his arm as he noticed Dr. Crusher inserting an IV. "I am...uncertain about a lot of things right now."

"You're safe now." Picard looked like he could cry from the intensity of his happiness. It wasn't often that a crewman could be pulled back from the brink of death.

"I understand that, but I am still perplexed about the cause of all this."

Geordi responded. "The virus made your body reject your fluids, and that must be what caused the other issues."

"You deleted the virus, right?" Riker asked for confirmation.

The chief engineer turned his attention to him. "No, but I did my best to reroute his programming. I also installed another antivirus program." He flexed his fingers and yawned.

"It is getting late." Data's mechanical voice nearly cut out. "You should....You should go to sleep, Geordi." He tried to move the fingers of the hand that his friend was holding, but they were paralyzed. It would just be another part that would have to be replaced.

Picard swallowed and cleared his throat. "It is getting late." He repeated. "Data, take all the time you need to heal. La Forge, make healing Data your primary mission."

Worf then came back in. "The suspects will be held in the bridge overnight, captain. None of them offered any evidence."

"Thank you, lieutenant." The Captain adjusted his shirt. "You're all dismissed. Today has been stressful; we shall reconvene tomorrow to search for the culprit."

Troi nodded her head. That was a good idea. "Data, where would you like to stay? In your room?" She felt a sudden jolt of fear from the android.

He didn't say anything.

"You're scared of being in your room. The suspects are all locked up, Data. There is nothing to fear." The counsellor advised.

"I know." The android voiced. The other members of the crew except Geordi slowly left the room, realizing that this was a private moment. "I am....not able to defend myself right now."

Troi gripped his arm. He couldn't feel it at all. "You are afraid of being vulnerable."

"I do not want to be by myself tonight."

The chief engineer spoke up. "Why don't you stay in my room while I work on repairs? That way you don't have to go to your room defenseless. I don't want you in engineering right now either."

Data's eyes clicked again as he looked away. "Can Spot come?"

Geordi was not a fan of that cat. "Okay, Data. The cat can come."

"Thank you."

Troi stood. "How should we move him?"

He pursed his lips. "Do you mind being carried, Data?"

"No." His voice cut out.

Geordi nodded his head, wrapped his arms around his best friend, and lifted.

Chapter Text

Geordi and Troi guided Data into the chief engineering officer's room. The ship's counsellor was understandably still concerned about the second officer, but it seemed apparent that the android was not going to speak anymore that day. It had been very taxing on everyone involved, especially Geordi and Data.

"Where do you want to go?" Geordi adjusted his hold on his best friend. His arms were starting to burn from the effort.

Data's eyes clicked again as he looked up at his friend. "I do not mind anywhere."

"My bed is big enough for two anyway." He led the android over to the bed with Troi's help.

"Very well, Geordi. Thank you."

After a moment of silence, Deanna spoke up. "Is there anything I can get the two of you? I am sensing a lot of stress coming off of you."

"We're fine. Sleep wouldn't hurt, but I think we'll all be in a much better place once we know who did this." The engineer scowled to himself.

She agreed. "I'll check up on you two tomorrow." She wished them a good night and was on her way to her own quarters.

Data fell into his own thoughts. Why had he been so irresponsible as to access his memory files in public? He showed such a large amount of weakness that it was no wonder someone had taken advantage of it. Hadn't he learned from all the times someone wanted to take him for their own personal gain? Hadn't he learned from Kivas Fajo? Even when he was alert, things still went wrong. How could he be so naive as to relax out in the open?

He felt his best friend slip into bed next to him. He was warm yet tense. The android strained to look at him, just to see his friend, ignoring all the pain shooting through his body. Geordi had taken his visor off. He must feel safe in his room even though Data would be unable to defend them if someone intruded in his space.

But at the same time, intruders were a rarity on the Enterprise. At least, they were rare when there were no ambassadors or other travellers on board. Data had convinced himself that no crewmember would dare attack him after all, but that hadn't turned out well.

Was he ever really safe? People were always seeking him out as though he were some precious commodity. They wanted to take him back to wherever they came from and learn about him by removing his panels and wires piece by piece. He had trusted every member of the engineering crew, yet someone, he didn't know who, harbored ill will towards him, ill will strong enough to warrant such an attack.

Would he ever be truly safe? His eyes clicked nervously as he looked at the door. Would someone come bursting in to attack the two of them? Would he be able to warn Geordi in time?

The android closed his eyes hard. By now, his friend was probably deep in the realm of Morpheus. Perhaps he would be spared, but he would not. His kind were never spared.

His subroutines were screaming at him, telling him that he had drastically overthought everything, but what was the harm in thinking things through thoroughly?

He hadn't wanted to die, but he had come so close to accepting its embrace that day. He had been happy while dying, happy that he was around friends. But then, he was yanked out of consciousness by his best friend in a desperate attempt to save his life, and it had worked. Data could officially say that he expected to still be there when Geordi woke up, but that didn't mean that he was out of danger yet.

Had it been Barclay? The android severely doubted that the anxious man was behind all this, but he was having trouble recalling who was on duty at that specific time. He would have to bring that up to Geordi. There were the other ensigns as well, but they definitely didn't have the skills necessary to create such an elaborate virus, let alone be able to hide it from Geordi and him.

Ice gripped him. That meant that whoever did it could not have been working alone. There was someone else, probably off-ship, who had most likely constructed the virus and taught the culprit how to use it. But who could it be? The android had made many enemies over the years.

Could it be Maddox? Lore? Or was it someone else entirely? Some affluent person who could pay to commission such programming?

He felt his eyes begin to water, but he wasn't sure why. Geordi had said that he was finally safe, but did 'safe' exist? His eyes clicked back over to the door and around the room in apprehension. What if they were already inside, hiding behind a bookshelf or in the bathroom, just waiting for the perfect time to strike? It would make sense. Beings, organic and inorganic, were generally at their weakest during the night.

The android wanted to get up and look over the room, to walk around and search in every nook and cranny for an attacker. He didn't like feeling so vulnerable. He had always been the strong one, practically indestructible, but that wasn't the case anymore.

He had been stupid, so now, he was weak. Data's eyes clicked over to his friend. There was no way he was going to sleep that night, not when there could be someone just waiting to pounce.

He wouldn't put himself in that danger again. He wouldn't put Geordi in that danger. He wasn't stupid.

Chapter Text

"Did you rest at all during the night?" The chief engineering officer inquired, preparing a makeshift workspace in his quarters. He was taking Captain Picard's orders very seriously; Data was to remain away from the engineering wing.

The android's eyes clicked as he looked at his friend. "No, Geordi."

"You should try to rest. Staying up all night can't be good for your recovery."

"I do not function like organic beings, and I needed...to keep you safe."

He understood now. "You were on guard."

"That is an accurate statement."

Geordi sighed and sat down next to the android with a couple of tools. "The computer will alert us if there is an intruder. You are safe here, Data."

Data shook his head the best he could. "There are ways to bypass all security protocols. I cannot be stupid anymore."

"You're not stupid."

"I slipped into my memory bank in public. I was practically asking for someone to harm me." The chief science officer disagreed.

His friend squeezed the android's arm, which was lacking its bioplast outer layer and exposing all sorts of panels and wires. "It was of no fault of your own. The only one responsible is the culprit. Besides, people daydream all the time in public, and they aren't asking for it."

"But I should be better. I was created with mental and physical capacities beyond that of an organic being."

Geordi paused for a moment. "The counsellor could probably help you with these feelings. I could always call her if I'm not helping."

"I find your presence to be quite pleasant, Geordi."

He worked in silence for a few minutes, knowing that his friend 's anxieties were running high. The android refused to look away from the door as if he expected an attacker to suddenly assault the two of them.

The chief engineering officer felt the need to start up another conversation. "So, what did you do all night?"

"I watched the door and the walls and everything else. I also came to a realization." Data responded concisely.

His interest was piqued. "What realization was that?"

"None of the suspects are capable of creating such an elaborate virus. If they had done it, it would have been more clumsy, and we would have been able to find it Iong before we did."

"Yeah, we were sort of thinking the same thing. None of them have the right level of expertise."

The android forced himself to nod. "Yes, so that means there is still someone responsible who is not in custody. Therefore, I must keep watch."

"They might not even be on the Enterprise."

"Perhaps, but we cannot know with 100% certainty."

The engineer bit his lip. "You think they are going to try something else."

Data confirmed this. "I do. Why would they go through all this effort if they weren't going to accomplish their goals? They may take a little while to come up with a new plan, but I believe that they eventually will come up with something."

"Who do you think it is? Bruce Maddox?"

"I am uncertain."

Geordi closed the bioplast on his arm and wiped the sweat off of his own forehead. "We'll figure it out, Data. I promise."

Chapter Text

After the next day, Data was able to move his eyes around without them clicking into place. By the day after that, he regained some control over his fingers. He could only wiggle them around without pain, but he considered any progress to be an improvement. Geordi had reminded him that it would take some time for his structures and parts to accept his body fluids once more. That was truly the only reason progress seemed so slow, but Data could be patient.

That didn't stop him from concerning himself with the affairs of the security team. Worf and his crew had been working on identifying the attacker for days now, and they had only cut the suspect list down minutely. Barclay was in the clear. No one really expected him to be the culprit anyway, and Ensign B'Bora was also vindicated. There were still a lot of ensigns and other crewmembers unaccounted for, but the android had faith in the Klingon. He would be able to sort this out.

Geordi tapped the inside of his elbow, trying to trigger some sort of reflex. It didn't work. Unfortunately, his movement capabilities in his arm were limited to his fingers.

"Do you think it would help if I replace some of the pseudoligaments?"  He asked, running his hand on top of his head. "That might speed up the fluid absorption."

"It might." Data agreed. He had regained control over his voice slowly over the past couple of days. It no longer cut out every minute, but it still didn't sound exactly like it used to.

Nodding his head, the chief engineering officer opened a panel on his arm. "Now, I'm sure you know that it'll take time for your body to accept the new part, but it should be quicker since it wasn't in contact with the virus."

The android knew all of this already. "Yes," he sounded distracted. Geordi had yet to convince him to stop keeping guard during the night, and even Counsellor Troi seemed to have problems with that as well. She said that Data was very fearful of being assaulted again, and he didn't want to put his friend in danger also. As a result of his caution, however, he had not taken any time to 'sleep.' He wasn't recharging properly, and he stopped taking time to review his memory files. Normally, he would process those in an area he felt safe in, but he couldn't find any such place.

"I'm really concerned about how anxious you are, Data. You need to review your files." He reminded, already knowing that nothing would probably come from it.

"Last time I reviewed my memory files, someone uploaded a virus on me." The lack of emotion in the android's voice startled the other man; he had grown used to hearing Data's feelings through his speech.

The chief engineering officer sat down next to his friend. "You're in my quarters though, not in the engineering wing. All the suspects are currently in Worf's custody."

"Not all of them." Data cut in quickly. "Someone must have commissioned the virus, and if they were wealthy enough to convince someone onboard to upload it to me, then, they probably can bribe someone else as well."

After a few moments of silence, Geordi responded. "Once we find out which one of them is guilty, Worf will be able to get that information out of them. There is no use in over thinking this right now, Data."

"I know." He let out a remarkably human-sounding sigh.

"Are you afraid?"

The android looked away for a second before turning his head back to his best friend. "Yes, Geordi."

"I get that. Hell, I would be terrified if I was in your position." The chief engineering officer paused as he installed a fragile part. "We won't let anything happen to you."

"Bad things will always happen."

There was a buzz at the door. Geordi stood to open it, revealing Troi. "Good morning," he greeted.

The ship's counsellor responded appropriately and was welcome into the space. Relief clouded over Data's positronic mind; for some reason, he felt safer in her presence.

"I see you have improved since I last saw you." She commented. "But you are incredibly afraid."

"Bad things will always happen." He repeated.

Troi continued on as Geordi got some more work done. "Yes, you are victim to a lot more negative experiences due to your nature as an android, but you've always tried to see the best in people."

"Not all the time."

"No," she agreed. "But when they deserve it, you do. As an android, you are more likely to be the victim of hate crimes and collectors, but that shouldn't stop you from living your life to the fullest."

Data looked away. "I cannot function adequately while there is still a threat and while I am still incapacitated."

"You look exhausted." She gave him a sympathetic look. "I really think you should try to get some rest. You're safe here."

"That would leave me vulnerable for an attack." He moved his fingers around experimentally.

Troi pulled on her shirt sleeve. "Your efficiency will suffer if you don't review your files. Organic beings always get lots of rest after they have been wounded or sick. Why should you be any different?"

"I am an android. I can function without it."

"Not optimally," Geordi interjected.

"No," he admitted.

The chief engineering officer spoke up again. "Rest is conducive to the healing process. I'm trying to fix you, so it would be helpful for me if you get some sleep."

Data considered this for a few moments. "I suppose you are correct."

Chapter Text

"You were the only one in the engineering wing at the exact moment La Forge left." Worf spoke through the door to the brig. "All of the other ensigns and other crewmen have been accounted for."

Gates blinked hard. He hadn't been out of the holding cell for days, and he was starting to get nervous. Did people usually get in this much trouble for vandalizing other people's property? "I was doing my job. Does that make me a criminal?"

"It makes you the only one around Lieutenant Commander Data when he was attacked. Therefore, the attacker must be you, or you must have seen something happen." The Klingon tried to keep his anger down to a minimal level. He had little patience for this interrogation. He was sure that he had the culprit, so there was really no point in beating around the bush.

"I didn't see anything. I wasn't even paying attention to the Lieutenant Commander!" He argued. "Besides, I am hardly qualified to construct an virus that would actually have an effect on him."

Worf narrowed his eyes. "And how did you know that he was infected with a virus? We have not shared these details with the suspects."

Gates was obviously on edge. "Well, sir, I just kind of assumed." He paused. "You know, computers get infected with viruses all the time, so why would an android be any different? He's much too strong for anyone to be able to physically attack him anyway." The ensign was careful to use the 'appropriate' pronouns for the object, knowing that using 'it' would make him look even more guilty.

"Who were you working with?" Worf demanded.

"I wasn't working with anyone! I have no connection to the attack."

"You said it yourself. You are not capable of creating the virus."

Gates thumbed his sleeve roughly. He had hoped that he would have been able to avoid all of the traps in an interrogation. How did Worf corner him like this?

"How much were you paid for this?" The Chief Security Officer continued, not waiting for a proper response. "Who would be so interested in bringing harm to Lieutenant Commander Data?"

He laughed nervously. "I'm sure you've heard the stories, sir. Throughout the years, there have been plenty of people eager to get their hands on him. Perhaps it would be worthwhile to check up on them."

"Which one of them paid you off?"

"I don't know! None of them!"

Worf stared at him for a long moment before standing. "We will be investigating into your communications logs."

"That stuff is private." Gates complained.

"We have reason to believe that you have been in contact with someone capable of constructing the virus. We know that it must have been you who installed the virus."

The ensign was done. "Come on, sir, it is just a lump of metal and wires! It can't feel like we do, and it certainly has no place on the crew of the Enterprise!"

The Klingon snarled violently but restrained himself from attacking the man. He left the room.

"He must be the culprit." Riker commented from a safe distance from the interrogation. "If he could talk about Data like that, he would probably be willing to try to get him off the Enterprise."

"Yes," Picard agreed. "Was there any clues as to who bribed him, Lieutenant Worf?"

He paused in front of the captain. "Only that perhaps they have been in contact with Data before."

"They must have some vendetta or grudge against him." The First Officer mentioned.

"Could it have been Lore?" Dr. Crusher worried her bottom lip. She normally did not get this involved in cases, but Data was a good friend of hers.

Worf shook his head. "It is unlikely that someone like Ensign Gates would have agreed to work with another android."

"Who else could there be?" Riker inquired. He knew that the android had had his fair share of enemies over the years, but those he considered to be truly threats were locked away.

"We have yet to find that out."

Chapter Text

"Sir," the Klingon spoke up. The majority of the command team, except Data, was in the conference room. "My team and I have been examining Ensign Gates's logs."

Picard's eyes flicked over to him. "Did you find anything?"

"They never mentioned their name, but they did list their planet of residence. It is Lya IV." Worf reported.

"Lya IV? I don't think Data has ever interacted with a Lyan." Riker frowned. "The Enterprise has never needed to be there."

Geordi interjected. "We could always ask Data. He'd probably know more about who he met than we do, especially since I've fixed his memory banks."

"I'm not too sure that would be the best course of action. Data is already incredibly stressed over the attack. I worry that his condition may only be exacerbated with further involvement." Troi argued.

The table was silent for a second, mulling over their thoughts. Dr. Crusher tapped the table with her fingers, but she did not speak up.

"The victims of the crimes usually have vital information." Worf commented. "Data has information that we need if we are to continue pursuing the commissioner."

Riker agreed with the Klingon. "Yeah, don't they normally report their experiences? If Data doesn't want to, that is one thing, but I for one think that he would be relieved that progress is being made."

The Betazoid woman considered this. "This may also be the case." She acquiesced.

When La Forge returned to his quarters later that night, he found Data waiting. He was sitting upright, something they had been working on the previous day, and staring at the door. The android tensed as he heard the door open, but he relaxed a little when he saw that it was only his good friend.

Geordi allowed the door to shut behind him as he walked up to his friend. "Were you standing guard again?"

"I was not standing, but there is some accuracy to that statement." The android admitted.

The chief engineering officer absentmindedly started his bedtime routine while talking to the other man. "The command team had a meeting today. Do you think you can speak to Worf about what happened? He has some new information that he needs your opinion on."

Data froze but nodded quickly afterwards. "Yes, I can do that. Can I assume that some progress has been made?"

"Yeah." Geordi sat down next to him. "The one who uploaded the virus was Ensign Gates. Do you remember him?"

"While I do not have access to my sensors when I am 'daydreaming' and therefore do not recall the attack itself, I know who you are speaking of." The chief science officer replied simply.

"Apparently, he was saying some really creepy things about you." He tried to prep his friend for the future. Obviously, Gates was going to be going on trial in the future, and Data would have to be there. That meant that his friend would have to listen to and endure every disgusting thing that came out of that man's mouth.

He tensed a bit. "He would not be the first."

"But he's in custody now." Geordi made sure to reassure him. "All communications offboard the ship to Lya IV have been halted in the meantime. Whoever is behind this won't be able to talk to anyone onboard."

"Lya IV? That is where the commissioner is from?" Data felt his anxiety spike. The Enterprise herself had not had many interactions with that planet, but Data did. It had been a humiliating experience. Was that person trying to get to him now?

His friend noticed his apprehensiveness and put an arm on his shoulder. The android suppressed a flinch that threatened to surface. He closed his eyes, breathed deeply for a few moments as Counsellor Troi had taught him, and opened them to see Geordi once more.

"You have met someone from there before." The chief engineering officer realized. "We weren't too sure what to think of those findings since we've never had any reason to rendezvous there."

Data confirmed this with a nod. "Is this what I will be interrogated on?"

"It won't be an interrogation." Geordi shook his head. "Worf just has some questions, but yes, he needs to know if anyone has any sort of grudge against you from the region of space."

"I do not know if he has a grudge against me specifically. He did not even know that I am sentient." The android explained. "I...pretended to not be an android."

He bit his lip. "Why? Were you in danger?"

"I was not going to be physically harmed to the best of my knowledge, but there was someone else who was."

"You were protecting them." Geordi realized. "When was this?"

Data did not really feel like talking about this anymore. He had not had an emotion chip at the time, so he was unable to process the humiliation and degradation at the time. Now that he had it, however, it was a different story. He felt fluids rush to his cheeks, simulating a blush, and he became more uncomfortable where he sat.

"You don't have to answer now if you don't want to." His friend reminded after sensing his anxiety. "Come on, we should sleep. It'll help you recover."

Data eventually managed to maneuver his recovering panels, wires, and structures to allow him into a laying position without help, and he felt pride in completing the action. He had not been able to do that yet. Geordi quickly fell asleep; he must have been exhausted. The chief science officer, however, had no intentions of sleeping. He knew exactly who was behind it all now. He had to keep watch.

Chapter Text

Deep inside, he knew that what he was doing was wrong. It went against his programming. His father, Noonien Soong, had made sure to program him to ease the healing process when necessary; the android was supposed to rest, maybe even be turned off, if it allowed for his physical form to heal completely. And yet, Data did not do these things. It wasn't out of any disrespect he had for his father; he was not doing this in some form of rebellion or disobedience. No, he simply had more important tasks at hand. If he were to take the time he needed to allow his form to heal, he would be useless to the Enterprise. He would not be able to protect his good friend if the culprits ever came back.

He was sure that they would. One does not go through so much effort to permanently kill him unless that was something they truly desired, so the second officer fully expected someone to be arriving soon to finish the job. He was not sure exactly who it would be; it could be the man himself or someone else he paid off. The identity of the culprit was well-known to Data, but he was unsure as to why he suddenly decided to seek some form of retribution. Of course, Data had pretended to be an inanimate object when he came to see him, but the android had functioned on the assumption that that had only angered Kivas Fajo, not Palor Toff. Plus, he was merely a trader, not a collector. Why would he seek him out?

Unless, of course, he discovered that Data was in fact a sentient android like Fajo had claimed. He had learned enough about organic beings to know that some of them operated on their own greed. While Toff would not keep him in a collection, it was entirely possible that he sought him out to be used as a bartering tool. If someone had something that Toff wanted or needed, something big, then, the trader would need something just as grand or as rare to give in return. Or he could be after him to be used as blackmail for someone else, possibly even Kivas Fajo. Despite spending some time in prison, Data had always had doubts that he would reform and become a better person. No, the android had always known that he would return to his ways upon his release, and that would have meant rebuilding his collection. Data had presumed, perhaps incorrectly, that the collector would stay away from him. He thought he had proved his point in the incident that led to his arrest. He was not a collectible, and he had the support of the command team of the Enterprise behind him.

But he had to keep in mind that it could be a random coincidence. However unlikely, it was always possible that whoever was after him had no prior experience with him. Palor Toff would remain innocent until absolutely proven guilty, and as of thus far, they only had circumstantial evidence. He was the only Lyan Data had ever come into contact with, and the android could figure out some sort of motive. But something did not fit. Why would Palor Toff try to kill him? If he truly wanted to use him as blackmail over Fajo or to trade with some unknown person, surely, they would want him alive. There would be no excitement for Fajo if he were really as insentient as a mannequin. Perhaps he was planning on giving him to someone who merely wished to study his basic internal structures. The virus would have damaged his insides to the point where most of the more complex parts would be unidentifiable. Maybe he would have been given as a challenge to someone who wanted to see if they could fix the damage?

There were many similar thoughts swirling throughout his mind at that given moment, but his eyes never left the door. Every now and then, the walls or the floors would creak naturally, but it always brought alarm to the android. Despite knowing that it was nothing at all, all of his defensive structures would come alive and prepare him to defend himself and Geordi.

He wished that people would just leave him alone and let him do his job. He was not causing harm to anyone merely by existing, and he was unsure as to why others felt the need to insert themselves into his life to remind him of how odd, exotic, and utterly inhuman he was. Not that he hated being an android at all. He was more capable of remembering important events, and it was unlikely that he would have become friends with Geordi and the rest of the command team if he were human. The chief engineering officer would have had no reason to spend as much time with the android as he did now.

Unfortunately, the android was becoming aware that his functions were slowing down. If he were on duty at that very moment, he knew that his efficiency ratings would be far below what his standard was. While healing, he knew that they should be improving, but they seemed to still be declining steadily. Of course, he would not mention this to Geordi. He would probably find a way to induce 'sleep' in him, so he would have to review his memory files. While that would solve the problem, it would also leave Geordi's quarters susceptible to attack. Data was aware that Worf had left some of his men nearby in case something of that nature happened, but he did not know the security team well enough to feel completely at ease. They could be paid off like Ensign Gates was, and then, the whole problem would start over.

The next morning, Geordi woke up at around the same time as usual and was unsurprised to see that his best friend had remained in the same position throughout the night. He dressed quickly and automatically; Worf would be arriving soon to ask Data some questions about his experiences. While he was curious, he would not force Data to reveal the information to him, so if the android wanted him to leave the room at the time of the interview, he would. Counselor Troi was also supposed to be attending for support, but Geordi did not have to be a Betazoid to know that Data was not thrilled with that idea. After all, it would be much harder to keep certain things close to his chest. Normally, Data was good at only telling others things he wanted them to know, but Troi would realize that he was leaving some things out.

Worf and Troi came almost as soon as their shift began. This case was clearly not over, and Data remained in danger. Whoever it was could not get away with an attack on a Starfleet officer, and the Klingon was not about to let that happen. The android in question had sat up once more for the interview, but Geordi could tell that his mind was barely focused on it. He seemed elsewhere and out of it. Perhaps that was the reason why he did not ask Geordi to leave.

"Have you ever come into contact with anyone from the planet Lya IV?" Worf began after he had greeted his friend.

Data did not answer him out loud. It felt as though there was a cloud in his head, blocking out some parts of his circuitry and cutting him off from the outside world. He could still hear him, see him, and react emotionally to what he was saying, but it was difficult to focus on him. Nevertheless, he tried to summon as much of his attention as he could. Lya IV was the home of Palor Toff, and Kivas Fajo had brought him there to show him off. Despite his best efforts, he could not convince the trader that Data truly was sentient due to the android's interference. At the time, he assumed that that would be the end of it, but apparently, that was an inaccurate statement. He did not know what he would do or what would come next. All he knew was that he wanted this to be over.

"Data is feeling a lot of fear and confusion right now." Troi hesitantly spoke up when Data would not. She turned to the chief engineering officer. "Is his voice box still malfunctioning?"

Geordi shook his head, looking as confused as Data felt. "No, he was speaking fine earlier. I don't really know why he isn't now to be honest." He scratched his head for a moment. "He hasn't been taking any time to review his memory banks."

"And that is his version of sleeping, yes?" The counselor let her concern show through her face.

"Yeah. I've been trying to get him to sleep, but he always stays up through the night to guard the quarters." He sighed. "I don't know why he isn't sleeping. There are some of the security team outside at all times, and Gates is in custody."

Troi's eyes flicked over to Data, and when she spoke next, she was speaking to him. "Data, while we do not have the person responsible for this in custody, Gates at least is. There are people standing guard all the time; you do not have to shoulder that burden, especially when you are meant to be healing. A lack of sleep can cause many detrimental things in organic beings, and I am sure that it is the same case for you."

Data tried to fight through the fog, but it was difficult. "I am sorry." He let out reluctantly. "I am supposed to be above such human needs. Dr. Soong-"

"Made you to need sleep." Troi pointed out.

"Yes, that is correct." He shook his head as if to clear it. "I have met someone from Lya IV, yes."

Worf, who had been starting to feel a bit uncomfortable, straightened his back. "Is it possible that they are behind this?"

"It is possible." The android replied simply. "I do not think he would go as far as to kill me, but then again, I have not seen him in years. On the occasion that we interacted, he did not even know that I was capable of complex thought. He thought I was merely a doll being used to trick him, a practical joke being played on him."

"His name?"

"Palor Toff." Data responded. "He is a trader and is a friend of Kivas Fajo."

Geordi finally felt the dots connect. "That collector guy. The one who tricked us into thinking you were dead." Some of the emotions he had felt at the time came rushing back towards him. It had been horrible, thinking that Data was gone forever. And now that he could possible be back and working with someone else, the chief engineering officer didn't know what to think.

Worf copied some of this down into his notes. "Is it possible that he is working in association with Kivas Fajo?"

"I do not know for certain. Palor Toff is not a collector, so he would not want me the same way Kivas Fajo does."

Troi seemed to read Data's mind even if she was only reading his emotions. "Toff could use him as a pawn. He would be-" She looked at Data apologetically before continuing, "-quite a valuable commodity to some, dead or alive."

Chapter Text

"Data," Geordi turned his gaze away from the android's exposed wiring in his leg to meet his eyes. "Why is it that you are still feeling? I haven't put back in your emotion chip yet."

The second officer showed no visible signs of emotion, but the chief engineering officer knew by now that it was a storm underneath his outer bioplast. "I have been considering this for an extensive period of time. I believe that the chip itself could have imprinted onto my neural network, so it would function in a way similar to an organic being's 'muscle memory.' At the same time, it could be symptomatic of something else that I have yet to consider." He spoke slowly.

The android tried not to think of what had happened to his daughter. She too did not have an emotion chip, yet she still felt enough for Counselor Troi to pick up on it. Their situations were different in that he had had the chip once in his life and therefore knew what it felt like, but it was clear that he did not have it anymore. His subprocessors could have become accustomed to such an input, but theoretically, it should have shut off as soon as the chip was removed unless there was something inside his head that filled the place the emotion chip once held perfectly.

On a different note, Data had yet to review his memory files. He was aware of his functions slowing down gradually, and perhaps this was why he could not ascertain the reason behind his continued emotions. Normally, he was always alert, but the degrees at which he could comprehend and interact with the world around him were decreasing. He was not imperfect. He knew he should 'sleep.' That would restore him to how he used to be, but it would put both him and his best friend at risk for attack. Even with the guards at the door, someone could burst into the room or even beam directly there, and there would be nothing they could do to stop it even if he was as fast as usual for him.

"You should try to get some sleep, Data." His friend squeezed his leg as he continued rewiring his 'patella.' "If you don't do it soon, it's all going to catch up with you, and you won't be able to stop it."

"I know you are correct, but I cannot."

"You're scared to."

Data paused for a moment to think this over. "I believe that is what I am feeling." He spoke haltingly. Nothing he did was fast anymore, and it was just getting slower and slower.

"If something happens, I will wake you. I promise." He swore. "But I need you to try to get some sleep; all of this will go much faster if you do."

"You are correct." The android responded in kind to his gentleness. "What if you do not notice a threat?"

The chief engineering officer sighed. "With your perception as it is currently, I think I have a better chance of catching something. Once all your files are reviewed, imagine how sure you will be of your environment. You'll be able to sense these threats more accurately and react to them more quickly."

"And what if they come while I am asleep?"

"I'll be here. The guards will be here." Geordi hesitated for a moment as he gathered his thoughts before continuing. "The entire command team is rooting for you, Data."

"I see." He froze a bit and looked up to his friend. "Am I an easier target like this?"

The chief engineering officer nodded his head in confirmation. "You're a hell of a lot more vulnerable at least, but it's only temporary."

So he should sleep. But how could he review files of the past when there were so many things in the present and the future occupying his mind? He already experienced everything back there; he did not need to review it. He knew what happened, knew what he felt, and he certainly did not want to feel it again. The only memories he had yet to review were those of the virus. He did not need to see all those weak moments yet again. He did not want to accept his death once more. He did not want to see the faces of Picard and Riker and Troi and most importantly Geordi as they realized that Data was not invincible and might not make it. Objectively, they all had known that he could be killed or turned off, but seeing it up close has always been very different. He did not want to feel all his fluids leak out of his mouth and his eyes and everything. He did not want to feel his internal structures crack, shatter, and break. All he wanted was for this to be over. He wished this had never happened, that he could go about his business as normal. He wanted to be on duty on the bridge and work with all his colleagues and play with Spot and spend time with Geordi as Holmes and Watson, but that was not happening and likely would not anytime soon.

He felt as though his strings were cut, but he was not like Pinocchio. He would never be a real boy. They were not susceptible to computer viruses. Their fluids were not yellow. Their tears were not yellow. He was yellow though, yellow like an android.

And with that, he found himself tumbling down a dark, dark hole. When he reviewed his files, they never occurred exactly as they did; instead, they influenced his dreams. What he felt could be projected onto someone else, and what happened to him happened to others. Sometimes, people who had never even been involved showed up, and people he had not seen in years played a part.

"I see what you meant." A familiar voice spoke. Data never forgot anyone's voice, especially not these people. "He is quite pretty, and he really is sentient! I must apologize for being so disbelieving of you all that time ago, Kivas."

"It wasn't your fault. He was being uncooperative at the time." Fajo had a large amount of disdain in his voice, and Data did not blame him. After all, his capture and kidnapping had led to not only his arrest but also the return of all his stolen artifacts in his collection. "But you know that I am not unprepared this time. I learned my lesson, and I won't have some android beat me again."

Palor Toff responded to the collector, and Data still refused to open his eyes to see them. "What was he made for anyway? What did his creator--what was his name again?"

"Soong."

"Yes, Soong, what did he intend for the android to do?"

Kivas Fajo let out an audible sigh. "There are very few records of the colony, and his mind was wiped of it too. We can only speculate."

"Or that means that we could use him however we want."

"This is true." Data felt a hand touch his hair, and he shivered. "Someone's awake." Kivas's voice turned into a sing-song tone.

He felt the hot breath of the two men on either side of his cheeks. He didn't want to open his eyes. Could this be real? This couldn't possibly be his dreams and memories swirling into each other. Where was Geordi? He was just with him. He was receiving repairs. Had he fallen asleep? Had he been captured? Maybe he had fallen asleep, and now, he was waking up to find that they had struck while Data was most vulnerable.

"I want to see your eyes, Data." That was Palor Toff. "I remember that they were a pretty yellow, very much unlike those of any organic being I've encountered."

He squeezed them shut tighter.

"You're special, Data, special to me, special to the both of us. There are many people in this universe who would like to have you, but guess what? We do." Toff's hands pushed against his eyelids, trying to uncover his eyes. The android heard Fajo laugh next to him.

"We should get him out of that uniform. He won't need it ever again."

Everything was happening so fast. Either his chronometer was broken, or every moment in this dream (hopefully) was compacting itself into a short amount of time. Fajo and Toff seemed to speak at speeds millions of times faster than Data himself. They moved faster than him. They were stronger than him. They had the upper hand for this time they were prepared.

Finally, his eyes were wrenched open, and he saw the two men. His eyes clicked, just like they had done while he was infected.

"Hello, Data." Fajo looked slightly older than he had last time, but that was to be expected. "Welcome back. I've missed you."

Data tried to speak to him, but he could not. Another mechanical sound, similar to those he had put out while under the control of the virus, was made.

"What were you made for, Data?" Toff asked his question once more. "Were you made to work? For labor? Or were you made to entertain?"

"Don't you know, Palor? He was made fully functional in all senses of the word. Why would his creator have given him that programming unless he intended it to be used? That, that is what he was made for." Fajo laughed.

He felt the fluid build up in his eyes and his insides. He wretched on the floor, but he was not around friends this time. No, he was going to die surrounded by those he hated. The yellow fluid pooled beneath him, growing larger and larger until the android could not take it anymore. He collapsed.

And with that, Data shot up. He was in Geordi's room. Geordi was beside him still, working on his left leg. Nothing had happened. Nothing at all. He felt faster than he had previously, so obviously, enough time had passed for him to review everything. He was stronger now, but he still lacked control. There were no strings on him, but he was not free like Pinocchio.

Chapter Text

"You okay?" Geordi looked up as Data launched out of his dreams and into a sitting position.

The android looked at him, and his eyes came into focus on his face. "Yes, Geordi. I am now."

The chief engineering officer nodded his head and continued to work on his best friend. "Bad dream?"

"It was not pleasant." Data responded. "I am awake now though."

"Want to talk about it?" Geordi offered. "Troi said that that can be helpful sometimes."

He acknowledged that with a tip of his head. "It was related to the memories I was reviewing. There were some aspects of the virus in it as well as both Palor Toff and Kivas Fajo; they had...collected me again."

"We aren't going to let that happen to you again, Data." He put a comforting hand on his friends knee. "Worf is making sure right now that Toff is our guy and seeing if Fajo was involved at all."

"You cannot speak for certain on what will happen in the future." The android reminded. "Regardless of how much effort everyone puts in to stop it from happening, he may still win, and I do not want to experience anything like that again, especially what they were talking about in my dream."

Geordi furrowed his brow. "What were they talking about?"

"They were discussing the reason Dr. Soong constructed me." The other man supplied after a moment. "Fajo came across his conclusion based off of how functional I am in coitus."

"Oh." His friend bit his lip. "Did something like that happen? If you were reviewing your memories, shouldn't everything have had a trace in it?"

Data cocked his head to the side. "Last time, Fajo did not use me for sexual purposes although he did allude to it. I believe that it may have originated all the way back from when I was intimate with Tasha."

"That was a long time ago." Geordi commented. "I guess you were thinking about that a lot recently?"

"I came to terms with my own mortality a bit while I was infected."

"And you thought of her because of that."

The android nodded his head in confirmation. He looked around the room quickly, taking in any differences from the last time he was awake. 

"No one's come in or out while you were sleeping if that's what you are wondering." The chief engineering officer mentioned. "It's just been us."

"I see." Data took that information into account. The more time passed, the more likely Palor Toff or Kivas Fajo or both were to strike; they wouldn't craft the virus and bribe someone to infect him with it unless they were actually willing to go through with it. What was the purpose of the virus anyway? He doubted either of the two of them wanted to kill him, so maybe it wasn't intended to. Maybe that had been an error they made while programming it. They probably just wanted to weaken him a bit to make it easier to take him. According to his chronometer, he had been out for roughly eight hours, and a lot could have happened during that time. Were they planning on making their move soon?

Geordi stepped away from his work for a moment and sat eye level with his friend. "The Enterprise is on the way to Lya IV right now, so Worf can continue the investigation." Upon noticing the android tense, he kept talking. "You don't have to leave the ship or go anywhere near where Toff will be."

"But he will still be there." He had accepted that at that point. "He does not know where Fajo is either."

"It is a little bit more difficult since he spends most of his time on the Jovis." The other man agreed. "To the best of our knowledge, he is not with Toff at this time. His ship is not in orbit around the planet."

Data nodded his head. "It would be easy enough to leave his ship somewhere else and take a shuttlecraft there."

"He has no reason to believe that we are onto him right now." Geordi corrected. "He wouldn't feel the need to hide like that."

"Palor Toff had been cut off from Gates. He must know that the plot failed this time; he is probably worried about what Gates admitted during interrogation." The android argued. "I believe he knows by now."

He paused for a moment. "You're probably right on that, Data, but this is not a one man battle here. You got the whole command team on your side right now, and none of us want anything bad to happen to you."

"Fajo has outsmarted us before."

"That didn't last forever." Geordi thought back to the time he thought his friend was dead and shuddered. "And we've learned our lesson."

"So has he."

The chief engineering officer sighed loudly. "Look, I'm not going to tell you to not be afraid. I'm not going to tell you what to feel about this, but I think this is taking over your entire thought process right now."

"Any organic being would concentrate on a threat to their life." Data brought up. "I am no different in that manner."

"I'm not saying you are, Data, but it's making you do unhealthy things. You have to keep taking care of yourself and not let this become some sort of obsession." Geordi explained.

"I know I should do that." He answered. "But there are more important things right now."

His friend shook his head. "It isn't. Let Worf take care of it for now. It is his job."

Data nodded his head. "I will focus on doing my own then."

Chapter Text

The entire crew on the bridge stiffened as the face of Palor Toff appeared on the view screen. The entire alpha crew was there except Geordi and Data; they were still working on repairs. Data was also still healing mentally, and Troi did not think it would be wise to face the suspect so soon after the attack. Regardless of the reason why, both members of the alpha crew were absent, and their absence was truly noticeable. It was as though someone had punched two people-sized holes through the bridge. Obviously, there were two other crewmembers on duty making up for their absence, but that did not mean that Geordi and Data were not missed.

Captain Picard stood and adjusted his shirt as he approached the view screen. "Palor Toff." He greeted. "I am Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the starship Enterprise."

"Yes," the Lyan looked confused on the surface. "Why am I being called?"

"We believe that you may be connected to an attack on my second officer." He chose his words carefully, knowing that any direct accusation could cause the other to bolt. "We would appreciate it if you would board our ship for some questioning."

Toff's face grew hard as he continued to speak. "And am I being charged with anything?"

"At this point in time, there is not enough evidence to charge anyone but the ensign directly responsible with the assault." Picard admitted. "Nevertheless, it is essential to our investigation to hear you out."

"And why do you think I am connected? I have not been in contact with anyone from your starship, Captain." His words sounded slippery, like grease.

Troi's eyes flashed towards Picard. "He is not being truthful." Her voice was low, obviously in an attempt to prevent the Lyan from overhearing and growing hostile.

Thankfully, of course, the bridge already knew that. "The ensign in question has logged many hours of communication with someone on Lya IV."

"There are many people who live on this planet. Why me?" Toff narrowed his eyes.

"We believe there to be a history between you and my second officer." The Captain explained lightly.

The other man stiffened a bit. "And who exactly is your second officer?"

Picard looked down at the floor for a moment before returning his eyes to the viewscreen. "Lieutenant Commander Data."

"The android, yes, I have heard of him, but I have never had the pleasure of seeing him in person." Outwardly, there was no sign that the man was lying, but they all knew that he was.

"He's getting more and more nervous as this goes on. Any longer and he may cut communications." Troi warned at the same quiet volume as before.

Toff paused for a moment. "Didn't you say that there was some ensign in custody? Why do you need to question me if you already have the culprit?"

"We want to leave no stone unturned. There is a good chance that he was working under someone, being bribed to commit his crimes." Picard said patiently, choosing his words very, very carefully.

"But I am a simple trader. What would I get out of assaulting someone?"

He sighed. "We do not have evidence to accuse you of that; we merely wish to speak with you at this point in time."

"I see." Toff narrowed his eyes. "I am a very busy man, Captain; you must understand."

"Yes, yes." Picard motioned for him to go on.

The Lyan did so. "I am afraid I do not have time to partake in such questioning. I have meetings with clients and such."

"Then, I am assuming you would not mind if we look around your property." Picard's voice remained cold as ice.

"Of course I would!" Toff exclaimed. "That is private, Captain."

"While we do not have sufficient evidence for an arrest, we do have enough to warrant a search."

"And what evidence is that? I live on Lya IV? I have heard of the android?" Toff was obviously growing tense, and Troi flicked her eyes to the Captain once more.

"That android has a name." Riker ground out through grit teeth, but he stopped talking as soon as Picard raised his hand in warning.

There was silence for a few moments, and Picard dared not fill it. If it remained so for long enough, eventually, the other man would fill it with words.

"If I were to consent to your questioning, would you still invade my property?" Toff seemed to be putting a lot of thought into his manipulations.

"That is not up to me, and I cannot give you any answer with certainty." The Captain responded. "My chief of security--Lieutenant Worf--and his team would be the ones to speak with you and decide what actions need to be taken afterwards."

The Lyan looked away for a second in anger. "What even happened to the android anyway?"

"He was assaulted." Picard knew he was bluffing even without Troi's warning. There was no way this man was completely unaware of the nature of Data's attack; they could see it all over his face.

"It is my understanding that the android is quite a bit more advanced strength-wise than any living being." Toff spat the word 'living' out almost as though he believed that Data did not 'live.' The alpha crew tensed up a bit at that.

"This is true; my lieutenant commander does possess a large amount of strength." The Captain narrowed his eyes. "He was assaulted while reviewing his memory files, practically unconscious to the world around him."

"And you think me cowardly enough to attack someone who is asleep?"

Picard shook his head. "As I said before and will repeat now, there is insufficient evidence to accuse you of anything. We only wish to speak with you."

"And yet you are threatening to invade my privacy if I do not comply."

"We need to thoroughly investigate the possibility of an accomplice. Your interview may vindicate you of all suspicion." While everyone on the bridge doubted that that would be the case, the Captain mentioned it anyway. "If you agree to speak with us and show us that you are not involved, we will have no reason to search your property."

"I see." Toff paused for a moment, seemingly weighing his options. "I will speak with you, but I hold the right to refuse any questions I do not wish to answer."

"Thank you for your cooperation. We will beam you up shortly."

The viewscreen went black.

Chapter Text

"What was it you all wanted from me?" Palor Toff asked with an air of nonchalance.

"Have you had any communications with a member of the crew of the Enterprise?" Worf disregarded his question.

The other man sighed and sat up in the chair he was seated on in the interrogation room. "I've already answered this question."

"Answer it again."

"No, I have not." Toff responded in annoyance.

Worf shook his head. "You are lying."

"Really? Prove it."

He leant back in his chair, obviously satisfied with himself. Even if he had been in contact with anyone, they didn't have any evidence of it besides the witness accounts of Gates and Troi, the Betazoid woman who Toff knew must be onto him. As long as there was no direct evidence tying him to the android's assault, any half decent lawyer would be able to get him out of trouble. There was no real danger to answering these questions. Starfleet was full of goodie-two-shoes, so it wasn't like he would be harmed whilst on board.

"You have been in contact with Lieutenant Commander Data." Worf stated.

"You are mistaken." Palor Toff shook his head. "I have heard of it, but no, I have never had the opportunity to see it."

The Klingon growled when he used the word 'it' to refer to the android, and wasn't that just amusing? Data was unique, a feat of engineering, something that may never again be replicated....but 'he' wasn't exactly a word that Palor Toff would use to describe it. Kivas did; that, he knew. But personally, he couldn't see the android as anything but a thing. It wasn't organic. It wasn't born but built and created. It had no mother nor father.

Nevertheless, it had its uses. It was created with a purpose, but what that purpose truly was remained a mystery. Toff had no doubts that that purpose was not to join Starfleet. Dr. Noonien Soong wouldn't have wanted that, so if no one else was going to do it, he might as well try to figure out what its purpose was and then put it back on the right path. Toff knew that it would struggle; that was why he tried to subdue him with a virus first, to weaken him. Kivas had gone along with the poisoning, wanting some revenge after his incarceration, but neither of them had expected the android to take such a sharp downturn. They hadn't wanted him dead, just...incapacitated. He shook himself, clearing his head. Once the android was in his custody, there must be a way to retrain him. Kivas would be able to help him with that, and after that, the android could be used for its proper purpose, whatever that may be.

Worf smirked, looking satisfied with himself. "Your name was given by the lieutenant commander himself."

"It isn't in its right mind."

The Klingon's fist tightened. "You were identified by Lieutenant Commander Data." He repeated.

"Wasn't it just attacked? Poor thing must be confused." Toff brushed the accusation off.

"You and I both know that he is not." Worf growled, his voice growing deeper.

"I haven't the faintest idea what you are talking about." He shrugged helplessly. "Now, really, I must be getting on with my day. I am a busy man, you know."

Worf's jaw tensed. "No! You must stay here." He demanded, standing up tall.

"On what grounds?" Toff remained unfazed. "I am not in custody."

He swept past Worf quickly, leaving the chief security officer alone in the interrogation room. He glanced at the two way mirror on the side of the room where he knew Picard, Riker, and Troi were watching, but he couldn't bear meet their eyes even if he couldn't see them. His gaze turned back down to the table in front of him.

"He is on board." Data frowned. "He must be by now."

Geordi grimaced. "I wouldn't know. Try not to worry about him."

"I cannot stop thinking about him right now."

"I know, I know." He paused. "There are guards outside our door. I am here. You are getting better. We are safe here."

Geordi wasn't sure when it became 'our' anything, but he didn't think any more of it at the moment. He needed to put all his energy into fixing his good friend. It was the only thing he could do to help get things back to normal.

"I wish they would stop." Data commented.

He looked up and waited, not speaking up and allowing his friend to continue speaking.

"I just want to be left alone." The android said. "Why do they not leave me alone?"

"There are some bad people out there, Data."

"Everyone always says that." Data shook his head, something he was once again capable of. "I do not find it to be a good enough excuse."

"That's because it's not an excuse." Geordi put his tools down and sat next to his partner. "They do bad things because they're bad people, but being bad people doesn't make what they do right. It excuses nothing."

Data nodded his head. "I am tired, Geordi."

"You can sleep if you want. I won't let anything happen to you."

"I am not tired that way." He looked away. "I do not know how to describe it."

Geordi paused for a moment. "Is it an emotional tiredness?"

"That is a good way to phrase it." Data agreed. "However, I do not understand it. An emotion cannot become tired."

"You haven't had emotions for a long time. I wouldn't be surprised if having them now is exhausting. Hell, most people get mental exhaustion every now and then." He explained.

"How do I make it stop?"

"I'm probably not the best person to ask that question to."

Data's eyes flicked over to Geordi. "Maybe Counsellor Troi could help?"

"Yes," the chief engineering officer agreed. "I think she would be very helpful with that."

He was silent for a few moments. "I do not like the fact that he is on board."

"Yeah, neither do I, buddy." Geordi exhaled before picking up his tools again to get back to work. "He'll leave soon."

"I do not want him to go free." Data frowned. "I do not want him to just leave."

He tapped his fingers on the table for a few minutes. Unfortunately, Data knew better than anyone else that that would probably be exactly what would happen. They both knew that there was very little evidence connecting the man to the crime so far, and the word of a "traumatized victim" (which Data was not--he couldn't afford to be weak) only went so far in court. Centuries of research on incorrect eyewitness identification would ensure that Palor Toff walked free even when considering Data's perfect memory. 

If only he had actually seen what happened.

"I know, Data." Geordi winced, not really having any idea what to say.

The android was silent for a few moments. He still wasn't sure how to process most feelings. Even though he used to think he'd only feel one emotion at a time, they often all came upon him at once, seized him, and ran away. He couldn't feel the satisfaction that the case was moving forward without feeling the apprehension of being so close to Palor Toff, the disgust that he had let something like this happen to him in the first place, and the anxiety over the possibility of court in the future. (And he had unravelled all that by himself, wouldn't Counsellor Troi be so proud?) He brought his one hundred percent healed hand up and touched Geordi's shoulder, pausing soon after. What was he doing?

"Data?" Geordi asked. "Do you need anything?"

The sound of his friend's voice shook him from his thoughts and triggered him into action. Before he could even realize what he was doing, his fist tightened around the fabric of Geordi's shirt, and he all but threw himself at the man, his arms tightening around his shoulders (but not nearly as tight as he could squeeze the man...Geordi was an organic being and therefore much more fragile than Data was). His leg, still open from where Geordi was working on it, lay forgotten behind him.

"This is good. I like this." Data stated simply, nodding his head from where it was pressed against his friend's neck.

"Hugs." Geordi paused, bringing his own arms around his friend and grinning. "I can do that."

Chapter Text

It had taken several weeks for Data to be officially cleared to return to his post. Between the physical injuries and the 'trauma' that he had experienced, the Captain had been keeping him far away from the bridge or the science department, and the others all did the same. He had spoken to Counsellor Troi a lot since the attack. It was impossible to hide things from her, and she had refused to allow him to go back on duty for a long, long time. If she had had it her way, Data was pretty sure that he would still be on leave. Even though weeks had gone by, there had been little progress on the investigation into Palor Toff. She had sensed a lot of anxieties inside of him about that, but he had successfully managed to argue that those anxieties simply wouldn't be resolved until the investigation moved forward some more.

She had been hesitant to let him go back, but Data knew that he was right. He had spent a long time studying humans after all. As he moved about his day, he felt the eyes of the crew members on him and heard them whispering behind his back. His skin prickled every time he noticed it, but he tried his best to ignore it. That was impossible. His sensors were too sensitive for that, so no matter what, those stares and murmurs took up fifteen percent of his attention span. Unfortunately, that meant that his normal duties were not getting as much of his attention as they really should be. His efficiency ratings were down. They hadn't decreased enough that any of his superiors mentioned it yet (or maybe that was because they were all treating him as though he was made of porcelain, which was strange since he had exactly no porcelain in him), but he had certainly taken note of it. He didn't like it either.

Since he was so close to the crime, he was not allowed to take part in the investigation of it. Whenever he walked into the senior officers' meeting, they would all fall silent and awkwardly change the subject of their meeting, and it was...irritating, he believed. Yes, that was the correct word to describe this feeling. They were even taking his advanced hearing into account when he did his own investigating. 

"Lieutenant Commander?" One of the science ensigns asked, holding a stack of PADDs in their hands.

"Yes, Ensign Ynis?" He stiffened a bit.

Ensign Ynis had been Ensign Gates roommate before he had gotten arrested. There was no evidence that they were involved, but as far as he was aware, there was little evidence of anything at all. Data wasn't even sure why she was there. She was a medical ensign, so the two of them had never interacted before.

"I...I don't know who I should give these to." She held up the PADDs.

"Perhaps Dr. Crusher would-"

Ynis interrupted him quickly. "They're not mine. They belong to Henry...I mean, Ensign Gates."

Data's eyes flicked back down to the stack in her hands, and he looked at them with renewed interest. He had thought that security had gone through all of Gates's belongings. Apparently, that assumption was inaccurate, but he doubted it was due to carelessness. Gates must have kept these hidden away if Worf hadn't found it. And there must be a reason why he needed to hide them.

Guilt bit at him. He knew that he should direct Ensign Ynis to Worf, but he really didn't want to. Perhaps he could view the PADDs' contents before passing them along? He wanted to do just that, but he couldn't. It went against his programming to do that. It wasn't that he was incapable of breaking rules like that (as long as his rule breaking didn't endanger an organic life). His emotional programming just confused him. He wanted to know about what was on the PADDs, but he didn't want to mess anything up. Besides, even if he could take them without receiving so many error warnings, it would make the evidence shaky. Any good lawyer would accuse him of tampering with them, and that was why evidence had to be logged in and out by anyone who handled it.

"I cannot-" Data's voice cut off.

"I'm sorry." Ynis frowned, and her fingers tightened around the PADDs. "I shouldn't have...It must bring back bad memories."

His eyes didn't move from the PADDs. "You should bring these to Lieutenant Worf."

She looked down at the stack. "Oh...yes. I should have thought of that myself."

"Where were these?" Data asked.

"The Jefferies tubes." Ynis said. "He once admitted to me that he hid things in there."

"You should get those to the lieutenant as soon as you can." He advised.

She nodded her head. "Uh, yes. I guess I should."

"And these were in the Jefferies tubes?" Geordi's eyes widened.

"Apparently," Riker picked one of them up. "You never found them?"

He shook his head. "No. No one in engineering has either."

The first officer narrowed his eyes as he turned the first one on. "Do you think Ensign Ynis is lying?"

"I don't know. I just don't see how the entire department could have missed this." He rubbed his temples.

The senior officers were in the conference room. Well, everyone was in there but Data. Geordi felt a bit guilty about that. He knew that his friend really wanted some information about what was going on, but Data was the victim. Their case would be in severe jeopardy if he got involved. At the same time, he didn't want to cause anymore turmoil for his friend than he was already going through, and the lack of answers must be very stressful for him. He wanted to give Data some clues....But he also wanted to make sure that they did this right. That unfortunately meant that Data could not be around when Worf briefed the group on their progress.

Riker looked through the PADD, his eyes widening as he scrolled through its contents. "There is...a lot on here."

Geordi picked up a different PADD. "What do you see?"

"I think this one has the virus on it." The first officer put it on the table and pushed it towards their captain.

Picard gave the PADD a once over. "I believe that that is exactly what this is. Lieutenant Worf, can you track the origin of this programming?"

"I contacted a forensic programmer and a forensic linguist." The Klingon reported. "The program has been clumsily translated into Standard, but it's linguistic pattern is typical of the Zibalian language."

Geordi stiffened. "Kivas Fajo is Zibalian."

Worf nodded his head. "It's circumstantial but still strong."

He spoke up again. "Can I get a copy of that virus? I...I need to see what exactly is in it."

Picard dipped his head in acknowledgement. "Make it so."

The Klingon started speaking again. "The forensic programmer--Breit, his name was--does not believe that the virus was meant to kill Data."

"No?" Geordi asked incredulously. "Well, they must have messed that up badly."

"When it is translated back into Zibalian, it's clear that the virus was made to only incapacitate an android." Worf explained. "I believe they may be trying to capture Data, not kill him."

Not again.

He had to admit that that made more sense. To collectors and traders like Toff and Fajo, Data would be incredibly valuable, so even though they had already tried and failed to take him, they might decide that it was worth the risk to try it again. He didn't pretend to understand what went through the heads of people like that. He didn't understand how someone could see Data, a sentient being, as a thing. It disgusted him.

"They may try to get their hands on him again." Picard said, almost to himself.

"You think Data is in danger?" Dr. Crusher straightened her back.

The Captain grimaced. "I do."

"He would not react well to protective custody or anything like that." Troi warned.

"But if it would keep him safe-"

Geordi tuned out the debate that was starting. He didn't have much input on the matter anyway. Data could be fiercely independent at times, but Geordi wanted his friend safe too. This whole investigation felt really unfair. He normally told Data just about everything, and this....this was literally about Data.

"Data really should know about this." He said.

Worf shot him a hesitant glance. "In this case, he is-"

"I know that he's the victim here! I'm not saying he should be apart of the investigation, but he deserves to at least know that someone's after him." Geordi swore under his breath.

Trip nodded her head. "He's right. It would benefit Data if he had some information."

Picard grimaced. "Tell him the basics, but I don't want him to be tempted to go after them on his own."

He sighed in relief. Data had been restless the last few weeks. Even after returning to duty, his behavior was still off, and Geordi knew that this secret keeping had to be part of the reason why. None of them had wanted to keep him away. They just really, really didn't want Palor Toff's attorney to find any reason to discredit their investigation. All of them were already arguably too close to the case, so they couldn't afford to make any mistakes. Still, there was a difference between investigation and being informed of their progress. 

The situation around Ensign Ynis still bothered him. Geordi was in the Jefferies tubes often enough that he knew that there was no way a stack of PADDs went unnoticed. He also had no record of her actually accessing those tubes to 'find' the evidence, but she didn't act like Gates had. She referred to Data as a 'he' and not an 'it' and never spoke to his friend as though he was less than anyone else. Dr. Crusher had told him, however, that some of the other ensigns found it easy to push her around. Was it possible that Gates had made her do something she hadn't wanted to do? That would make her an excellent witness, but she seemed scared that she too would get in trouble.

It shouldn't be too difficult to convince people to allow her to trade her testimony for either immunity or a lesser sentence. Geordi hadn't spoken much to her, and now, he felt like he had to. What if she could testify about Toff's involvement?

At the moment, Data had the con. He didn't normally work with those on the bridge, but they were adequate. Their efficiency ratings were less than those of the alpha shift. Yet they were all a lot younger than them and had time to get up to the alpha crew's standard. The admiralty had given Picard permission to keep the Enterprise around Lya IV to investigate this incident. Normally, cases like this would be passed on to a sector that specialized in investigations to free back up the starship, but the admiralty seemed to realize that no one would be able to concentrate properly if someone else was heading the case. It was a strange situation. It wasn't bad, but it was something that Data was unused to.

"Sir, we're being hailed." A lieutenant looked up from their console.

"On the screen," he leaned forward.

The screen snapped to life. There was only on figure on the screen, and he was dressed in fine clothing. The room was a dark color, mostly a velvety maroon. Data tightened his fist and swallowed. Not for the first time, he wished that he had never been in contact with his emotion chip. Even after Geordi had removed it, he kept feeling things, almost like his body was using muscle memory to have these emotions. To anyone who didn't know him, Data would look like that emotionless android, but his insides were turning with dread.

"Palor Toff," he greeted.

Toff's eyes widened as he saw who was in charge at the moment, but he covered his surprise with disinterest quickly. "Greetings, Lieutenant Commander. Is your captain around?"

"Captain Picard is in a meeting right now." Data answered in a deadpan voice.

Some of the other crew members on the bridge looked nervously between Data and the screen. They did not know many details of the case. Investigations were always kept private, so while they vaguely knew that it involved Data and this Palor Toff guy (rumors got around starships pretty fast), they knew little else. Palor Toff rebounded almost immediately. 

"I have some information I believe your captain and security officers need to know." He said tensely. "I need to speak with him."

What is he talking about?

Data glared at the wall behind the Lyan. He knew that Palor Toff had to be involved somehow, so why did he want to tell them anything at all? Unless he was trying to get them to trust him and discount him as a suspect, there was no reason for him to do this. This had to be a trick, some sort of trap or misdirection.

Nevertheless, he couldn't just deny him this, but just as he opened his mouth to respond to the other man, a tingling sensation, the one typically caused by being in a transporter, overwhelmed him.