Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek: The Next Generation. Please don't sue me or steal my story. Thanks! :)

NOTE: This story takes place shortly after the movie First Contact. It is a direct continuation of Skin Deep: Part I.

Continuity Note: This story is set up something like a video game with three levels, each with its own challenges and its own 'Boss' for Data to confront. The first section of Skin Deep ends after Data faces down the story's 'First Level' challenges and bosses and returns with the kids to the archaeologists' compound in Chapter 19 of Part I. Part II will, therefore, begin with the introduction of the featured 'bad guy' for the second section, which happens in Chapter Twenty of Part I. So, Chapter Twenty of Part I will now become Chapter One of:

Skin Deep: Part II

by Rowena Zahnrei

Chapter One

The Boss-man stared at his viewscreen, where the garbled image being displayed was moving steadily backwards, one frame at a time.

"There!" the Boss-man murmured, and the image paused, the slave with the ceratopsian-like skull working frantically to clean up the picture.

"Damned atmospheric interference." A Suliban woman stepped forward, her arms crossed in annoyance over her flexible, armored jumpsuit. "I can barely tell what's speeder and what's sand in that shot!"

"Says the woman with skin like limestone," scoffed the slave with a head like a golden turtle.

The Suliban woman bared her teeth with a threatening hiss, her pebbled skin taking on the red color and smooth texture of the sofa she was gripping, but the Boss-man held out a white-gloved hand to her, drawing her around the edge of the curved sofa to sit by his side.

"I know your qualities," he whispered from under his wide-brimmed hat, watching her skin revert from smooth, leathery red back to speckled brown and tan. "And, I know your price. There is a team of scientists at work on this planet. They are the reason I called you here."

"Wait, you want me to track a bunch of scientists? On this sandball of a planet?" The Suliban snorted. "What the hell for? Unless they're into sandstorms or quakes, I don't see what—"

"I thought as you did, when I first learned of their dig," the Boss-man spoke over her in his quiet way. "Four Federation archaeologists poking about the ancient Ninevehan ruins… There have been so many digs already, what could possibly be the profit? But, this is no longer merely an 'academic' study. The Klingons have sent one of their own scientists to join in. And now, it seems, the Federation's flagship has become involved…"

He nodded to the ceratopsian slave, and the frozen image on the viewscreen came alive. The image was blurred and staticky, but it seemed to be from the point of view of a recently crashed sand speeder. Two rather wobbly figures staggered into the frame: a burly Nausicaan too tall for the shot, and a shorter, stockier Orion with a transparent patch over most of his face. As they watched, a second speeder came into view and a distant, slightly distorted voice announced through an external speaker: "Greetings. This is Lieutenant Commander Data, of the Federation starship Enterprise. You have both violated Federation law. Prepare to be taken into custody."

The Orion and Nausicaan looked at each other, apparently talking although the transmitter couldn't pick up their words. They knelt down in the sand, raising their hands in surrender as the other speeder landed and its door began to open.

"Freeze now," the Boss-man said. "Zoom in on that door, and enhance the image."

"Yes, Father," the ceratopsian slave said, his thick, greenish-brown fingers stabbing at the controls.

"OK, I'm seeing standard Starfleet boots," the Suliban said as the image expanded. "Dark trousers…wait—is that...?" She leaned forward and squinted. "That metal-looking thing there...is that a hand or…?"

"Nizik's 'robot', I believe," the Boss-man said softly, and she could hear the dark smile in his voice. "Lieutenant Commander Data, Starfleet's one and only 'sentient' android, and the second officer of the famous flagship, Enterprise. Note: he was driving my speeder."

"What do you mean, 'your' speeder?" the Suliban asked. "If that speeder was one of yours, wouldn't it be all full of your spybug crap, like this busted one we're looking at here?"

"Like much of the merchandise I had stored in those tunnels outside the ancient city, that speeder was recently acquired at auction," the Boss-man whispered. "It was earmarked for sale to a Yridian trader, but was presumed destroyed before all of my preferred 'enhancements' could be made. Now I know it was stolen… Stolen by the Starfleet android. Restore aspect and continue playback," he ordered.

The ceratopsian slave tapped the controls, and they watched a blurry, staticky Rizzul grab his phaser rifle and shoot straight at the 'camera.' There was a roaring rush of greenish flame, and the viewscreen went blank.

"Right there, that android cost me two men, and two speeders," the Boss-man hissed under his hat. "And, for all I know, it was he, not a quake, that destroyed those tunnels…possibly in retaliation for 'Poug and Rizzul's idiotic bungling of the raid on the archaeologists' compound."

"You want him as smithereens, Boss, I can do that - if that explosion didn't do it first," the Suliban said. "I'll stick the pieces in a nice, white bag for you."

"No, no." The Boss-man shook his head in exasperation. "Don't you understand? Starfleet is here for a reason, Silarra. Those archaeologists have found something, and if that something is enough to warrant the involvement of both the Enterprise and the Klingons, it will certainly be of interest to…others. More than enough to make up for the loss of my goods..."

He gently took her pebbled hands in his gloved ones and squeezed, gradually increasing the pressure as he talked until the tough Suliban woman began to squirm and wince.

"I want to know what that something is, Silarra," he said with quiet menace. "I want to know every single little detail those scientists know. Once I have this knowledge, I want you to take that something and bring it to me, making sure to…disable…any one or any thing that might come looking for it. For what I'm paying you, my dear little chameleon, I expect results. There must be no further slip ups."

"Yeah, yeah, all right!" the Suliban exclaimed, struggling in vain to pull away from his painful grip. "We've got a deal, OK! Just, let go already!"

The Boss-man squeezed harder – so hard, Silarra became genuinely afraid he'd snap her fingers. Only when he saw that fear in her eyes did he let go and sink languidly back against the red cushions.

Silarra jumped to her feet and glared at the white-clad man, rubbing the circulation back into her bruised hands.

"I'll take the job, and the payment," she said grimly. "But I'm warning you, right now, 'Boss-man.' I'm not one of your fawning, servile Slaves. I'm an employee, and I work freelance. If I find even a trace of your stalker spybug shit on me or in any of my stuff, I swear—"

"Please, Silarra, there's no need for profanities or oaths," the Boss-man said. "Just do the job I assigned you. Lead with your brain, not your gut. And, be sure to get this right." He gestured toward Nizik's hanging skin. "You know I don't believe in second chances."

The Suliban scowled and stalked out of the room, fighting not to shiver at the sound of the Boss-man chuckling low in his throat.

To Be Continued...

References include ENT: Broken Bow; Cold Front; Detained; Shockwave; Future Tense; The Expanse; and Storm Front, which feature the Suliban. According to these episodes and Memory Alpha, the Suliban were mostly nomads, some of whom, due to genetic engineering, possessed the ability to survive in a vacuum and/or alter their physical appearance. Such alterations could range from stretching to changing the color/texture of their skin, to mimicking other species. Silarra is an original character. Though inspired by the Suliban depicted in the show, her attitudes and culture will be a product of her 24th century circumstances, which are bound to be different from those the Suliban faced in the 22nd century, especially if some groups continued to be nomadic.

There's lots more story still to come, so please stay tuned, and let me know what you think. Your comments are always welcome! :)

Welcome to Part II! :D