Please note... if you haven't seen 'All Good Things' the last episode, this probably won't make much sense. Enjoy, and no flames. ;^D

Lt. Commander Data stepped onto the turbolift. "Bridge." He commanded. As it sprung in the right direction, he couldn't help but feel...what was it?

Nervous: Characterized by or attended with acute uneasiness or apprehension.

Was he nervous? No, not really. A few minutes ago he'd been slightly amused, imagining the looks on his friends faces. What would Deanna think? By Spock's goatee, what would Captain Picard think? It wasn't that he'd done something wrong- on the contrary, everything was just fine. Everything was fine with everyone, everywhere. ...Which was logically impossible, thought Data, though that is what it undoubtedly seemed like at the moment.

They were surveying a star system, and in all truth the whole thing had been rather boring so far. No unexplained energy sources or hostile alien ships anywhere on the scanners, no away teams needed or phasers set on stun. Not that he would have cared, three years ago.

The turbolift jerked to a halt, and the door slid open with a soft whoosh. Data hesitated. It was too late to change anything now though, so he automatically went to his place at Ops.

Picard pressed some buttons on the console next to his chair, making small beeps on the otherwise quiet Bridge, everyone busy or lost in their thoughts at the moment. Data sent the ensign at the controls a furtive glance, wondering when, or if, someone would say something. Well, if they did he hoped they'd hurry up.

Behind him, Riker grinned. "Data, what the heck did you do to your hair?" Data looked back innocently. Just what he'd been waiting for. Naturally, Picard, Worf, Deanna, and the ensign's heads all turned in unison to see what Riker was talking about. Deanna's eyebrows shot up, and whether Worf cared or not it was hard to tell.

"Does it not give an air of...distinction?"

Realizing suddenly what this was all about, Picard leaned on his elbow in a one-handed facepalm. He was, however, trying very hard not to start laughing because that would be most undignified.

"Ah..." Said the Counselor, "Professor Data, isn't it?"

Riker looked confused and turned to the Captain, who's shoulders were now shaking with silent mirth.

"Didn't you say something about this when you got caught in the future..?" Said Riker, referring to the time that the captain had had a certain syndrome which sent him back and forth through the past, present, and future.

"I...I...yes, Number One..." Picard giggled and looked at Data. "What I didn't tell you is that your assistant at Cambridge compared it to a skunk."

Data frowned. "An omnivorous mammal known for it's repulsive- I do not see how that relates."

"No, no the stripe. White stripe. Ah, do you plan on keeping that?"

"I will revert my hair to it's original color if this proves...distracting." Data wasn't sure if he felt accurately embarassed or not. At least he had asked for their opinions before going out with a beard, on one occasion, not that he would have felt anything then. "I have merited strange looks in the corridor."

"Well, I prefer your hair just the way it was." Said Deanna. "But it's entirely up to you."

Data nodded, gave a little smile. "Does it actually resemble a skunk?"

"Er..." Started Picard.

"Not much." Said Riker. "But just to be safe I'd get rid of it."

"Hm. I believe I will keep it for a short time." Data decided. "And after that I will try something more exotic...dreadlocks should be very interesting." He turned back to the viewscreen smiling, considering momentarily turning off his emotion chip, for the looks on his friend's faces were positively hilarious.

=(/\)= ~THE END~ =(/\)=