Hiya everyone! Wowie, what a year it's been! Anyway, I've decided to write what happened in the alternate universe where Melina didn't turn all psycho and try to destroy the universe. So in other words, Picard/Melina pairing, Data/Tasha Yar, Lore/Jenna D'Sora and B-4/Kitchenmaid (bad joke, I know). Hopefully this will turn out better than the original two, which were written in rather hazy circumstances (hurray for relationship collapse!).
Enjoy, Androids: The Family Saga.
Spend your lazy, endless crazy,
days inside my head.
You're so selfish, you're not the only,
one who thinks he's dead.
I'm paid to smile, now I'm on trial,
for what you think I said.
But I never said,
that everything would be okay.
And I never said,
that we would live to see another day...
Yeah... yeah...
"ROCK!"
"Motivate me,
I wanna get myself out of this bed.
Captivate me,
I want good thoughts inside of my head!"
"The only thing I'm motivated to do is cut the power to that damned studio! OI! KEEP IT DOWN!" Dr. Noonian Soong slammed his fist against the locked door where his four 'children' were rehearsing.
"Oh don't be such a spoil-sport!" His wife, Juilana, chuckled.
B-4 was the oldest. He was also the least advanced of Noonian's three androids. He loved cooking with his mother. Lore was next, after working on his issues was still very head-strong and cunning, but now held his family in high regard. Third was Data, the ever-logical, level-headed one of the bunch. Lastly, there was the Soongs adoptive daughter Melina, who seemed to combine B-4s naivety, Lores ambition and Datas logic.
The four children had formed a band, called "Mel-Mel and the Androids", and they were very popular on Terlina III with the younger crowd-much to the displeasure of the scientists who lived and worked there.
"Lousy kids! I'll be happy when they're all off to Starfleet!" Noonian grumbled, as much as he hated the thought of them leaving him.
"Of course you will be." Juilana rolled her eyes.
The four siblings looked at each other after finishing their song.
"I hope we all get assigned to the same ship when we get to Starfleet. I think I'd miss you guys too much otherwise." Melina smiled.
"It would be preferable if we were all on the same ship, however the chances of that happening are not in our favour." Data pointed out, sitting his guitar in its case.
"Family!" B-4 beeped, still holding his base guitar.
"Don't be such a spoil-sport dear Brother, let Sister hope all she wants." Lore smirked from behind his drum-kit.
Melina looked out the window. Soon, they would be on their way.
-2364, 10 years later-
Melina put the finishing touches on her quarters. Her mentor and friend 0 watched.
"It looks lovely." He said.
"Thanks 0. I wonder if any of my brothers got assigned?" She wondered out aloud. She slipped out of her quarters while the mysterious 0 vanished. She scratched her left arm, her 24th birthday present itching like mad. 0 had brought it back from somewhere, and it had instantly attached itself to her arm, turning her into an android and back again. Her father had been most annoyed with the contraption, but it wouldn't be removed.
Melina headed out into the ships corridor. The freshly-built corridors of the Enterprise 1701-D still had the smell of newly processed material, which went straight to Melina's stomach. She knew Lore hadn't been assigned here, he'd turned rogue and had disappeared, which hurt Melina so she didn't think about it. She decided to head to the kitchens, if B-4 had been assigned to the Enterprise, he'd be there no doubt.
She thought of her first posting aboard the Stargazer, the first time she'd spent an extended period away from her brothers. It had been an experience, it was where she'd met her mentor Jean-Luc Picard. She hadn't seen him in years though, after being transferred after a couple of months to the Herasay. Melina sighed. She'd fallen deeply in love with her Captain, and wished she'd had the chance to tell him how she felt. He was everything – strong, brave, handsome, dignified, responsible, mature...the list went on! Still, he was far too old for her, over thirty years her senior! Maybe it was best that her feelings stayed inside.
"Brother!" Melina cried as she reached the kitchen, where B-4 was stirring a pot.
"Greetings Sister." B-4 said. He awkwardly embraced her. "Brother Data was looking for you."
"Brother Data is here too?" Melinas heart soared. "What's his position?"
"Operations Manager." B-4 said, which made Melina groan.
"In other words, my boss." She couldn't help but smile though. She'd been assigned as Science Officer, however she was also a capable Engineer.
Melina giggled.
"Anyway, I need to get to the Bridge and report to the Captain, I'll see you later Brother!" Melina pecked her oldest brother on the cheek and made her way to the Bridge. Having merely skimmed over her posting, Melina hadn't taken much notice of who the Captain was.
Big mistake.
As soon as the turbolift doors opened, Melina saw him. Jean-Luc Picard. A little older, a little worse for wear, but still as striking as always.
"Science Officer reporting for duty Sir." Melina approached. Picard smiled at her.
"Lieutenant Soong. My, you haven't changed a bit have you? Still playing that god-forsaken music?" He asked. Melina struggled to keep her trembling voice under control.
"Of course Sir." Melina replied. Picard laughed.
"Take your station Lieutenant, and we'll be on our way." Picard sat back down as Melina took up her position next to another blonde. She couldn't help but smile though when she saw the android at the helm.
She grinned at her brother as Picard tried to explain "snooping". Data would never get it.
"I see your research has stagnated Brother." Melina chuckled as Picard silenced the android. He looked at her, and opened his mouth to protest when she shot a look at him which he knew well – keep talking and he'd be hit with a virus to make him sing "Mary Had a Little Lamb" for five minutes straight.
He was pleased to see his baby sister again though.
"I'm sensing a...a powerful mind..." The ships counsellor, Deanna Troi suddenly spoke up. Within moments, they were at red alert, and confronted by a force field.
And the unflappable Q.
Melina watched as Q taunted the crew. She wondered if this being was the same sort as 0. She noticed Q looked her over once as if sensing something...but soon his taunts ended and he left the bridge.
"What a flog." She commented after he left.
After Picard gave his orders for maximum warp, Melina quickly consulted Data.
"I am assuming you already have the necessary calculations in case we do need to seperate the saucer section?" Data asked.
"Yes Sir. Right here." Melina handed him the PADD she had been working on. "Including estimated velocities and directions Sir."
"Thank you. Sister." He nodded to her. Melina tried to hide a smile.
–
Bull. Freaking. Shit.
No way could that Q creature be catching up to them! The Enterprise, the newest, most advanced ship of the fleet!
Melina was irked. Something really got to her about this loser.
Then Picard ordered the Saucer seperation. Melina swore you could have heard a pin drop after that command.
"Yes Sir!" Melina immediately complied, starting to input calculations. Lieutenant Worf was made commander of the saucer section and the crew divided. Melina joined her brother on the Battle Bridge. She watched on nervously as the ships saucer detached. Thankfully it went off without a hitch.
It was time to face Q. Once again her stomach tweaked. Familiarity? She didn't know. She nearly had to laugh when Tasha Yar tried to convince the Captain to fight Q though – really, they didn't stand a chance. Melina thought to herself that Tashas violent nature would get her into trouble one day. Still, she liked the brash Security Officer, and hoped that even though she was Autistic, she could become friends with Tasha Yar.
Although she got the shock of her life when the Captain ordered a broadcast of their surrender. Suddenly, all her comrades had disappeared, and the implants in her arm had taken over!
"What the-?" Melina cried.
A hooded figure wearing a mask walked onto the Battle Bridge. It was 0.
"Your gift makes you immune to the powers of Q. When he finds out he will be furious." 0 said.
"Take me where he took my brother! I have to save Data!" Melina cried.
0 shook his head.
"I cannot. You are immune to my power now as well."
"Well you could have told me when I was in a position to save them!" Melina slammed her fists onto the control panel.
–
"HOW?"
"I'm telling you I don't know!" Picard roared at Q. "If you let me go back maybe I can ask the Lieutenant where she got her-,"
"NO ONE IS GOING BACK!" Q thundered. How had one of them been unaffected by his powers? It didn't matter. He was going to put them on trial, and on trial they were!
Melina watched the proceedings through the viewscreen, which 0 was at least able to let her see. She had groaned loudly when Tasha Yar had tackled the man with the gun – playing right into Qs hands!
"Tasha DON'T! You'll pay the price!" Melina looked on as the trial continued – and she was right, with Q silencing Tasha by freezing her.
"Save her!" Melina begged of 0.
"I cannot." 0 replied. "However, you should have faith in your Captain."
Melina watched, heart in her mouth, as Picard managed to convince Q to restore Tasha. A twinge of something, perhaps jealousy, shuddered through her system. How she wanted to be at the Captains side with her brother!
She watched as Picard convinced Q to make the Farpoint mission their test, and breathed a sigh of relief when they returned.
Picard turned to her.
"How?" Picard asked.
"A friend gave me this on my 24th birthday. It implanted itself into me and it won't be removed. It gives me immunity to Q. I don't know how to use it properly yet...so I could have fluked it." Melina replied.
Picard sighed, and they continued on to Farpoint station. Data went off to do some maintenance, Tasha Yar went off to cool her temper, and Deanna Troi took a nap.
Pretty soon, it was only Melina and Picard on the Battle Bridge. Melina felt nervous, yet at the same time confident. Picard had always been able to inspire her.
"So, how was the Herasay? Old Jenna still got a chip on his shoulder about his wife?" Picard asked.
"It was fine Sir. Captain Jenna was a fine captain, but no where near as good as you were Sir." Melina blushed. "The last time I saw him he and his wife were back together."
Picard laughed. "That'd be right. How'd you come to be posted to the Enterprise anyway? Last I heard Starfleet wanted you to man up a new research project into some dilithium work."
"I simply told Starfleet I was more comfortable on a ship. I've grown quite accustomed to it." Melina smiled. When she had first boarded the Stargazer, she'd been terrified of space travel. Picard had helped her through her phobia.
"Well, it's good to see we were able to shake that old fear. And what about you and those androids?"
"They're my brothers Sir, not just some androids." Melina stood up a little straighter and looked the Captain dead in the eye. No matter who he was, he wasn't going to belittle her family!
"At ease Lieutenant, I was just asking about family relations is all. I have an older brother myself." Picard mentioned. At that moment, Data walked back in and informed them they had reached Farpoint station. Melina was just about ready to throttle him!
She sulked a little inside, especially when Data sent her to Engineering to form a lab team.
–
"MANUALLY?"
"Yes. Manually."
"Wowie!"
"Wowie?"
"Nevermind Brother."
Melina sat with her brothers in Ten Forward after the ship reconnection. Data was telling them of the Captains rather unusual order to rejoin the Saucer Section manually.
"He's like that. He likes to give people chances to prove themselves." Melina said over her vanilla thickshake. Being a partial-clone of Khan Noonien Singh, she had somehow developed an immunity to the effects of synthenol. Regular alcohol needed to be consumed in large quantities before it would begin to take any sort of hold, so she just didn't bother.
"Anyway, I must go, I have a special task to give Admiral McCoy a-,"
"ADMIRAL MCCOY?" Melina squeaked. "Not Admiral Leonard McCoy!"
Data nodded. "Excuse me."
B-4 looked at his younger sister. "You are excited." He stated.
"Yes Brother, very excited. This is more than just a ship, it's a legacy, which I intend to do proud." Melina said.
B-4 looked confused.
–
Melina was lucky to be on the Bridge when Q decided to show his ugly mug again. She found him boring, especially now she knew that he couldn't do a damned thing to her. She found it rather hilarious when the Klingon tried to shoot him with his Phaser – rather stupid really. Melina had no use for violence of any sort, which made 0 quite pleased for some strange reason.
She was busy checking the scanners constantly for any signs of anything strange on the planet. Apart from vast amounts of geothermal energy, there was nothing really to suggest anything suspicious.
She wondered what her brothers were doing. B-4 was probably cooking, and last she'd heard Data was in the holodeck. He'd been trying to learn to whistle for a few months now. Melina couldn't help but giggle a little at her brothers. However thinking of them made her think of Lore. Where was her brother? Was he okay?
He had been assigned to the Herasay too when he had suddenly turned on the crew and disappeared. It hurt Melina to think of her brothers betrayal. She had thought he was past all that. He had turned a Phaser on her, on his own sister. His sneer when he had done it was what really got to her.
It had made Father ill. He had been unwell since Mother had left him for another man. Melina tried to clear her thoughts of all the unhappiness that had befallen the family, and instead tried to be happy that at least two of her brothers were with her and okay.
All was purged from her mind when Doctor Crusher appeared on the Bridge. The way the Captain looked at her made Melina seethe a little inside with jealousy. Then she noticed Wesley, and a brief wave of relief hit her, before she realised that Crusher was a widow.
Melina watched as Wesley took a look around. Despite her jealousy, Melina felt fond of the boy already. She remembered her first day on the Bridge...including Picard snarling at her for tripping over and nearly breaking a control station.
She smiled at Wesley before he headed back to Sickbay with his mother. She made a mental note to look out for the boy. But now there was another ship approaching. Melina started scans of the vessel, it didn't match anything on Starfleet records. The inhabitants of the planet below had no idea what it was either. It was huge compared to the Enterprise.
"We've just been scanned Sir." Melina informed the Captain. "And our scans are bouncing right back at us!"
"They're firing at the planet Sir!" Worf cried.
Melinas blood ran cold. Her brother was down there! She had to hold herself from pleading for the Captain to save Data.
And then to top it all off, that repulsive Q appeared again.
"Q, bug off." Melina muttered.
"Did you say something Augment?" Q fired back.
"What did you call me?" Melina roared. What the-?
"Oh yes, I've done my research on you. You're the worst of them all and I can't touch you!" Q stamped his foot in annoyance. "But nevermind."
He then got into an argument with the Captain while Melina fumed. What did Q know about her that she didn't? What had 0 done?
She barely noticed her brother appearing back on the Bridge, even though he came and put a hand on her shoulder. Once Q disappeared however, she found her voice again.
"I'm going with Commander Riker." She piped up. Picard looked at her.
"We'll see."
–
Melina sat with her brothers again in Ten Forward.
"Maybe 0 is not the friend we thought he was." Data said.
"No. That can't be it. He's protected me thus far, why would he suddenly turn on me now?" Melina buried her head in her hands.
"Maybe he and Q are the same? Maybe it is because he knows he cannot hurt you." Data theorised.
"No. He could easily do as he wished before he gave me the implants." Melina sighed. "I wonder why 0 gave me to Mother and Father?"
"Love." B-4 piped up, making both Melina and Data jump.
"You're full of surprises Brother." Melina chuckled.
–
Melina stood with her brother, Riker, Yar and Troi, ready to beam aboard the alien vessel. She felt a strong need to prove herself not only to Q, but to her Captain.
She tried to bury her feelings, but it was no use. It was times like this Lores betrayal hurt the most – he was the most emotionally advanced of her three brothers, and she would confide in him in such situations. Data and B-4 were pretty much useless when it came to this.
They beamed aboard.
"Most interesting Sir." Was the first thing Data said. Melina looked around. It was as Data had described the underground caverns of Farpoint as being.
Troi could sense anger. Anger towards the planet. Melina shuddered a little. Anger scared her a little. She moved closer to her brother, who had always protected her.
They moved down the corridor, where they could hear Zorn screaming. They found him suspended in mid-air, presumably being tortured. Riker and Data freed him from the trap. Melina stood back. This didn't seem right at all.
This Zorn had done something.
"This isn't a ship, is it?" Melina asked of no one.
"I do not believe so." Data said.
"It makes sense." Riker added.
"I don't think we're in any danger at all." Melina put her Phaser back in her pocket. "Please, return us to our vessel and we can see if we can help you!" She called out.
And they were immediately back aboard the Enterprise, where Zorn tried to plead his case. Melina sneered at him and returned to her station.
However, she was somewhat softened by seeing the two creatures reunited. Maybe one day her brother would come back to the family.
Until then, there was Q.
"I do not promise never to return again."
"Can we induldge in a little savagery against him now? Please?" Melina groaned. Picard grinned.
"Now why would we do that?" He said.
And really, Melina couldn't help but agree with him.