The debate was over. The High Council and the High Command had come back. Surrounded by darkness, the large Klingon picked up a PADD and looked towards the two men standing in the centre of the council chamber. "Martok, son of Urthog, step forward."

Martok, a Lieutenant in the Klingon Defence Force, grunted and did as Chancellor K'mpec had said. Behind him was a slight figure who stood out for his plain white skin and yellow eyes. Even with the usual long hair, black uniform, and armour plating, the 'warrior' was obviously not a natural being. "You have reached judgement, sirs?"

"We have, Lieutenant. By a narrow vote of 29-28, we grant your companion full status as a citizen of the Klingon Empire! Data, son of Soong, step forward."

The white man approached the chancellor and jerked his head to one side. "Good morning, Chancellor K'mpec."

"Good morning? Yes, I suppose it is. Data, you are granted entry to the Officer's Academy of Ogat. You have passed the tests already, the reason for this hearing. Thank the agitator Gowron for this blessing."

"I will, sir. Chancellor, I am curious. I asked a question about the presence of Klingons with smooth foreheads like mine, but I was repeatedly told that you do not discuss it with outsiders. Indeed, such information is classified. May I ask, since I am no longer an outsider, what the status of these Klingons is?"

There was a rumbling around the chamber. Banging his ceremonial staff, K'mpec said, "Enough! Data deserves to know that there was a disease, that we cured it, and that we reconstructed all the injured. It will not happen again. Martok, Data, leave now! Go!"

"Yes, sir."

It was only 3 years before that General ShiVang had taken a punt and chosen to divert her flagship in response to a distress call from the Federation colony of Omicron Theta. The IKS Klongat, an old K'Tinga battlecruiser, could have continued on, but if it had it wouldn't have arrived first. During the search for survivors on the torn, sundered surface ruined by a mysterious attacker, the newly commissioned Ensign Martok had found a Human-like creature lying on a rock shelf. Intrigued, Martok had himself and the android beamed back up just as the USS Tripoli arrived. It was just his luck that the general and the chief medical officer were waiting in that particular transporter room.

"Who is this?" ShiVang, daughter of Kreem, asked. "Is he injured?"

"According to the transport logs," said the transporter operator, "he's not like us. He's a machine, an android."

"An android? Doctor, take this... individual to your sickbay. Security, report to sickbay."

The doctor, a grizzled veteran warrior of many turns, took hold of the android from Martok, where his hand slipped against the machine's shoulder. Immediately, the head's eyelids opened and the yellow pupils gazed at Doctor Hakan. In Federation Standard, it asked, "Where am I?"

"You are on my flagship," said ShiVang. "This is the IKS Klongat responding to your distress call. We will take you to safety."

"Thank you," the creature now said in Klingonese. "Are there any other survivors?"

"No, and on my honour we have checked. I am General ShiVang. This is my surgeon, Doctor Hakan, and a junior Ops officer, Ensign Martok."

"General," Martok said, "I would be pleased to supervise our guest."

"When the doctor is finished. Why are you still here, Hakan? Move!"

In the hot, dimly lit chamber that passed as a Klingon sickbay, the android sat patiently on a slab of solid steel- the so-called examination bench- while the doctor waved a medical tricorder at it. "If you are interested, Doctor, my name is Data."

"Good for you."

"I have come from a colony of the United Federation of Planets. Would it not be appropriate to transfer me to a Federation vessel?"

"That is up to you," Martok said. "The general does not trust you and I don't blame her. If you wish to leave at any time, you may."

Hakan put down his tricorder and patted Data's back. "I see that you have a positronic net, an internal chronometer, self-recharging power cells, and hair growth. You are a remarkable achievement; who built you?"

"Doctor Noonien Soong. May I ask, Ensign Martok, why you have a relatively low rank for the age and experience I sense from you?"

Martok looked to one side, at Hakan, and back to Data. Sitting on the bench beside the white machine, he got up close and whispered, "While here, be careful how you talk."

"I will keep that in mind, sir."

"As for your question, it is a story I tell few, even though everyone on this ship knows the result."

"Sir, if you ask me not to tell anyone, I will not."

"Do you have honour, machine?"

"If you are asking whether I have sufficient integrity to obey an order of a personal nature, I do."

"Then know that if you tell anyone without my permission, I will be displeased."

Data's head jerked away from Martok. "Have you already told Doctor Hakan?"

"I have." Martok sighed and backed off a bit from Data. "I wanted to be a warrior like my father and his father, but my father decided he wanted me to be an officer. I honoured his wishes and applied. I passed all the tests but then the Dahar Master Kor blocked my application because I am a commoner of non-noble blood."

"That is regrettable."

"I doubt Kor regrets or even remembers the damage he did. With the Mark of Kor on me, I could not even enlist as a common soldier! However, all ships have a civilian staff- the servants- who do the odd jobs considered beneath a warrior. I am no engineer, so I had to join the catering staff. Even then, they did not give me the chance to chop and burn but had me wait and clean tables. The shame was burning."

"But you were in space, sir."

"I was in space! I took the Art of War into account I tried to find honour and battles in my lowly function and gained some solace battling dirt. However, 4 weeks ago we came under attacks from Romulans. The pointy-eared hobgoblins boarded us and attempted to steal something, I'm not sure."

"But you won?"

"I fought back and saved several members of the senior staff. For my quick thinking and warrior prowess, ShiVang gave the commission I so wanted! I found out after that she is an admirer of the legendary warrior Kirk and did not agree with Kor's attitudes."

"Fascinating. May I ask if Kirk refers to a Klingon warrior or the Starfleet captain?"

"The Starfleet captain."

Data stood up and turned to face Martok. "Sir, I now understand your position, but please correct me if you are wrong. You are helping me because I am a lost person without purpose. You were once in a similar situation."

"Yes, you could say that! If the doctor wills it, I will take you to more of the ship."

"Go ahead," said Hakan. "If you are a true warrior, I'll be seeing you again soon, Mr Data."

"Do you eat?"

Data looked at Lieutenant Commander Arana, who Martok had introduced as the Science Officer. "I am capable of absorbing food and drink, though it is not necessary."

"I'll take that as a yes." The muscular blonde grabbed Data and dragged him to one of the tables of the mess hall. "You are aware that only days before your new friend worked in this hall? He served with distinction when battling my saliva!"

"I remember," Martok sighed. "Sir, I think that you and Data will have plenty to discuss."

"Indeed! Let's get something to test your absorption skills, Yellow-Eyes. How do you fancy gagh?"

"What is gagh?"

"Worms! We eat worms here, and hearts of targs! That's a spiky pig, by the way."

"Do you have fruits and vegetables?"

"Of course. You will enjoy the spicy and tough leaves and roots. I would know, I pick them."

During this walk and talk, Data brushed against a drunken warrior who instantly grabbed at the android and snarled. "I have had a bad day already, Human, and you attack me? How dare you?"

"I am not a Human. I apologise for any inconvenience."

"Is this the android, Science Officer? Excellent, we can see what it can do. Give it a weapon!"

"I have no wish to fight you."

The warrior took out his d'k tagh, a 3 bladed dagger. "I give you no choice."

Data shrugged and reached out. He snapped the dagger in half and threw the warrior back the length of the mess hall. "If you are satisfied, please leave me alone."

"Get out," Arana ordered. "Go!"

Sitting down, the 2 Klingons and the android received a bowl of gagh, which made Data look from the worms to the Science Officer. "I believe this meat is still alive."

"We believe in keeping food fresh," Martok said as he scooped up a handful.

"I would prefer to not violate my ethical subroutines, but in the interests of friendship I will try. I am interested to know why that warrior had such an overreaction."

"He's- BURP- drunk and has problems back home."

"Data," said Arana, "My colleague in Ops would want to dissect you alive, so do not give us reason to give him permission to analyse your workings. For now, I am content to observe you in action. What is e raised to the power of the square root of -1 multiplied by π?"

"0."

"What are the 6 types of quarks?"

"Up, down, top, bottom, charmed, strange. There are also antiquarks that reverse the charges of the aforementioned."

"Good. Get up and run around the mess hall as fast as you can."

When finished, Data asked, "Is there anything else you require, Commander?"

"During our battle with the Romulans, I lost several key warriors and we've been working overtime. I'm only here enjoying myself because I heard about you. Are you willing to fill the gap?"

"Are you offering me entry to the Klingon Defence Force?"

"The formal arrangements are the business of the general. Actually... General, over here!"

Towering over the rest, ShiVang breathed in and snarled at Science Officer for her audacity. "Yes, Arana?"

"I would like Data to work for me until we can get replacements... or he proves worthy."

"He is your servant if you so wish, to do as you please."

"Careful, Data," Martok growled with a hint of laughter. "They, both of them, want to see how you'll endure them."

"At what?"

"Mating."

"It would be a redundant procedure. I cannot reproduce."

"That's not our concern," ShiVang said.

"If you are discussing recreation, I will do my best."

"That's the spirit! Welcome aboard, Servant Data."

"I care not for your Acts of Cumberland, Commander! He is a sentient being and part of my House!"

"I understand your views," Commander Nechayev told Martok. "This is not my idea, it's just that some of us believe Data belongs back home with his owners... I mean people. Lieutenant Maddox means no offence."

"How is it," Arana growled, "that you even consider using archaic law to call another person property yet claim not have slavery?"

The atmosphere in the Klongat's mess hall was always tense, but never before had pure fury come close to manifestation. Nechayev, a blond Human with a remarkably similar facial structure to Arana, sat back slightly and clasped her hands on the table. "According to Mr Maddox, Data cannot be a slave because he is not sentient."

"What if he became a Klingon citizen?" ShiVang asked. "You'd need an extradition order and Data has committed no crime on either side."

"You could," said the commander. "However, Maddox is anxious to get hold of this technology and he may bring a case if you're not fast."

"Our task," ShiVang said, "is to get citizenship for Data as soon as possible and prevent this sordid hypocrisy. Commander, unless you wish to be an unwilling passenger, report to the transporter room now. 60, 59, 58..."

"Thank you for your input," Nechayev said before getting up and running out of the room.

"ShiVang to bridge. Set a course for the homeworld, engage on my order."

The Naval Academy was the first to jump to ShiVang's request, sending it's best engineers to look over Data and test his sentience. The manager, Kardak, turned out to be a huge brute with more muscle mass than the average KDF warrior. "Sir, for a civilian, you look remarkably powerful," Data said as Kardak set up.

"You need to be in this job," he replied as he tested his microscopes. "Some Houses do not appreciate the compromises we have to make when building technology, especially ships. When we have to tell them that their disruptors are too powerful for a B'Rel class Bird-of-Prey, they may start yelling about how the K'Vort has the same, fail to see that they're vastly different classes, and then attack us. We must fight back."

"That is regrettable."

"Yes, though we also have an honourable position. We are one of few commoners who can tell noble warriors that they're wrong!"

Several hours later

"He passes," Kardak told not just ShiVang but a member of a Great House who was just visiting.

"Excellent, we have a case," the general said.

"I am willing to support this," Duras, son of Ja'rod said. "Will you bring this before the High Council?"

"Yes."

"Let us see this creature in action," Councillor K'Tal said in the darkness of the council chamber. "If we are to stake our reputation and our relationships with the Federation on this man, may he fight well. Bat'leths!"

Data picked up the sword thrown before his feet and watched the wide warrior circle him. Unsure, Data waited to see what K'Tal would do, correctly anticipating several feints. The android suddenly leapt forth and slashed down, causing K'Tal to parry twice. Blades clashed and the councillors cheered as sparks flew.

K'Tal stepped back and spun his sword in a circle, watching Data's eyes. Unfortunately for him, Data's eyes were always the same whereas K'Tal's were open for anyone to read. The warrior chose to go on the defensive and backed away, calling, "Well done, now follow it up!"

Data did not reply but ran to the left. The councillors mumbled and K'Tal paused dumbfounded. The android suddenly hit the wall, rolled over in mid-air and disarmed K'Tal with a single swipe. "May I stop now?"

"You may," said K'mpec. "The council will vote soon. We have also received a message from Gowron."

The council murmured again. Gowron was always good entertainment, but when would he stop criticising and actually do something?

"He says that he believes that giving Data citizenship and ending this enslavement will bring great honour by putting us on higher moral ground than the Federation, even on a shorter term."

"Honour for all of us!" Duras called. "Is not honour what we fight for?"

Something about Duras bugged Data, but he chose not to comment. Instead, he let the councillors vote.

"Now you are a citizen, what will you do?" ShiVang asked.

"I intend to go into the sciences," Data replied.

"You deserve a more reputable profession," Martok said. "Science alone is not notable. For glory, you should try something else."

"In that case, I will enter the medical profession."

"Doctors! Yes, doctors are warriors and hold respect. You do plan to be a doctor, correct?"

"I do not believe I am sensitive enough to be a nurse or an orderly."

"That's certainly true. Yes, a doctor will be a good fit, certainly here compared to the softer cultures. Perhaps you should know that the captain of the USS Stargazer, Jean-Luc Picard, has heard about you and would like to meet you one day."

"I will bear that in mind. Is he associated with Maddox?"

"No, he's of the opposite mindset. Good luck, Data. May the luck of Kahless go with you!"