My Enemy, My Brother

Captain's log, stardate 41242. last assignment has taken us into the remote Omicron Theta star system, home of our android crewmember Lieutenant Commander Data. Although we are due at our next assignment, I have decided to increase velocity towarp eight to visit Data's homeplanet for a few hours in thehopes of unraveling some of themystery of his beginnings.

The atmosphere on the bridge was one of anticipation. It had been many years since a Starfleet vessel had had the opportunity to venture into the Omicron Theta system. It's remote location at the far edge of the Crab Nebula meant that there was little space traffic through the region, which, was exactly why the scientists of the Omicron Theta colony chose it.

They were comprised of an eclectic assortment of fringe scientists that were not only noteworthy for their extreme theories but for their general lack of respect for authority. They had chosen to "go off the grid" to pursue their individual interests without what they deemed to be interference from either Starfleet or the scientific community. More than likely, their experiments had been deemed of questionable merit. Possibly even considered dangerous but there was always someone willing to fund such projects on the small chance they might succeed and bring either fame or fortune.

Geordi looked up at Commander Riker. "Sir, we are now twenty minutes from Omicron Theta..." he turned back to the console and confirmed the reading, "Mark."

Picard nodded absently to his First.

Commander Riker intoned, "Stand by for subwarp; head for standard orbit of B448." Riker came to stand next to his Captain, "Wonder why Data hasn't come up?"

Picard smiled lightly, "He said he wanted to be alone. Perhaps it's a bigger moment for him than we thought." The Captain turned to the young ensign at the helm, "If he needs a formal invitation... Mister Crusher, you do the honors."

The gangly youth stood abruptly and bolted to the turbolift. His smile blazed, "Yes, Sir!"

"Walk, Mister Crusher," the captain admonished. Had he ever been so young and eager?

The youth's expression fell to an embarrassed grin, "Yes, sir."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Lieutenant Commander Data's quarters were spartan. He had chosen to keep the walls, white and the décor, beige. It wasn't that he preferred the bland colors but that he simply didn't have a preference at all. His development wasn't at a stage that he was concerned with such trivialities. No, he had other, more important things, to explore. There were few pieces of furniture other than a large desk system that housed a sophisticated computer terminal and a few projects, on which, he was currently working.

The walls were bare except for a small mirror that the android now stood before, watching himself intently. His current exploration of the human condition held him riveted. His face scrunched up and his mouth opened, "AHH, ahh, CHOO." He cocked his head slightly to the right. "That is not quite right," he instructed his reflection. "AHH, AHHH, CHOO!" A small crease appeared on his forehead. He opened his mouth again but the door chime stalled his next attempt. "Come in."

Wesley Crusher charged into his Commander and friend's quarters excitedly, "Data!..."

"AHH, AHHHH, CHOOOOO."

The Ensign stopped up short, "Uh, what are you doing?"

"Sneezing," Data replied, simply.

Now Wesley was completely mystified. The android had a way of confusing even the simplest of situations. "Do you have a cold?"

Data turned around and faced the youth, "A cold what?"

Wesley stifled a grin, sometimes, it was hard to remember that Data hadn't mastered humor, some of the things he said were hysterical. "It's a disease my mother says people used to get. It made them sneeze."

"Ah, yes," Data nodded. "But humans still sneeze for other reasons and I cannot seem to do it right." "Please observe. AHH, AHH, CHOOOO."

"Um, well, maybe it sounds artificial because it is?" Wesley offered. "Anyway, how can you be practicing sneezing when you're arriving for the first time at your home planet? Aren't you interested in that?"

"More than interested. Fascinated. One might say agog. But I find sneezing interesting also," the android answered dispassionately.

"Maybe you should save sneezing for later?" Wesley offered with a smile.

"Agreed." With a nod of the head, Data headed towards the bridge and a fateful meeting with someone that would change his life forever.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"We're in standard orbit, Captain." Geordi turned to the viewer, "Not a very hospitable looking place is it," he nodded at the brownish mass.

Tasha looked over her console, "Confirming Class M readings but the sensors aren't showing any life readings." She frowned, "None Sir, not even vegetation."

The Captain stood and walked towards the wall screen. "Strange. The cruiser that found Data reported farmland here." From what they could see, the surface looked utterly barren... desolate.

The turbolift door opened with a whoosh. Data and Wesley emerged at a brisk pace. Riker smiled, "Mister Data, would you like to take the helm?"

No, thank you, Sir." Everyone turned to look at the android crew member. Data walked forward, staring at the viewer. The planet filled the screen before him. His expression remained placid. He turned back, taking a seat in the command area.

Riker motioned to Wesley to take the helm. "I'm surprised. I thought you'd want to be out in front on this."

"I believe, I would like to... contemplate for a moment."

Picard walked up behind Geordi, "Continue on into close parking orbit."

"Aye, sir."

"I could say, home sweet home, Sir," Data offered. "If I understood how the word sweet applies."

"It usually refers to memories. You have good memories that make you nostalgic for home." Picard watched his mechanical crew member for a sign that he understood. "Make sense?"

"But usually one's own memories," Riker offered. "Do the memories you were given include farmlands?"

Data cocked his head, "Affirmative Sir, Turning soil, seeding, harvesting but the colony's principal interest was scientific. The farms were for self-sufficiency sake."

"Yes, there was quite a collection of scientists there, some even quite infamous," Picard noted.

"Data, I don't understand how you can hold the memories of four hundred eleven people," Tasha asked. "If that means every experience, every day they lived..."

"It does not, unfortunately. It means only some of the knowledge they had accumulated. Actually, I am quite deficient in some basic human information. Sneezing, for example."

"Sneezing?" Picard questioned.

Wesley snickered lightly then turned pink when the captain gave him a look.

"Sir, we've reached close parking orbit," Geordi stated.

"Mister Riker, assemble your away team." Picard looked around the bridge. "This is an exciting moment for you, Commander Data. I'm tempted to lead the away team down myself," Picard smiled at him. "Except my first officer would most certainly object..."

"How would Starfleet judge me if I didn't, sir? An entire colony disappeared down there." Riker gestured around the bridge, "Mister Worf, Mister LaForge, Lt. Yar, you're with us."

"You have no memory at all of what happened to them?" Worf growled at Data.

"My final memory is of great danger, something sudden and not understood... then nothing. The colonists were gone."

As they entered the turbolift, Picard called out, "Welcome home, Mister Data."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

A shimmering light like millions of flickering fireflies swirled and danced in a circle on the ground before coalescing into the away team. Each member was highly trained for surface missions to alien worlds and each quickly went into action before the last glitter faded.

Lt. Worf began scouting the perimeter of their landing site, looking for anything that could present a danger to the team. Lt. Yar pulled the tricorder from her belt and began a scan of the surface, checking temperature, atmospheric content and the like. Geordi kneelt down and scooped up a handful of soil, his visor breaking down it constituents. They were a crew to be proud of, thought Riker.

"Recording signal now locked onto the Enterprise, Sir.

Riker looked across the barren landscape. There were the skeletons of trees and other plant-life but they were all brittle and gray. He reached out and snapped a small branch between his fingers. "It doesn't look like anything grows here. At least, not anymore."

"The soil's completely lifeless, Commander. No microbes, nothing."

"How is that possible? This is the exact position listed in the Tripoli log," he turned to Data. "Do you recognize anything?"

"The land contours are familiar, Sir. Topographically, this is the correct area."

Geordi crumbled the soil in his fingers then brought it to his nose. "Dead." He let the particles fall between his fingers like sand. "Completely dead."

"This was once rich soil but now..."

Riker turned. "How do you know?"

"There's still plant cellulose in the soil but it's not recent. I would guess that it's been twenty to thirty years since there was any organic material added to this soil."

"I was discovered twenty six years ago," Data offered.

It was an ominous reminder.

"The Tripoli log stated that all plant life appeared brown and "dormant." They just assumed it was normal for that season."

"Nothing normal about this," Geordi offered.

Data looked out across the rocky crag to the West. "I believe I see something." He began walking toward a narrow ledge leading down into a depression. "Twenty meters in this direction, sir."

Riker nodded, "Let's take a look, shall we?"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

As they trekked down the path, Lt. Yar walked along side Data. "Any idea at all why you were given the colonists' memories. I mean, is that normal?"

"I am afraid I do not have the proper context for what would be considered normal in this situation." Data stopped up short.

"What is it?" Tasha peered around his shoulder.

A small rectangular depression was visible in the rock. The away team crowded around it, trying to get a better look. "This is where the cruiser's landing party found the signaling device that had led them to the planet." He walked over to a flattened slab of rock, "And they found me lying there, sir."

"You were just lying out in the open? No protection... no instructions?"

Data shook his head, "Only a layer of dust." The android laid his hand on the stone. If he had been human, the gesture would have seemed wistful.

"This is underwhelming," Worf noted in his gruff tones.

Data blew the dust from his hand, "I tend to agree."

Geordi walked around the rock, viewing it from every side. "But that can't be the extent of it. How can we solve the mystery with just a rock and a planet full of dust?"

"What is the first thing you remember, Data?"

The android canted his head, "Opening my eyes and finding myself looking into the eyes of the Tripoli landing party, sir. They believed that the signal device sensed their presence, and activated me.

Tasha stood next to Data. "Then this very spot was your birthplace..."

"But not at all like a human birth. I knew immediately how to speak, who I was, where I was... and I had the colonist's memories."

"You were born and became fully self-aware at the same instant!"

"I had no idea that was unusual, of course."

"I think I've got it, Sir! I understand what happened." Geordi moved around to the rock face behind where Data was found, laid out. He touched the side of his visor and examined the stone face carefully. "It's really very cleverly concealed to make this appear like a natural hollow in the terrain. But it was done hurriedly... as if to hide something."

"Yes, that makes sense. There was a sense of urgency, even panic amongst the colonists. It was this fear of being discovered that led to their storing information in me. More memories are becoming accessible, this is fascinating. Please continue."

Geordi ran his hand along the surface of the stone, "Right here, there's an impression." He pushed his finger along the imperfection. There was a whir and a click as the wall shuddered opened, revealing a tunnel. A series of lights began flashing on, one by one.

Worf stepped forward, his phaser in hand.

Tasha pointed her tricorder towards the opening, "No life signs in there, either."

The away team looked to Commander Riker. "I don't think we can turn back now." Riker nodded to Worf and Tasha. Tasha belted her tricorder and put her phaser in hand. They flanked the team as they moved forward. "Everyone watch yourselves. We don't know what to expect."

The corridor curved to the right as they walked. The incline indicating that they were slowly moving downwards. The walls were smooth, too smooth to be a natural occurrence. Someone had constructed the tunnel and whatever lay beyond. As they rounded another bend, the tunnel dead-ended in a sliding metal door. There was a standard looking sensor plate on the wall next to it.

"Data, would you do the honors." Riker gestured him forward.

The android reached out and activated the panel.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

The lab was filled with sophisticated equipment, not all of which was easy to identify. Lt. Yar and Worf spread out around the perimeter of the rooms and began sweeping for possible dangers.

Riker whistled, "Extremely well-equipped." He turned to Data, "Does this place stir any memories?"

"Only vague impressions of some of my functions being tested here."

"Then this is the place where you were really born."

Data looked thoughtful, "That may be the case." He was quickly distracted by what appeared to be sheets of paper stuck to the wall. "What are these?"

Riker came over to look. "They look like children's drawings. Parents often display their children's art works," he explained.

"Kinda creepy art work," Geordi noted. The images were of a huge spiked formation in the air above some tiny people that seemed to be fleeing from it in terror.

"This is familiar in some way. Like I should know what this image represents." Data studied the images for a moment more then turned and walked around the equipment. He stopped and picked a small intricate tool. "I have an impression that this was Doctor Soong's laboratory."

"You don't mean Doctor Noonien Soong?" Geordi gasped.

"Yes, that was what he was called here although his memories indicate that he traveled here under a different name."

"Doctor Noonien Soong, my friend, just happens to have been Earth's foremost scientist in the field of robotics."

"Until he tried to make a sentient machine."

"The positronic brain, he promised it would do so much. When it completely failed, Doctor Soong disappeared. Now we know where he went... and why. Let's take a close look at this lab." Riker motioned to Tasha and Worf, "You and Lieutenant Worf reconnoiter the rest of the corridors. Find out where they lead."

"Aye, Sir."

"There seem to be many items here related to android construction. I recognize many of these. They are specially constructed, very specific to my design."

"What's this?" Riker moved around the large lab table to what appeared to be a compartment inset into the wall. The controls were set to the side just as they had been on the outer door to the lab. "Well, what do you say we see what's behind door number two." Riker pressed the pad and the seal split open with a hum.

Inside the compartment was a human shaped pod tilted up on its end. Geordi rushed over with Data at his side. "Stasis chamber?" Next to the chamber were more tools and parts. Data hesitantly reached over and extracted a mold for a face. He pressed it against his own visage. It fit perfectly.

"An epidermal mold, I'd guess. Made to give your exterior the desired finish."

"Lieutenant Yar to Commander Riker." Tasha's voice came over the com.

Riker reached up and touched his insignia. "Come in, Lieutenant."

"Sir, we've searched the whole installation. It's empty."

"Thank you, Lieutenant. Complete your scans, then report back here."

Geordi scanned the control panel, calling up schematics and tech sheets. "Sir, you're not going to believe this but I think these are Doctor Soong's files on the construction and operation of..." he turned to Data. "Well, of, an android."

Riker looked over at the pod and then motioned to the control panel. "Go ahead, Geordi."

The engineer's fingers flew over the controls. "It's asking for an access code. Hmm. This will take a while to crack."

Data stepped forward, "Try Gemini."

Geordi looked at Data, "A hunch?"

"A memory."

Geordi entered the code and the pod seal broke with a hiss of compressed gas. As the gas cleared, Geordi gasped and took a step back. "Data, it's you!"

There, lying unmoving within the pod was a body, Data's body.

"How many Data(s) are there?" Riker asked with a stunned voice. Then he seemed to think better of the comment. "I mean, of course, obviously, that isn't you."

"What if there are more of these?" Geordi ran his hand along the side of the pod.

Riker tapped his communicator, Riker to Worf. "Did you or Tasha come across any stasis chambers or pods?"

"Worf here. No, sir. Nothing like that."

"Data, you have no memories of any of this?" Riker motioned, "Of it?"

Data's eyes began to shift left to right in rapid succession. "There is nothing." His attention was drawn back to the form inside the pod. "He needs to be activated."

"He? Data we don't know that this," Riker motioned towards the body, "Could become "alive"."

"It is of great interest to me to find out, sir. I never considered it possible that there might be another like me. Now that I know it is possible, I would like to pursue the connection."

"I understand. We'll take it back to the ship, of course."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Captain, I have a subspace reply to your request. Starfleet considers it vital we begin our ship's computer upgrade at Starbase Armus Nine on schedule."

"Damn," Picard muttered under his breath. Why would they turn down a legitimate request for a delay? Surely, they could see the value in continuing to investigate the disappearance of the Omicron Theta colony, not to mention what they had found in the robotics lab.

"Sir... you did ask for the kind of computer upgrades that only the Bynars can complete and they're only available at this time," Wesley reminded.

Picard's eyes narrowed then he snapped an order at Riker, "Then, get us there on schedule, Number One." If there was one thing that he loved, it was a mystery. The disappearance of the colonists had been researched many times over the last twenty seven years and nothing conclusive had ever been found. They were simply gone... and the planet had died. That was more than suspicious. Even after all this time, the families had the right to some kind of closure. Picard thought to what they had brought on board and considered that maybe they would have some answers now.

Riker ordered, "Take us out of orbit, Mister LaForge."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Captain's log, Stardate 41242.45. Despite having only a few hours in which to explore Data's home planet, we have discovered something which may explain Data's beginnings... and perhaps can explain what happened to the Omicron Theta colony, if we can properly activate and communicate with what we've found.

Doctor Crusher again looked over the schematics. "Well, if I'm reading this correctly, it looks like the positronic net is offline and the connections here," she pointed, "And here, have been disconnected."

Data stood at the end of the table watching with rapt attention as Chief Engineer Argyle and Chief Medical Officer Crusher looked over the technical specs one last time.

"I tend to agree. We need to open the neck here," he pointed to the back of the neck, "Replace the connections here, here, and here. Then it should just be a matter of rebooting the positronic net. That'll be the hard part."

Beverly looked over to where Data hovered. She knew he wasn't supposed to be capable of things like hope and longing but that's exactly what she saw reflected in his eyes now. "Aren't you supposed to be in the debriefing," she asked gently.

"I have been anxious to hear your prognosis, Chief Engineer. Do you believe he can be made functional?"

"I've seen nothing here that indicates any catastrophic failure. There are a few overloads in some of its systems and reconnecting the power to its neural net will be tricky but nothing I don't think we can handle. But please, be aware, Commander that we really don't understand how your positronic net functions, if there was a failure in its brain..."

"I understand."

Argyle hesitantly offered, "One more thing, um, without disassembling your internal systems, of course... if we get stuck, it would really help us if we could take a look at a functioning android..."

Data looks down at the figure on the table then nodded once in the affirmative and walked out the door.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

The stars flashed by in the windows of the conference room. The command crew sat rather uncomfortably around the table. Each lost to their own thoughts about what had happened on the planet. The pictures found on the lab walls spread out on the gleaming tabletop.

"Bringing it up here was the right thing to do, of course, Number One. We..."

The door opened, Data strode in, and found his place at the table.

"Mister Data, I was just saying that if your counterpart functions, it might answer a lot of questions for us." You could cut the obvious tension with a knife.

Even with his limited social and emotional abilities, Data recognized the awkward atmosphere but was unsure what to do to alleviate it. "I am hopeful, yes."

"Does anyone have any questions for Mister Data?" Picard looked around the table.

"It appears to be an exact... copy of you."

"Physically, that appears to the case; however, Chief Engineer Argyle has found some distinct differences in his positronic net."

"What kind of differences?" That caught the Captain's attention.

"There appears to be a more complex structure of neural connections. It seems to be related to some sub-programming that the Chief has been unable to access."

"So it may not function in the same way that you do?"

"That is a possibility. It will depend on what the sub-routines are used for."

Geordi started, "How are the... repairs... progressing? Will we just... turn it on?"

Data paused and looked to each crew member, "May I just say that your continued use of the term "it" to describe him suggests that he is somehow a thing and by association, myself as well."

Geordi looked aghast, "Data, I'm sorry I didn't mean..."

"All right, all right..." Picard held up his hand. "You're absolutely right. That was a poor choice of words on our parts. My apologies as well. Let me just say this, legitimate questions about this need not be asked apologetically. Data, I think it's fair to say that you're uncomfortable about aspects of your duplicate, as are we, but none of it for any logical reason. We know you're as alive as any of us."

He took a deep breath and looked around the table, "If we find it awkward to be reminded that Data is a machine, we should remember that we are merely a different variety of machine. In our case, eletro-chemical in nature. Let's handle this as we would anything else."

Riker grinned, "Agreed." He rapped his knuckles on the table.

"Data, let's start with you. You must have had many questions over the years?"

"That is true. One of the first questions that I asked after I was found and activated was, who created me and why was I given human form?"

Geordi looked thoughtful, "To make it easier for humans to relate to you?

"Possibly," Data considered. "It stands to reason that if I am based on a human template then my creator must have been human. Now, of course, that has been confirmed."

"Yes, you couldn't have a better pedigree that Doctor Noonien Soong. His theories concerning artificial intelligence are still revolutionary."

"I think the big question for me is still what happened to the colonists?" Picard picked up one of the drawings. "This could simply be a child's imagination or something much more sinister."

"Given how many of those we found, how likely is it that they were drawing those from imagination and not actuality?" Riker offered.

The com signaled, "Doctor Crusher to Captain Picard. We could use Data's help here in the lab."

Picard nodded to Data, "He's on his way."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Data watched from the corner as the medical team readied his counterpart. The procedure should restore normal function, providing that his neural net had not been compromised. If this worked, there would be another of his kind, a functional android. Data thought that if he were capable of feeling happiness then that is what he would feel at this moment.

Data motioned to the doctor, "A moment?"

"Yes, Data?" Beverly smiled comfortingly as she approached.

"There is a possibility that his neural net might not re-boot automatically. If that is the case there is another way to activate him." Taking her hand, Data brought it around to his lower back. "Press your fingers along here until you feel an area that has less resistance to it than the rest. It should feel like a slot."

Beverly slid her hand up and back. "Yes, I think, I see what you mean. There's a narrow indentation, there, under the skin. What is that?"

"A major power conduit runs along my spine. The slot is a failsafe. Should I ever need external power for whatever reason or should energy need to be bled off to prevent an overload, it can safely be accessed or dispersed at that location."

"Seems Doctor Soong thought of everything." Beverly pressed her fingers all around the area.

"You need only apply a small electrical current into the opening to affect a manual reboot."

Beverly patted Data on the arm, "He'll do just fine. Don't worry."

Data canted his head, "I am not capable of worry, Doctor."

The chief engineer turned off the monitor. "Well, it looks like we're as ready as we're ever going to be," Argyle announced. "Are you certain about these heating devices, Data?"

Data took the high temp heat molders and examined them. "Yes, this should join the skin where the incision was made. If there is any blemish, I have extra skin compound that can be used to melt into the wound. I doubt it will be necessary however as my artificial skin is quite resilient."

Beverly gave him a worried look, "Will you feel anything?"

"I will feel nothing at all. I can shut down my pain responses."

"So you do feel pain," the doctor was now frowning.

"It is fine, I assure you. It is not pain in the human sense. It is merely a sensation alerting me that there is an issue that needs to be attended to."

Beverly chuckled and shook her head, "Data, that is the definition of pain."

Data lips quirked up very slightly. "Hm."

"I'm certainly glad we can compare the connections to the positronic net with yours. It should make this a lot simpler," Argyle wiped down his hands "Excuse me, I need to check one more thing and then we should be ready to start."

"I would have preferred to do the procedure myself, but considering the complexity of the connections, I believe allowing you access to my internal structure for a template will give him the best chance."

Beverly ran her hands under a sterilizing beam. "If there's any way we can make this happen for you we will, Data. Family is the most important thing in the universe."

"Family, Doctor?"

"Yes," Beverly motioned to the surgical table where the android now lay. "Your brother," she smiled.

"Brother," Data breathed with wonder.

o-o-o—o-o-o-o-o-o

The androids lie side by side, each table monitoring their every function. Neither was moving but Data's eyes were open and watching the proceedings with curiosity. He could feel the exposed circuitry at the back of his neck. There is no pain, just as he said, but the sensation was one that he interpreted as "itchy." It made him uncomfortable.

"All right, people. Let's get this right the first time." They turned his counterpart to the side, facing him. The engineer made an incision along the back of the neck and down between the shoulder blades. He nodded to Crusher, who handed him a spreader. "Notice the micro fiber connections here and here." He pointed. "We need to watch those closely."

"You might find it advantageous to use the micro filament enhancer on the neural bundles near the brain stem."

"We're doing fine, Data. We just need you to stay quiet," Beverly smiled gently.

"Yes, Doctor, of course. I merely thought that I could assist..."

"Data," the Doctor pressed a finger to her lips.

"That appears to be a fibroid connection, there..." The work continued for about an hour before Beverly finally looked over to Data and smiled. "Let's close up."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Picard and Riker strode toward sickbay. "I'm just glad everything went well. I think this could be good for Data. You know, having someone around that's like you."

"You and I both, Number one. As for being just alike... I guess we'll see."

Picard and Riker entered sickbay to find everyone congratulating each other, "Ah, Mister Data, you're already up and around."

"Yes, sir. I was basically just a living template so they could compare the systems once they came back online. It only required me to be still and quiet, which, oddly enough, was a challenge for me."

Riker chuckled softly, "Not so odd, Data."

"Is he awake then?" Picard queried.

"Not yet," Beverly responded. "I thought you might want to be present."

"Thank you, yes I would."

Argyle acknowledged his captain with a smile. "It went well. We were just getting ready to reboot his systems."

Beverly picked up a small current modulator. "Here we go."

They all stood in tense silence as the doctor reached down along the android's lower back and applied the charge. Beverly stepped back and watched with rapt attention...but nothing happened. She looked over at Data.

All eyes turned to him. "Do not be concerned. It may take several minutes for diagnostics to run before he activates. His neural net has been inactive for quite a bit of time."

Riker walked over to the bio-bed and looked down. "It's uncanny isn't it? They're identical."

Picard frowned, "Perhaps." He examined the sleeping face. "I wonder which of them was created first?"

The android opened his yellow eyes, "He was."

Data pressed forward, staring at his brother with something akin to awe on his face.

The smooth voice continued, "But he was found to be imperfect. So I was created to replace him." He smiled, "You may call me, Lore."

NOTES:

Please note that I have taken certain events out of the canon time line and moved them around. I have also replaced some elements of the original episode. I'm sorry but a facial tic to tell them apart is just lame. And its not sound engineering that an android would be constructed in "pop-a-part" pieces. But I didn't call this an AU because I felt it sticks to the canon enough not to be AU. If you disagree please let me know. I've also tried to watch Data's speech carefully but the story's not beta'd so if you happen to see any contractions please feel free to point them out. I have ten or so chapters uploaded so I'll probably post them every weekday or every other weekday.