Author's Note: Redoing the first chapter. I didn't like where the first draft was going.
This story is supposed to take place after Data gets his emotion chip in Generations. No specific dates otherwise.
Data and Captain Picard were walking towards transporter room 3.
"I can't believe headquarters is sending along anyone on this mission, let alone a civilian. Chiron is a notoriously dangerous and war-torn planet. What possible purpose could someone with no military training have there?" Picard asked Data, somewhat rhetorically.
"Perhaps our guest does have military training. A warrior of some sort that Starfleet is sending in surreptitiously?" Data responded.
"That's exactly what I was insinuating." Picard said just as they were entering the transporter room. Riker and Worf were already there.
"Is the party ready to beam aboard?" Picard asked O'Brien.
"Aye sir, but there's only one." O'Brien corrected. Picard looked at him in surprise.
"Very well, energize."
The beam started up.
"Only one?" Riker asked quietly. The idea was puzzling. Who would be going to Chiron unaccompanied?
A young woman materialized in the beam. Her skin was very pale, her ears were pointed, and her eyes were a solid milky blue, all appearances coinciding with a Chironian. Her hair was auburn and brushed her shoulders pinned back as it was. She wore a simple ankle-length dress with a squared neckline and she appeared to be barefoot.
"Hello Captain Picard." She said formally. "My name is Alana Mortissiana." She stepped off the platform - confirming that she was in fact barefoot. She walked up to him, put her feet together and her hands behind her back in a rather cheerful manner. "I believe you'll be escorting me to Chiron?"
The group looked at one another in confusion before looking back at her.
If this were an episode the theme song would go here.
Picard sat down behind the desk in his ready room and motioned for Alana to sit down. She smiled and smoothed the back of her skirt as she sat down.
"Now then, Miss Alana..." Picard started. "Would you care for something to drink?" He asked, gesturing towards the replicator.
"No thank you captain. You wanted to see me about something?" Alana responded. Picard nodded.
"Yes. Miss Alana..." Picard knitted his fingers and leaned on the desk. "If I may ask, why are you going to Chiron?"
"I am Chironian." Alana explained, as if that was enough.
"Thousands of Chironians leave Chiron every year as refugees. They don't feel the need to go back." Picard countered.
"That's true." Alana conceded. "But I'm not them."
"Clearly not, but you haven't really answered my question." Picard pointed out.
Alana sighed.
"With all due respect Captain, I've been advised to keep my business as private as possible. If Starfleet hasn't saw fit to inform you, then... I don't think I should either." Alana said seriously.
Picard sighed.
"I cannot, in good conscious, deliver someone barely older than a child into a war, alone, without knowing why." Picard insisted. Alana stood up calmly at that.
"Captain Picard, I know I'm young but being condescending about it won't help. If you can't do this assignment in good conscious, or in fact at all, then feel free to send me and the supplies going to the Chironian system back to the base and Starfleet will assign another ship to do the job. If you must know more about it then feel free to contact Headquarters and maybe they'll concede to tell you more. However, as this mission is a highly sensitive one the only security measure I've been given is to keep quiet and I intend to. For my safety as well as yours." Alana finished this small speech with a huff. She sat down again, looking a bit sheepish.
Picard stared at her intently for a moment.
"You haven't been shown to your quarters yet. I'll have Commander Data escort you." Picard stood up and pushed his chair in. He hit his com badge.
"Captain Picard to Commander Data, may I see you in my ready room?"
"Aye sir." Came Data's voice from the communicator.
Alana stood up as Commander Data came into the room.
"Commander Data, will you please escort Miss Alana to her quarters?" Captain Picard ordered.
"Yes sir." Data replied. "This way Miss Alana." Alana went over to the door where Data was waiting.
"Oh, and Miss Alana." Picard added. Alana turned back to him. "It's regulation that we wear shoes while traversing the ship. If you'd be so kind as to follow them?"
Alana looked down at her feet and wriggled her toes a little. She smirked a little and looked up again.
"Yes sir."
Author's Note: This story spawned mostly out of love for Data. He's adorable isn't he? No promises on what sort of story it'll turn out to be as I'm a fairly crappy writer.