In Sickbay, Dr. Crusher examines me and Worf while Doctor Bashir examines Odo. Odo is a Changeling, also called a shape shifter. So little is known about the Changelings, even Odo doesn't know all of his own history. Bashir, being among those that knew him personally, examines him after away missions.

Data leans casually against a wall. One of his feet is propped up against the wall and his arms are folded. I stare at the android in confusion.

Since when did he get so casual? I wonder almost allowed.

"Tylin, I need you to sit back." Dr. Crusher asks politely. I slowly obey and lean back on the table, mouth slightly ajar.

Once the examination is done, I walk down to engineering with Data to check if there were effects, if any, by the zap of Lore's phaser. What surprises me is that Data's demeanor changes the second I stand up from the table. He hasn't noticed my cautious state or questioned my expressions of worry. I take a mental step back, noting that there wouldn't be any specific reason for him to notice. It was my duty to observe him. Not the other way around.

Lieutenant Commander Geordi LaForge lifts a patch of hair on Data's head that leads to his pozotronic brain. He scans the area with a tricorder and a sonic device. He looks back and forth between the positioning of his hands to the computer that spits out numbers.

"Whatever Lore did, it seems to be ineffective to your systems." Geordi says.

Picard calls the senior staff, and me, to the bridge: we were heading to Starbase 613. I smile slightly at the irony of the unlucky number in its title.

"We'd better be careful. I've been hearing that Starbase 613 is haunted," smiles Riker. It's good to have a sense of humor on the Enterprise. Things could get a little depressing after a long journey across the stars. Most everyone on the bridge smiles at Riker's comment. The only giggle that's heard comes from the tactical station. Crew members look around at each other in confusion to who's laughing. My eyes widen as I realize that the laugh is coming from Data. He smiles and shakes his head briefly while looking over the board. Picard and Riker have their mouths open slightly. Lieutenant Jadzia Dax, a Trill and third in command from Deep Space Nine, opens her mouth to speak to mostly herself but to me.

"Ahem, correct me if I'm wrong, Lieutenant, but I thought Data didn't have emotions?" I still have my mouth open. Dumbfounded, I say nothing. Riker's eyebrows are raised. He's known Data for seven years and he had not once laughed at any of his jokes until now.

"Data, are you chuckling…?"

"That was a good one, Commander." Data says. He had stops laughing but is half smiling. I slowly bring out my PADD and type a brief note onto it.

Has he acquired emotions through the ion bead? I think it extremely improbable but don't rule any possibility out. I furrow my brow, rub my eyes, and look at Data again to confirm that my eyes aren't playing tricks on me. Data really is smiling in humor.

He continues to work on the consol with a slight smile. Geordi slowly turns his head to address Picard.

"Captain? I'd like to take a look at Data to run further diagnostics on his new… development."

"Granted," says Picard almost immediately. "Have Lieutenant Blayk oversee your work." I jerk out of my trance at the mention of my name. Geordi says he'll be in Data's quarters shortly and tells us to meet in Data's quarters.

"Yes, sir," I acknowledge, my voice barely audible. What's left of Data's smirk has completely melted by the time he follows me into the turbo lift. After a short and awkward silence, Data cocks his head.

"Might I inquire what is the matter, Tylin?" there's a strong hint of concern in his voice that wasn't there before. I type another comment into my PADD then realize that the android is directly addressing me.

"Oh, I'm just a little tired is all," I say pretending to rub my eyes. Data doesn't seem to be fully convinced but he lets the subject drop. I suddenly become dizzy. I feel myself falling. A strong pair of arms holds me steady.

"I must insist you go to sick bay," Data says, his voice more urgent.

"No, no. I'm fine, Data. Thank you." I stand up straight and make sure to not lock my knees.

The lift doors open to an empty corridor. Data keeps a hand on my shoulder. I mentally note that he wouldn't have kept the physical contact before the installation of that bead.

"Well," Geordi says, "I'm not seeing any growth on your brain from the shock."

Data is lying on a table in his quarters. Geordi is standing over the android prodding his brain. I sit behind a console in the back of the room making notes. Geordi sees a slight glow emanating from Data's wrist. A normal person with normal vision wouldn't have caught this. Using a pair of tweezers, he lifts the bio-plast skin from a nearly invisible seam in Data's arm. A neon green light flashing lies in the middle of the complex circuitry. I stand up and observe the bead.

"That's new, isn't it?"

"Yeah, but I have no idea how it got there." Geordi says, sounding confused.

"Maybe the shock Data received was a transfer. Lore seems to have been experimenting with teleportation." I suggest. Geordi nods thoughtfully. Data has been still and silent throughout the procedure. There's an elevated wave interfacing on the digital console, so he is actively thinking.

Maybe more than usual… I mentally observe.

"This must be the main source of your subtle sense of humor, Data. There's nothing else to suggest otherwise. All your pozotronic functions are normal." Geordi slides his finger over the VISOR as if to rub it thoughtfully or perhaps with irritation and confusion. "He seems to be more human."

"Well yeah, anyone can become more sentient with emotions." I say. LaForge pulls out his tricorder. He gapes slowly

"I'm getting life readings. From Data, I mean." I stop dead in my thoughts.

There's no way!

"There's me, Tylin, Spot—" Geordi starts. At that moment, the orange tabby jumps up onto Data's chest. Data picks his head up to look at his cat. He smiles. I make another note in the PADD. Spot flexes her paws sleepily. LaForge seems not to notice. I pick up the cat and scratch her under her chin. Spot purrs gratefully. She doesn't like many people besides me and Data. With my free hand I cover my mouth with a fist. My eyebrows are furrowed and eyes are wide. Data raises his own eyebrows.

"Your expression, Tylin, suggests that you are frightened. Might I inquire as to your reasoning?"

While he was lying on the table lost in his own thoughts and his fellow officers were chatting, he'd noticed that since the strange green bead was added, his mind began to wander. He needed to get it under control. What he then decided was that it was just as much his job to observe and note Tylin as it was for her to watch him. He convinces himself to keep that to himself, but couldn't help seeing and wondering about Tylin's expressions.

I look into the androids brilliant golden eyes. My gut feeling was that my position is at stake. If Data is human, why write everything down when the job description was "Android Expert"? I immediately throw the idea out of my head as it could just as obviously mean a progression of my status. Other than that, I don't understand what is so concerning. In spite of this I ignore Data's question.

"How?" I ask Geordi instead.

"I'm not 100 percent sure, but I think it's another result of EMOTION. It makes the most logical sense." He says. I attempt to ignore the Vulcan quote.

"Blayk, Data, and LaForge, report to the observation room." Riker calls on the overhead comm. Geordi shrugs. Data sits up quickly and replaces the hairpiece covering the pozotronic network while Geordi replaces the skin of Data's arm. I set Spot down and we leave Data's quarters.