B-4 had hesitated when asked his name in the lab. While his identification was stored in his programming, it was something he'd never accessed before. The Romulan cyberneticists who'd studied him referred to him as the android or simply "it." There was one who called him "he," and he considered her better than the others. She would at least turn him off before separating important systems from his interior. B-4 couldn't feel pain, but he knew when parts of him were removed and had to suffer the loss of them in his own way. Even something as relatively unimportant as his breathing apparatus, when ripped from him without warning, sent his inferior positronic brain into shock as it tried and failed to locate the lost system and compensate for it.
On Remus, B-4 was called "machine" or other, more colorful names, but B-4 had never understood how he could be an act of procreation, much less a stupid one. Didn't that occur during inebriation? That question got him a solid strike to the forearm from a Reman carrying metal supports that crushed the plates and several of the systems underneath. When he insisted on stopping to fix it, the Romulan overseers removed it for the rest of the day, and yet became upset when he couldn't keep up his workload.
The arm that now flexed beautifully, no indication it had ever been damaged. Any passing him in the corridor would think him more fascinated with it than any destination, but he reached it without issue all the same.
He'd never been to the captain's personal quarters, but Data knew where it was and its layout, and thus so did he. B-4 hesitated at the door. He should wait until later, speaking with the captain in his quarters seemed wrong, like he was overstepping a boundary. He didn't belong here, after all.
Four months, two weeks, one day and sixteen hours, twenty-four minutes and twelve seconds. He'd been on the Enterprise long enough.
During that time, he developed a smoother speech and increased cognitive awareness. Even Geordi had congratulated him on that, to which B-4 had replied that he was merely pulling dialogue from Data's memories and replacing the words as necessary. Judging by the look Geordi had given him, he should have just followed human etiquette and said "thank you." On the rare occasion he came up with his own thoughts and tried to express them, his speech slowed and stumbled as it always had. It was…was…
Frustrating, Data whispered.
Yes, that worked. Thank you.
You are welcome. Are we going to see the captain or just employ new residence in the corridor?
B-4 stopped. This was certainly a new development.
Captain Picard looked up from his book at the sound of the door chime. It was late, not so much so that any social call would be rude, but he still wasn't expecting anyone.
"Come," he called, setting his book aside.
The door slid open and B-4 stuck his head in, surveying the room before entering. It was one of his habits Picard had come to expect. After that, he deviated from his norms and walked in with all the confidence in his step as his late brother. It was perturbing, but Picard found it in himself to be happy for the android's breakthrough. His progress had grown by leaps and bounds during the last several months, and Picard had to wonder how much of that was Data's influence or B-4's own untapped potential.
"Good evening, sir. Am I disturbing you?" B-4 asked politely, pausing an appropriate distance from the starship captain. He even stood like Data.
"Not at all, B-4. Please sit, what can I do for you?"
B-4 hesitated. "Sir, I request to be dropped off at the nearest starbase when convenient."
That was not at all what Picard had expected, and something inside him cried "no!" For all that the android was a painful reminder of Data, he carried his memories. He was something left behind by an excellent officer and dear friend. Picard supposed it was a control issue; Data's death was sudden, and B-4's presence allowed the captain to decide when closure would occur. And now B-4 was taking that choice from him. It was almost humorous.
Well, good for him.
B-4 misread Picard's silence and continued. "I am grateful for all that you have done for me, sir, for what the crew has done. But I…I am…I need…" He began tapping his head with the heel of his hand. No one was sure where he'd developed this trait, or how he could possibly consider it would aid in his thinking process. Something across the room caught his eye and he stopped as he lost his train of thought entirely.
"B-4," Picard began and wait until he had the android's attention again, "have you thought about what you're going to do?"
"I will manage."
"I see. You should know I received a communication from the Daystrom Institute with a proposal for you."
"They wish to disassemble me."
"Nothing so drastic. You are the last functioning Soong-type android, and they wish to study your functions and compare it with what they've learned from Lore. You would not be disassembled or deactivated and they would take care of you."
B-4 studied the captain a moment, uncertain. "I have a choice?"
"Always. You have the same rights as your brother; you do not have to do anything you do not wish to."
"I see," he thought a moment before shaking his head, "No, I must refuse. There are other things to be done…"
That piqued Picard's interest. "So you do have a plan?"
"No definite plan as of yet, but a goal."
"Oh?"
"Redemption."
Picard was shocked, had they underestimated B-4 so badly as to not realize he understood the concept? Worse, the android was watching him with such a look of intensity he hadn't seen since before Data finished off the Borg Queen. Even now the memory sent a stray chill up his spine.
"B-4, what could you have possibly done that requires you to redeem yourself?"
"I participated in events that led to my brother's death."
"You couldn't have known…"
"Stop forgiving my ignorance!" B-4 snapped, hands tightened into fists, "That is all anyone tells me, as though I am not responsible for my actions! As though I am not aware!" He paused and relaxed, his head dropping in remorse.
Picard regarded the android in silence. That was definitely not Data, just then.
"I am…sorry, sir."
"B-4, your ignorance aside, you were programmed. You had no control of your actions."
"I know, it is just that…Shinzon was never unkind to me. After his rebellion on Remus, he tried to appeal to me, despite my being a machine."
We're very alike, you and I. Both cast aside to waste our lives here. But your life will not end, surely you want something better?
Except that B-4 had just ended up disassembled and scattered on a distant planet.
"You followed him willingly."
"I lied when I said I had no memories prior to the planet where you found me, as Shinzon had ordered. He was the closest thing I had ever had to a companion. I was a human face for him to talk to, non-judging and repeating nothing. He would tell me many things, but never of his plans." He hesitated, unsure how to phrase his next words. "Sir, there was…quite a bit of you in him and…"
"That's enough." This was a conversation Picard did not want to have, especially not with B-4. The two sat in silence a moment, Picard in thought and B-4 wondering what he could ever say.
"I would have taken his place, sir."
Picard did not have to ask who he meant. "I know, B-4. You may go, we should be passing near a starbase in a few days."
"Yes sir. Thank you." B-4 rose and moved toward the door, but he paused in the entryway and turned back. "I…do not want you to think badly of me, sir. Whatever you may hear, know I do it for the greater good." And then he was gone.
The door slid shut and Picard found himself staring at the empty entryway. For the greater good? When had that ever meant what the speaker intended?
While Geordi had made it a point to avoid B-4 for the most part, he felt it wrong that Data's brother should leave without someone there to see him off. Sure enough, aside from the ensign at the controls, he was the only one in the transporter room. B-4 certainly looked surprised to see him when he arrived, his aura flickering at the edges.
He had to give the android credit; he'd progressed amazingly over the months, not only in his speech and reasoning, but in the most important way that only Geordi could see. When they'd found B-4, his aura had been little more than a thin halo surrounding him, dwarfed by Data's presence. But lately, it had grown and brightened, though it was still barely half the size of either Data's or Lore's.
"Hello, Geordi. Did you have need of the transporter?" B-4 set down the satchel he was carrying, and Geordi briefly wondered what B-4 could possibly be taking with him.
"No, I'm just here to say goodbye."
"Oh. Goodbye." B-4 picked up the satchel again and moved towards the transporter.
"That's it? That's all you have to say?"
"Geordi, I am well aware you do not like me. I will not compound our already awkward relationship."
"I don't dislike you, B-4, it's just that…"
"I understand, you need not explain yourself to me."
"No, it's just that… I shouldn't have taken my feelings out on you. Your Data's brother and I should have helped you out better. The least I can do now is wish you luck."
B-4 tilted his head in an all-too-familiar way. "Luck…it is an aspect of fate, is it not?"
"I guess that's one way you could look at it."
"A good fate…I guess that is all I can ask for." He gazed at Geordi for a moment, his mind in turmoil. There was so much he needed to say… Data says goodbye, he never had much of a chance before… You are important to him… He admires you… He misses you…
But this time, all B-4 said was, "Thank you," and he stepped onto the beaming platform.
AN: It has been brought to my attention that B-4 already had a backstory that I was unaware of, so I'm just going to say enjoy this as an AU. I was having trouble with Picard and even more so with Geordi, but hopefully it turned chapter was supposed to keep going, but I felt this was a good stopping point. Lore will be joining us soon (:
Thank you everyone who reviewed! I appreciate your comments very much. Later chapters will hopefully answer any questions you may have. Thank you for reading!
