Lore let her lead him to the table where he sat down stiffly in one of the
chairs "Am I required to ingest organic substances for survival?"
"No there is no need for you to eat Lore" Soong said as his wife poured him a glass of tuleberry wine "But you may ingest substances from time to time in order for you to better blend in with humans though"
"Then I will attempt to emulate this human custom known as dinner" Lore said picking up a silver utensil, in his first attempt the fork dropped from his hand in a matter of seconds.
"He is still trying to ascertain his motor functions dear" Soong said to his wife, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. "Why he just took his first steps only an hour ago"
"Watch me Lore" Juliana said raising her fork and putting it slowly into her mouth.
Lore studied her fluid movements and raised his own fork only managing to stab himself in the chin with it though.
"Perhaps I should practice this ritual more intensely" Lore replied trying again, on the eighth try he finally got it right.
"Why I think you have it down" She said her eyes twinkling brightly.
Lore gave her a grin to show her that he understood.
"Why Noonien he has your smile down to a T" She laughed.
"A "T"? ahhh another colorful analogy" Lore replied and to show her that he was adapting their language well added. "Yes mother I believe that I have it....down pat".
She all but clapped her hands and said "My you learn fast son"
"I think it's largely due to my programming and my creato...my parents"
"Noonien did he just use a contraction?" Juliana looked up surprised "None of the others could"
Soong smiled and patted her on the hand "It is all part of the emotions program that I wrote for him, I wanted him to have the ability to grasp our language syntax better, I was hoping that he would be able to integrate it properly and it would seem he has, I'm proud of you boy"
"Father I am experiencing a rather unusual surge within my positronic net, it is most curious" Lore said.
"You're emotions have begun calibrating within your matrix Lore...I believe that you have just experienced your first real emotion"
Lore sat back and analyzed this new data "Then I believe what I felt was...was happiness at your comment that you were proud of me father"
"He's wonderful" Juliana said "He's so lifelike"
"I am alive mother" Lore said simply "Was that not your intention to make me so real?"
"Oh of course it was Lore, I'm sorry, do not misunderstand my meaning son" Juliana said walking around the table and taking his hands "You are the first of your kind with these abilities, it is just all so amazing, perhaps I am just a bit overwhelmed, after all you were not supposed to be activated for another few weeks"
"Does my early activation upset you then?" Lore asked blinking his eyes.
"No, Not in the least... your father and I have lived for this day, for this moment all our lives" She tried to hold back having feelings for Lore just in case he too would suffer a systems meltdown but his child-like innocence was already finding a place in her heart.
"Then I will endeavor not to disappoint you" Lore said evenly "What do you wish me to do now?"
"The hour is late Lore" Soong spoke up "I will return with you to the lab where you can continue accessing your data files, there is so much for you to learn, but then I must retire and get some rest, it took me 26 hours straight to get your neural net ready for activation"
"Then I do not require sleep or the necessity of reaching an REM cycle?"
"No Lore you do not have that human frailty" Soong said as they rose from the table. He turned to Juliana and kissed her cheek "I will return shortly dear"
"I have heard that phrase a thousand times Noonien Soong" Juliana smiled "And not once has it ever came true"
"Good-night son" She said as she went close to him and gave him a small hug, he stood there rigid for a moment the awkwardly flung his arms stiffly around her.
"Goodnight Mother...sleep well" Lore said nodding at her as they left.
"No there is no need for you to eat Lore" Soong said as his wife poured him a glass of tuleberry wine "But you may ingest substances from time to time in order for you to better blend in with humans though"
"Then I will attempt to emulate this human custom known as dinner" Lore said picking up a silver utensil, in his first attempt the fork dropped from his hand in a matter of seconds.
"He is still trying to ascertain his motor functions dear" Soong said to his wife, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. "Why he just took his first steps only an hour ago"
"Watch me Lore" Juliana said raising her fork and putting it slowly into her mouth.
Lore studied her fluid movements and raised his own fork only managing to stab himself in the chin with it though.
"Perhaps I should practice this ritual more intensely" Lore replied trying again, on the eighth try he finally got it right.
"Why I think you have it down" She said her eyes twinkling brightly.
Lore gave her a grin to show her that he understood.
"Why Noonien he has your smile down to a T" She laughed.
"A "T"? ahhh another colorful analogy" Lore replied and to show her that he was adapting their language well added. "Yes mother I believe that I have it....down pat".
She all but clapped her hands and said "My you learn fast son"
"I think it's largely due to my programming and my creato...my parents"
"Noonien did he just use a contraction?" Juliana looked up surprised "None of the others could"
Soong smiled and patted her on the hand "It is all part of the emotions program that I wrote for him, I wanted him to have the ability to grasp our language syntax better, I was hoping that he would be able to integrate it properly and it would seem he has, I'm proud of you boy"
"Father I am experiencing a rather unusual surge within my positronic net, it is most curious" Lore said.
"You're emotions have begun calibrating within your matrix Lore...I believe that you have just experienced your first real emotion"
Lore sat back and analyzed this new data "Then I believe what I felt was...was happiness at your comment that you were proud of me father"
"He's wonderful" Juliana said "He's so lifelike"
"I am alive mother" Lore said simply "Was that not your intention to make me so real?"
"Oh of course it was Lore, I'm sorry, do not misunderstand my meaning son" Juliana said walking around the table and taking his hands "You are the first of your kind with these abilities, it is just all so amazing, perhaps I am just a bit overwhelmed, after all you were not supposed to be activated for another few weeks"
"Does my early activation upset you then?" Lore asked blinking his eyes.
"No, Not in the least... your father and I have lived for this day, for this moment all our lives" She tried to hold back having feelings for Lore just in case he too would suffer a systems meltdown but his child-like innocence was already finding a place in her heart.
"Then I will endeavor not to disappoint you" Lore said evenly "What do you wish me to do now?"
"The hour is late Lore" Soong spoke up "I will return with you to the lab where you can continue accessing your data files, there is so much for you to learn, but then I must retire and get some rest, it took me 26 hours straight to get your neural net ready for activation"
"Then I do not require sleep or the necessity of reaching an REM cycle?"
"No Lore you do not have that human frailty" Soong said as they rose from the table. He turned to Juliana and kissed her cheek "I will return shortly dear"
"I have heard that phrase a thousand times Noonien Soong" Juliana smiled "And not once has it ever came true"
"Good-night son" She said as she went close to him and gave him a small hug, he stood there rigid for a moment the awkwardly flung his arms stiffly around her.
"Goodnight Mother...sleep well" Lore said nodding at her as they left.
