Chapter 4
"Data, if he's not interested, then don't force him into it." Guinan smiled fondly at the clueless android sitting across from her.
"But I have designed the program specifically for Geordi. He would find it catered to his romantic likings." Data had a chemical mix sitting before him. Guinan a cup of hot chocolate.
"But Geordi doesn't like men, Data."
"I see. So should I delete his program?" Data cocked his head to one side. The bartender smiled.
"I don't know, Data. That's up to you."
Data nodded. He saw no reason to keep it.
"Very well. I shall eliminate it."
Guinan sipped her drink.
(((
"Sir, it seems that someone had dragged us back here, possibly with the intent of trapping us." Geordi pointed to specific points on the warp engine. "The points broken are all ones that would result in the most damage."
"Sabotage?" Picard ran a list of villains in his mind. Lore had been deactivated by Data. Q…is a liable suspect, but he would have showed himself by now. The Ferengi? Not unless there was some profit to having them here. The Borg?
The possibilities seemed limitless.
"Yes sir. And whoever did it had to have extensive knowledge of the warp engines." Geordi looked at his captain. "Possibly an inside job."
"You mean some members of the crew are responsible?"
"I don't know." Geordi sighed. "They would also have to know how to send a ship back in time and not let anyone remember it."
"That is true. Is there anyone you know who could do that?"
Geordi shook his head. Aside from himself and Data, Barclay was the smartest engineer aboard. And Barclay obviously didn't do it.
"Run an investigation. Have Data and Commander Riker assist you." Picard did a shallow bow and left engineering.
Geordi leaned against the railing, getting a good look at the warp core. He tapped his communicator.
"Lt. Barclay to engineering."
"Lt. Barclay h-here. On m-my way."
(((
Worf did a full security check, making sure every stairway, corner, and room was free of intruders. No stowaways. That, for the time being, ruled out the possibility of someone outside the crew being guilty.
Barclay and Geordi started running through a list of people who could've knocked them back in time. Barclay came up with the Romulans, Klingon revolutionaries, and the Borg.
"The Romulans? Do they have the technology?" Geordi asked.
"They hid c-cloaking p-p-p-p-power from us for a long time." Barclay said. "They c-could have anything."
"That's true, Reg." Geordi agreed, "But the Klingon rebels wouldn't have the technology, or the skills."
"I s-s-suppose that's true."
"And the Borg would have assimilated Earth by now."
They both fell to silence.
Data did a complete analysis on the state of the planet below. They were split into countries, ethnic tensions were high in some areas, political unrest in others, and there were many religious organizations throughout the world. A very odd place indeed. A primitive and paranoid culture.
The android went into his quarters and picked up his cat. Spot purred. Data found the sound calming.
The door chimed.
"Come in." Data called. Geordi walked in. "Ah," Data set the feline down and smiled at his friend. "I have decided to delete your program."
"No, Data, wait." Geordi rubbed the back of his neck. "Data, I…"
"If the program makes you feel awkward than I shall get rid of it." Data went to his desk and sat down. "I do not wish to give you ill feelings."
"Data, I don't want to be the reason you don't explore the concept." Geordi took the seat across from his friend.
"I shall find someone who is interested."
"Data…"
"Yes, Geordi?" The engineer looked into his hands.
"I'll…I'll be your boyfriend."
"Really?" The android lit up.
"Yea. But not forever, ok? Just so you can explore that aspect of humanity."
"Thank you, Geordi." Data stood up and outstretched his hands. "Hug?"
()()()()()()(
Riker and Deanna sat in Ten Forward, both nursing a chocolate sundae.
"Would I be violating the Prime Directive by helping them?" Riker asked. Troi squinted.
"I would say yes, but, seeing that the Prime Directive has been shattered already anyway…"
"Yea. But, I can't risk messing up the planet's evolution."
"But, the entire ship beaming down would also destroy the planet's evolution, by initiating First Contact almost fifty years early." Troi slid the spoonful of chocolate into her mouth, savoring the taste.
"The lesser of two evils." Riker whispered.
"I would say to go through with it, or steal platinum yourself."
"Which could also violate the Prime Directive." Riker squinted. "Where would I find all the platinum anyway?"
Troi shrugged. "I don't know. I'm not an expert."
((((
The next morning, the away team beamed back down with orders to meet at the beaming point again at 1600 hours. Riker immediately went to the coffee shop.
Joanna set his cup down at his table. "Meeting at 4. Usual spot." She didn't even look at him before walking away. Riker sipped his coffee. He would be there.
Data and Geordi had to find another place to get their copper coils, since they were not allowed inside Home Depot. They decided their next best alternative would be to find somewhere else that stocked them, if there were any other places.
They found a welcome center for the city. Walking in, they found an old woman chomping on bubble gum and skimming a magazine. She didn't look at them as she said:
"May I help you?"
"Yes." Geordi moved in front of Data, who was gripping his hand once more. "We're looking for a place that sells copper coils."
"Home Depot."
"Besides that."
The woman looked confused, with a good reason. She looked up, and her eyes widened.
"Why are you so pale?" She asked Data.
"I am from South America." Data said.
"Aren't people down there…tan?"
"Nevermind that," Geordi interrupted. "Copper coils."
The old woman never took her eyes off the android. "Try Lowes. It's just like Home Depot, but a different company owns it."
Geordi nodded. "Thanks, but we don't know where that is."
"There's a foldable map of the city on the wall behind you." She pointed. They both turned around and saw the rack of maps. Data took one.
"Thank you." The android was about to tip her, but remembered it wasn't customary of this time.
"Welcome."
They left.
Sorry for the time this took. I got lazy.
Please, if you like it, or didn't like it, leave a review.
Kirk out~
