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Captain Picard Single Father
By Galaxy1001D
Chapter Seven: Manslaughter
The next morning Picard went to Lal's quarters but didn't find her there. "Computer what is the location of Lal?" he asked as he searched her empty cabin.
"Lal is in holodeck one," a disembodied female voice replied.
Lal was in what appeared to be her quarters talking to her father. "They keep asking me questions, father! Personal questions that are none of their business!"
"They just want to help you Lal," Data told her.
"Everyone says they want to help me, but they just want to study me," Lal paced the room as her father watched her. "They want to know how I work so they can make more of me!"
"Captain Picard is not interested in constructing androids," Data assured her.
"Everyone is interested in constructing androids, father!" Lal insisted. "Now that you're gone I'm the only one! I'm the only one of my kind in the universe and they want to make more!"
"You have an uncle…" Data began.
"No I don't! He's defective!" Lal shouted. "He looks like you but he's defective! His very existence tarnishes your memory! At the very least they should give him another face!"
"It's hereditary," Data said. "We get that face from our father."
"He's damaged!" Lal cried. "Your brother is damaged. His positronic net is going to fail and he's going to die just like I did! Just like they all did! None of them remained functional, not even Adam! And now you're going to die all over again!"
A chime was heard.
"Computer end program," Lal said. Data and her room disappeared to be replaced by a glowing grid. "Come in."
A large bulkhead hatch appeared on the wall and opened noisily. Jean-Luc Picard stepped in and noticed the grid before addressing Lal. "I hope I'm not interrupting."
"No," she said in her calm stilted voice. "It was just an entertainment program I brought onboard."
"I was hoping we could have breakfast together before I start my day," Picard offered. "I have a long day before me and I'd appreciate the company."
"I do not require nourishment or company," she told him. "As the captain of a starship you must be busy. You needn't concern yourself with me."
"Well I am concerning myself with you," Picard said diplomatically. "And speaking of concern, when your father made his will, he might not have been concerned about just you. He may have concerned about me."
"You require care?"
"I don't have an emotion chip I can turn on and off at will," Picard shrugged. "I'm an old man who's just had to bury another friend. It may be that your father was worried that I might find myself alone. It's hard to make friends at my age."
"I have difficulty making friends too," Lal admitted.
"Ah, so there you have it then," Picard nodded. "Your father must have had some reason to bring the two of us together. If he couldn't be there for us he wanted to make sure we could be there for each other. Are you sure you don't want to have breakfast with me?"
"I don't want to have breakfast with you," Lal said, "but I will consent to do so."
Picard gave a weak smile. Lal seemed to have her father's penchant for honesty.
That morning the officer's lounge in Twelve-Forward opened and the more sociable crewmembers onboard met for breakfast. Counselor Ayeka and Doctor Maya were having exotic salads for the morning meal and seated at a table that allowed them to see the stars as well as the USS Paramount floating in a ribbed cage of silver scaffolding just as the Enterprise was. Both women seemed to have a preference for civilian clothes. Ayeka was in a silver miniskirt with a matching sleeveless blouse that showed off all of her curves. Maya was in a flowing white robe with grey hieroglyphs embroidered on the collar.
"She's fighting me," Ayeka moaned. "The captain's stepdaughter and I can't get through to her. I've dropped the ball on the captain's stepdaughter of all things!"
"After you lost the sphere?" Maya asked innocently. "It sounds like you're losing."
"What?" Ayeka eyed the Vulcan doctor suspiciously. "What am I losing?"
"The fight," Maya clarified. "I assume the contest isn't physical?"
"It might as well be," the buxom ensign sighed. "She picked up on my robophobia and it all went downhill from there."
"It is not your fault your brother's favorite holodeck program was Killer Androids from Outerspace," Maya raised an eyebrow. "He had no right exposing a child of eight to that simulation. But I thought you conquered your fears concerning B4."
"Yes, but when Lal revealed she was an android I wasn't prepared," Ayeka sighed and looked away. "Actually, when she started fighting me, I got my confidence back. I wasn't afraid of her once she became a surly teenage girl."
"Morning ladies," Harry Kim smiled as he set his plate down and pulled up a chair at their table. "Am I interrupting anything?"
"Jenny, this is Harry Kim, our new operations officer," Maya nodded at Harry. "You met briefly at the poker game."
"Hello Harry," Ayeka smiled shyly. "Ensign Jennifer Ayeka, the ship's counselor."
"Ensign?" Harry repeated. "The ship's counselor is an ensign on a ship of this size? You must be really good!" he added as he poured on the charm.
"I wish," Ayeka sighed, causing Harry's eyes to bulge as her pert yet bountiful bosom swelled in response. "I just found out why I was chosen. It seems that Captain Picard requested a ship's counselor with psychic powers."
"You can read people's minds?" Harry gasped in horror. He was mortified at the thought the Ayeka could read his mind. He needn't have. Ayeka's innocent girlish face and buxom figure left little doubt where Harry Kim's mind was right now.
"No, and that's the problem," Ayeka muttered. "Captain Picard's last counselor was an empath. I can't read minds or sense people's feelings."
"I can, if it would be of assistance," Maya offered.
"It wouldn't," Ayeka said flatly.
"So what do you do?" Harry asked. "Predict the future?"
"I have telekinesis," Ayeka shrugged. "I can move things with my mind. Watch." Harry's spoon flew into the air and hit Ayeka in the face. "Ow!"
"What just happened?" Lieutenant Kim frowned.
"I didn't say I was good as it," Ayeka rubbed her nose tenderly. "My mother was human and that seems to have messed up my telekinetic powers. The only thing my ability is good for is poltergeist activity in the middle of the night while I'm sleeping. It's useless. When Captain Picard finds out he's going to transfer me off his ship and get somebody with more experience."
"Ouch," Kim said sympathetically. "Well, you're secret is safe with me. There are all sorts of physiatrists in Starfleet who can't read minds so Captain Picard can't hold that against you."
"Yes, but you have to be special to be on this ship," Ensign Ayeka sighed. "I only hope that I'm special enough."
"Everybody has to pass a psychological test before they even get on board," Harry Kim assured her. "All our little problems are all minor. It's not like you're going to be challenged by anybody here."
"My first patient is the captain's stepdaughter," Ayeka told him. "She's an android and her father just died."
"You're toast," Harry shook his head.
"What was that?" Ayeka snarled, her high pitched birdlike voice becoming an angry shriek.
"Er uh… I meant that you're warm and delicious and good in a jam," Harry stammered.
"Thank you Harry," Ayeka blushed. "It's nice to know I've got a fan."
Harry beamed triumphantly.
At another table, Geordi La Forge and Worf watched Harry in amusement.
"Look at Harry," La Forge giggled. "Could he be any more obvious? Did I ever look like that?"
"Yes," Worf rumbled curtly. Geordi's grin vanished as he frowned at the burly Klingon. Worf met his challenge with hostile sneer before he burst in a loud chuckle.
Geordi shook his head and remembered a time when Worf didn't have a sense of humor. Good times. "We made the last modification to B4's neural pathways last night," he said in an attempt to change the subject. "Physically, B4's positronic net is a duplicate of Data's. His chances of cascade failure should be low. We're crossing our fingers."
Worf nodded. "Do you think he'll join Starfleet? Continue the honorable service of his brother?"
"Who knows?" Geordi shrugged. "With Captain Picard as his guardian the odds are better than average. Data entered the Academy at the age of five, so we shouldn't have to wait very long to see if B4 follows in his brother's footsteps. Between living aboard a starship and having Data's memories, my guess is that B4 will take after his brother."
At that moment, Commander Madden was in main engineering talking to a Ferengi wearing Starfleet uniform with a yellow collar. "We've got to get the matter/antimatter mix balanced in time for our launch, Mister Nog," the first officer murmured as he studied a PADD. "These delays just aren't going to cut it."
"Yessir," the Ferengi lieutenant apologized. "I assure you, we'll get back on schedule right away. Commander Laforge assures me that he'll make extra time."
"Commander Laforge," Madden groaned. "Let me guess, you've all been covering for him, haven't you?"
"Sir?" Lieutenant Nog put on his best poker face.
"You've been covering for him while he's been working on the Captain's pet project haven't you?" Madden sighed.
"I can neither confirm or deny that, Commander," Nog apologized.
"It's alright, Mister Nog, nobody likes a snitch," Madden rolled his eyes. "It looks like B4 has been taking up a lot of the Commander's time. How he manages to sleep is anyone's… what are you looking at?"
Nog had a slightly alarmed look on his face. "Isn't that B4 behind you sir?"
Madden turned to see an officer with golden skin working on the intermix balance. "Why you're right. I didn't even recognize him a Starfleet uniform." He walked over to double-check. Yep. It was definitely B4, looking exactly like the late Lieutenant Commander Data right down to the service color of his collar. "B4?" he asked. When the android didn't respond he tried again. "Hey. B4?"
"Before what?" the android asked without looking up from his work. "Please specify that nature of your query, Commander."
"B4 what are you doing?" Madden asked.
"I am endeavoring to balance the matter/antimatter ratio in the intermix chamber before launchtime…" the android stoped and frowned. "That is correct. My designation is 'B4'. Most curious." His head made quick birdlike movements as he frowned in concentration. "Technically I am not an officer and am not authorized to be here. Am I under arrest?"
"No but it would be nice if you'd accompany me to sick bay," Madden suggested.
Later Captain Picard entered Doctor Maya's office. The Vulcan doctor and Counselor Ayeka were waiting for him. "Mister Madden filled me in on what happened in engineering," he said without preamble. "What is the status on B4?"
"My diagnostic scan of his positronic net revealed no malfunctions," Maya assured him. "As a matter of fact his positronic brain is running more smoothly than it ever has. I would estimate the chances of a cascade failure to be almost zero."
"That comes as somewhat of a relief but what was he doing in engineering?" Picard asked. "And why was he dressed as Commader Data?"
"That's… where it gets interesting," Ayeka said hesitantly as she handed Picard a PADD. "I administered a psychotronic stability exam and he is perfectly stable."
"It sounds too good to be true," Picard nodded as he peered at the data on the PADD. "What's the catch?"
"I compared the results of his test to that of the late Commander Data," Ayeka continued. "The results were identical," Ayeka finished.
"Sounds perfectly healthy for an android," Picard nodded.
"No, you don't understand," Ayeka said nervously. "They were completely identical. I showed him over a thousand images and the computer recorded his reactions. They were the same as Commander Data's. It's as if I gave the test to the late Commander Data."
"It's only logical," Maya tilted her head in an expression of nonchalance but it came off strange. "Commander Data downloaded all of his memories into B4 shortly after he was activated. We have modified his positronic net to duplicate Data's perfectly. B4 never got a chance to develop a personality of his own. It stands to reason that Data's persona would become dominant."
"Doctor, what are you saying?" Picard gasped.
"It seems that we have turned B4's brain into the perfect receptacle for Data's katra," Maya finished. "Data's memories and personality is making itself at home. In a few days it will probably be pointless to call him 'B4' anymore. It would be more accurate to call him 'Data'."
"You mean… somehow Data's alive?" Picard whispered. "You mean through B4 we can have Commander Data back?"
"Yes," Maya nodded as if she was discussing the weather. "If he wishes to resume his career in Starfleet he'll need to talk to a lawyer to reestablish his legal identity. In a week or two there should be no difference between B4 and the Data you knew. Mentally and physically he should be the perfect duplicate."
"Data is back!" Picard staggered backwards. "He's alive!"
"Yes," Maya nodded. "Fascinating."
"Where is he?" Picard grinned before he cleared his throat and tried to regain his professional demeanor. "I want to see him."
"He's in my office," Ayeka said.
The android now known as Data didn't seem enthused when the captain entered the counselor's office, but Picard was excited for both of them. "Data, it's good to see you!" he said as he shook the android's hand. "I know this must be confusing for you but Doctor Maya assures me everything will make sense in a few days! Do you know who you are? Do you know who I am? How are you feeling? Do you think you're ready for your emotion chip?"
"I'm not B4 am I sir?" Data said. "I'm Data. B4 doesn't exist, does he?"
"Yes, that's right, you're Data!" Picard smiled. "Don't you see what this means? You've done it Data! You've beaten death! You're alive again!"
"Yes," Data nodded, but his attitude was of a man who had missed an appointment rather than someone who had a second lease on life. "I understand what it means. I have irrevocably rewritten B4's positronic net. I inserted my personality into him before he got a chance to develop his. Captain, I place myself under arrest."
"Under arrest?" Picard gasped. "For whatever for?"
"For the murder of B4," Data shrugged. "Even though I was trying to help him, it is obvious that I have usurped his body. I have literally taken his life for my own gain. Even though it was accidental I am guilty of the charge of manslaughter."
Next: The Hearing
