Disclaimers as in part 1.

We know there was Dr. Arik Soong and Dr. Noonien Soong (both played by Brent Spiner). But logically, there must have been another generation between them (no pun intended). Enter Dr. Sanjay Soong.

I Never Promised You a Rose Garden 9/?
by Mistress V

There was silence in the briefing room. For several moments, no one said a word.

Kirk finally took the plunge. "You're right, Spock, that's a pretty far-fetched theory, especially for you. How can you be sure these women aren't being held against their will---been augmented, drugged, taught how to act, specifically to please their customer? And are being watched at all times, with severe repercussions for anything they do wrong?"

"I thought about this, trust me." Spock was working some data on the keyboard before him. "There was just an air of..non-reality about these females. I spoke to several others during the course of the evening. It is my opinion that they are someone else's idea of the ideal companion. Only too much so. They are, simply, too perfect. Especially in their appearance."

"He's got something," Thava said. "The hostess I talked to looked like the Empress Thallona, who lived at the start of my people's recorded history. Our first empress consort. All Andorian women are judged by her beauty. Sure the hairstyle and clothes aren't the same, but that's who I thought I was talking to. And you're right, Spock, if I brought up anything negative she'd just change the subject. Not because she wanted to---it was as though she wasn't programmed to respond to anything not completely positive."

"You know, I got the darnedest feeling I'd seen that Klingon gal before," Mitchell now added. "And trust me, the ones I've met in my work were nothing like her. But I remember her face! How can that be?"

"Quite possibly because she is a well-known figure in Klingon culture." Spock hit a key and images of a half dozen of the club's employees now came up. He hit another key and adifferent photo came up beside each one. "Her resemblance to the Lady Lukara is almost uncanny."

"And they don't know enough about their own language or even culture." Sari was warming to the topic. "Because whoever programmed them was just giving an overview of that society's ideal female."

The group regarded the range of past and present beauty onscreen.

"We still may be dealing with piracy, surgical alteration and brainwashing," General Jasik observed thoughtfully. "That we know how to handle. But Spock, I'll grant you, this is a very interesting idea of yours---and not without its merit. Suppose we go with it for a bit? Let's say they *are* androids. Where the devil did they come from? The technology is still in its infancy throughout the quadrant, and is one of the most heavily regulated besides. No one could be building such sophisticated models without help. Or could they? Maybe following instructions?"

"Mudd can't tie his shoes without help," Mitchell snorted. "Chris, what about Roger?"

"The Roger I knew preferred an abacus," she replied with a sad little shake of her head. "He can build things, but an android? Not unless it was for the greater good. That was Roger's mantra."

"The Romulans?" Kirk speculated. "They're always up to no good and their technology's up there."

"No, Romulans would be hard pressed to smuggle anything in," General Jasik continued. "In fact, so would just about anyone. We're pretty tight shipped about matter like that, but there's always an exception. The machinery, the technology, if it exists, where is it? Korby lives in a small beach house. Nothing unusual that we can tell, and certainly no room for any big operation."

An image of a tropical chalet, high on some cliffs overlooking the bay near town, now was displayed.

"Well, if there are real women being held as slaves, where would they be? I don't think these two are sophisticated enough to have a network of underground houses," Sari mused. "Or not...I don't know how to put it…"

"Capable of building androids," Thava finished. "Besides, where'd they get the instruction manual? Off a box of Terran Wheaties cereal? OK, maybe I'm being silly, but I thought they locked up that fruitcake Soong and threw away the key. He was the only one who even spouted the real possibility of creating artificial, sentient AND intelligent life, and that was after his augment experiment blew up in a big way. Most androids that we know of are servant robots, that's all. Not capable of speech or thought. These ladies at least have some brains in their head---or is it circuits?" She now crossed her eyes. "Sorry, it's late."

"Dr. Arik Soong was the first to really postulate that theory, I agree," Mitchell nodded. "But the ideas died with him, though I hear his son Sanjay is now starting to research that probability as well from his father's notes. According to those that know, he's light years away from even the simplest artificial cockroach."

"And from what we saw, these ladies might be plying the galaxy's oldest profession. With a twist. Using its newest technology." Sari gave a disgusted harrumph. "I can only imagine the profit motive there. For who, though? Some unknown species, most likely. Maybe from another quadrant altogether?"

"Wait a minute" Kirk's eyes were glittering. "We're overlooking something. Spock, that behemoth who works at the club. What's his name, Rocky?"

"Rocco."

"Yeah, well, he sure doesn't look quite humanoid to me. I'll wager he's an alien of some sort. Where's he listed as being from?"

"His record states he was born in space, out of wedlock to a mother of an undetermined species," General Jasik read. He gave Kirk a sidelong glance, intrigued.

"Maybe...maybe I'M the crazy one here," Kirk continued. "But humor me. Spock, what do we know about the inhabitants of Exo III?"

"Very little, Jim. Christine, perhaps you could enlighten us?"

"Roger studied all he could. Most of the data was documented by other races that had come into contact with its artifacts after the fact. They settled in our quadrant well before their sun began to cool, but there weren't many space faring species around back then. Their whole culture is somewhat of a legend. Roger was determined to find out the truth behind that." She sighed. "It was almost an obsession with him. To find out who they were, where they came from...and what they looked like."

"Suppose they look like Rocco?" Mitchell asked. "Suppose he's one of the last inhabitants? Or a sophisticated android they built? After all, it's been theorized for generations that visitors from other galaxies came here and colonized worlds. There are just too many species anomalies out there. How about a sleeper ship, one that was programmed by its makers, who knew they'd never see where the final destination was? Maybe the ship was run by androids, with the would-be colonists in some kind of suspended animation? Or created once the ship arrived?"

"Like the myth of the S.S. Botany Bay, only more advanced technologically," Christine added. "Roger wondered that as well. But he never shared it with anyone except me. It was too wild an idea, he thought."

"We have two possibilities, neither of them pleasant," General Jasik offered. "Either there is trafficking and involuntary servitude, or an illegal, fantastic technology at work. And we need to find out the force behind whichever it is. Korby's the key, either way." His gaze fell to Christine. "Are you willing to go through with it?" he asked softly.

"Yes." Her reply was strong, though a tear trembled in the corner of her eye. "Because I need to know, too."

"We already put the basics into place," Mitchell outlined. "Mudd and Rocco have a standing weekly health and safety inspection tomorrow morning, plus the accountants will tag along for a little surprise visit. And we know Kirby---Korby---visits the bird and flower market every week without fail. All we need to do is make the connection. For now, everyone get a good night's sleep, what's left of it. And re-convene at 06:00 tomorrow. No, today."

As the group broke up, Spock walked over to Christine and touched her arm lightly. "Are you bearing up?" he asked, concerned.

"For now. I think the worst is yet to come, at least for me. But we all play a part."

"Don't worry, Christine. I have your back." Spock gave the woman a brief, comforting hug, well away from prying eyes.

"Thanks," she whispered against his shoulder."I'll count on that."

Fin of 9. More fireworks to come.