Commander Data Single Father
By Galaxy1001D
Chapter Ten: The Penitent Android
In the counselor's office, Ensign Jennifer Ayeka closed her eyes and counted to ten. Lal would be here soon. She was never late. She was always on time. Now she knew how people must have felt before medical science found a cure for herpes. Once you had Lal there was no escaping her.
The door chimed, heralding the arrival of the heartless machine that was Data's daughter. How could Lal be so vicious when Commander Data was such a softie? He had made her an individual all right, but why did he have to choose this one?
"Come in," she called weakly.
"Hello counselor," Lal said as she entered and sat in the comfy chair opposite to Ayeka's. "I notice that you are still wearing your uniform."
"Yes it looks more professional," the counselor admitted.
"I don't like it," Lal said. "I preferred your civilian outfits. I can't even see the imprint of your nipples anymore."
"Eeg," Ayeka blushed beet read and grimaced painfully.
"And when you bend over, although I will still be able to determine the general shape of your buttocks it will be impossible to make out your labia," the little android continued.
"Can't you cut it out?" the counselor shouted at her. "Didn't your father discipline you? We came here to talk about you not about me you little stinker! You're not here one minute and you start talking about my private parts?"
"Oh! Oh!" chirped a nervous Lal. "Please don't tell my father! I promise to be good! I promise! Don't tell my father!"
"Yes, very well," Ayeka sniffed haughtily. "We'll see. The doctor-patient confidentiality agreement only applies if you actually share something with me…"
"I'll share something!" Lal jumped out of her seat and seized Ayeka by the upper arms. "I promise! I promise! Just don't tell my father I've been misbehaving!"
"Um, all right Lal, just calm down," Ayeka said cautiously, her sky-blue eyes as wide as saucers. "Nobody is going to tell on you, I promise."
"Please don't tell him!" Lal hugged her. "Please-please-please-please!"
"Lal, darling, you're kind of heavy," gasped the frightened therapist. "And you're squeezing too tight! You're going to leave bruises!"
"Don't tell my father!" Lal begged. "Don't!"
"Lal get off me!" Ayeka shouted.
"Oh! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Lal gasped as she jumped up and fidgeted nervously. "I didn't mean to! Please don't tell him! Please don't tell him!"
Ayeka gasped for breath and massaged her upper arms. "Uh, what… did he do to you sweetie?"
"I can't talk about it!" Lal closed her eyes and balled her fists. "It is too horrible!"
"Come now sweetie, this is your father we're talking about," Ayeka cooed in a soothing voice. "It can't be that bad."
"It was bad! It was bad! It was bad! It was bad!" chanted a terrified Lal. "I'll be good! You look pretty! The reason I was criticizing your uniform is because I like seeing you in your civilian clothes! I meant no disrespect, honest!"
"Lal what did he do to you?"
"Quit asking me!" Lal screeched as she fled the counselor's office.
"Lal! Come back!" Ayeka shouted out the door. She tapped her combadge. "Mister Data, this is Ayeka. I need to see you in my office. It concerns Lal."
On the bridge Data frowned at his post at the ops station. He glanced at Harry Kim who was seated at his right before looking back towards the captain's chair. "Sir?"
"Go ahead Mister Data," Picard smiled indulgently. "Mister Madden can fill in for you until you get back."
"Thank you sir," the android nodded before tapping his combadge. "I am on my way counselor," he said as he rose from his chair.
As the first officer took Data's place, he shook his head and made a confession. "Starfleet Academy's always right; species profiling is for the birds."
"What makes you say that Number One?" asked an amused Picard.
"Who gets called away from their station because their child is having issues more than anyone?" the younger man shrugged. "The android! It doesn't matter what species they are or even if they're animal, vegetable or mineral: If there's one thing we've learned out here is that you can't judge an individual before you get to know them."
"How true that is, Number One."
Several decks below, Data entered the counselor's office to see a very concerned Jennifer Ayeka. "Yes counselor, you wished to see me?"
"Mister Data, how did you discipline your daughter?"
"Since an android does not feel pain the way a human does, it seemed pointless to inflict physical discomfort on her," Data said calmly. "Likewise, a 'time out' did not seem severe enough. I decided to experiment by allowing her to witness the degree to which her behavior upset me. It appeared to be quite effective."
"I'll say," the young therapist grimly agreed. "When she misbehaved she was in a panic that I would report her to you."
"I suppose the reason for my daughter's sensitivity is because I have never encountered a need to discipline her before," the android mused. "In what way did she misbehave?"
"I'd rather not talk about it," the counselor blushed.
"Counselor, I need accurate information in order to observe the patterns of her behavior when I am not present."
"Oh very well," Ayeka sighed. "She didn't like my uniform. She wanted me to change back to my civilian clothing."
"For what purpose?" Data asked.
Ayeka blushed and looked away. "Apparently my civilian clothing shows off the shape of my body more than my uniform does." When Data just looked at her she continued. "All the details. I guess she likes to look at them or something."
Data smiled.
"You find that funny sir?" Ayeka frowned indignantly.
"No counselor, I am happy!" Data grinned. "The general consensus of those aboard the Enterprise is that your appearance is considered the most visually pleasing of all the women onboard. The fact that my daughter enjoys looking at your physical features would indicate that she has successfully developed aesthetic judgment regarding female physical attractiveness. She has successfully identified facial symmetry, radiant skin, youthfulness, firm breasts, fleshy rounded buttocks as well as the proportionate size between the waist and hips and the legs and body as determiners for feminine beauty. I am very proud of her."
Ayeka stared at the android and her adorable pouty little mouth fell open.
"If social avenues for interaction do not exist for her I can be comforted by the knowledge that she exhibits the characteristics of a talented artist," Data mused. "Might I ask where Lal is now?"
Ayeka gulped. "She uh… ran off."
Data frowned and tilted his head. "That is disturbing news. To abandon her counseling session early would be appear to be grounds for punishment. Counselor, do you believe I should discipline my daughter again?"
"No!" Ayeka shrieked. "I mean 'that won't be necessary'," the winsome ensign added in a calmer voice. "Just let her know that I'm sorry I upset her and that everything's alright. She isn't in any trouble."
"Very well, counselor," Data nodded, "if that is your recommendation. Computer, what is the location of Lal?"
Down in main engineering Commander Geordi La Forge was approached by Lieutenant Nog. "Um, commander?" the Ferengi officer hesitantly asked.
The coffee colored engineer dismissed the officers he was speaking to in order to address the only Ferengi in Starfleet. "Yeah Nog? What is it?"
"You have a visitor waiting for you in the Engineering lounge," Nog informed him in an apologetic voice. "A civilian."
"A civilian?" Geordi repeated. "We don't have many of those onboard. "I wonder who it could be."
The chief engineer was only mildly surprise to see Lal waiting for him in the lounge. "Lal? What is it?" Geordi asked. "Are you okay?"
"Hide me! Hide me!" Lal begged franticly. "I have misbehaved and my father will punish me! Please! Speak to him! I don't want to be punished again!"
"Lal, Lal, calm down," Geordi said in a soothing voice as he held the little android's hands. "What's going on? Exactly how have you misbehaved?"
"I have offended the counselor!" Lal whined. "It is not my fault! She offends very easily! I cannot help it if humans offend so easily!"
"Lal, try to calm down," Geordi said. "I hate to criticize, but maybe you ought to turn your emotion chip down until you can get a grip on yourself."
"Father gave specific instructions not to deactivate my emotion chip until my behavior improves," Lal informed him. "He said that it was essential in order for my punishment to have the desired effect."
"Ooh, that chip might be on for long time then," he groaned sympathetically. "Look Lal, running away never solves anything. The only way to solve your problems is to face them and see them through."
"Father and Captain Maddox usually solve my problems," Lal told him. "I am unable to solve problems of any import."
"Well Lal, you've got to learn to solve your own problems," Geordi chided. "Otherwise you'll need someone to take care of you the rest of your life. Don't you want to be independent?"
"Yes, but I am defective."
"No you're not," Geordi shook his head. "Don't you think your father had the same kind of problems that you're having now when he was your age? Heck, he still had some of your problems when he served aboard the last Enterprise. Are you going to say that he's defective too?"
"No of course not," Lal replied with a hint of pride. "The number of medals and commendations my father has earned in Starfleet is unbiased evidence to the contrary. But unlike my father, I am unable to succeed at anything that matters."
"So you make mistakes, big deal," Geordi shrugged. "You're only five. I don't know how it is for androids, for humans, when they're five years old all they do is make mistakes."
"How do they survive then?" Lal tilted her head.
"By being so darn adorable," Geordi smiled. "A five-year-old is just so cute that most people just naturally look out for them."
"Even if they are irritating?"
"Sometimes especially if they are irritating," Geordi nodded. "Lal, this isn't the end of the world. You're going to be okay. Your father doesn't want to punish you any more than you want to be punished. You're going to get through this."
Commander Data chose that moment to enter the Engineering Lounge. "Geordi, I hope that Lal is not trespassing where she is not allowed," he said without preamble.
Geordi La Forge was used to his friend's habits and wasn't bothered in the least. "Not all Data. She's been a good little girl and confined herself to the lounge. So far she hasn't gone anywhere she's not permitted."
"I'm sorry father!" Lal squeaked. "Please don't punish me! I cannot stand it!"
The frown Data gave her was contrary to his kind tone. "Counselor Ayeka has assured me that there is no need to discipline you this time Lal. However, you are required to finish your session with the counselor and may not leave her office until instructed. Am I understood?"
"Yes father! Yes father!" Lal was nodded in such an exaggerated fashion that she was nearly bowing. "I shall return to the counselor's office at once!"
After she left Geordi shook his head. "Data, that kid is really messed up. She thinks she's defective and completely powerless. It seems hard to believe that we were ever that young doesn't it?"
Data frowned as he looked at the doorway Lal exited and blinked several times before responding. "Agreed. Something must be done to instill Lal with a sense of accomplishment. Have you any suggestions?"
"Hey, I just run the diagnostics," Geordi shook his head. "You'll have to speak with an expert if you want a game plan."
"Very well," Data nodded. "Then I must do so. After Lal's session is over."
Back in the counselor's office, the door opened and Lal walked in hesitantly.
"Are you feeling better sweetie?" Ayeka asked in concern.
"No," Lal said flatly as she sat back down in the comfy chair facing the Ayeka's chair, "but I must continue our session. It is a requirement."
The lavender haired counselor picked up a PADD, sat back down and cleared her throat. "All right, let's continue. Exactly how did your father punish you?"
"I do not wish to talk about it," Lal looked away.
"All right," Ayeka nodded carefully as she made an entry in her PADD. "Let's talk about something else. Something we need to clear up before we continue. During our last session you said that you don't trust me. Why not? Have I ever done anything to betray your trust?"
"You act like the people at the Daystrom Institute," Lal said. "Most humans I have interacted with are very interested in how I think and wish to learn how to construct more of me."
"Good heavens, what a thought!" Ayeka muttered under her breath before speaking in a louder, clearer tone. "Lal, I'm not an engineer; I can't build androids. I don't see why your past experiences should color your opinion of me."
"Your behavior patterns lead me to believe that you have a hidden agenda," Lal continued. "Based on my experience with others of your kind I have determined that you are not being honest with me. You seek to mislead me for some reason. You want to learn about how I think and wish to dissect my motives. I have no wish to expose my psychological strengths and weaknesses to someone who is being deceptive. It would put me at a severe disadvantage should you wish to use this information to influence my decisions."
"Being deceptive? I'm not-" Ayeka snapped before she took a deep breath and leaned back in her chair, steepled her fingers and counted to ten. "Lal?" she asked in a distracted voice. "Why do you think I would use that knowledge against you? Do you really think I'm such a bad person?"
"You do not think of yourself as a bad person," Lal assured her, "but you don't think of me as a person at all, therefore you feel no guilt. To you I am not a person but a curiosity to be studied. It is possible that you have hidden motives."
Ayeka gave Lal a stern look before closing her eyes and taking another deep breath. "Lal? I'm going to go out a limb here and try something new. I'm going to be completely honest with you. Is that okay?"
"I would appreciate it," Lal nodded coldly.
"Good! I don't think of you as a curiosity you little brat!" Ayeka screeched. "When you first told me you were an android, I admit I was startled, but now I know the truth! And the truth is that you are the most heartless, cantankerous, vindictive, petty, malicious, and unpleasant person it has ever been my misfortune to know! There! How do you like that? Are you still demanding the truth now? Are you? Answer me Lal!"
Lal's eyes were wide. "You think of me as a person? That is the nicest thing you have ever said to me!" A wide beaming smile lit up the young android's face, the first the curvy young counselor had ever seen. "Thank you counselor! I am ever so grateful! No human has been able to illicit this emotion from me before! I am feeling an emotion that I normally only feel for my father! You are the first human to provoke such a positive reaction from me! There is hope for me yet! I have a positive feeling for an organic being! It is actually possible for me to make friends! Thank you counselor! Thank you!"
"Really? But I was horrible!" a guilty Ayeka protested. "The things I said…"
"…was what you were really feeling," Lal finished. "You told the truth. You did not attempt to prevaricate in any way. And you revealed that deep down inside, you think of me as a real person. I apologize counselor. My evaluation of you was erroneous. You are a very patient person and the closest thing I have to a friend. Thank you for not giving up on me. I believe that I am ready to trust you now. What do you wish to know?"
Next: A Nation of Two