Chapter 13
On Planet
"So we all set to go, Sunshine?" John asked as he strapped himself into his module.
"Everything is fine here, Crighton. What is that Erp expression? Let's blow this popsicle stand?" Aeryn grinned, even though she knew John couldn't see her.
"Jool, you got that package we came here for?" John asked, having lost track of their recording device.
"Yes Crighton. I'm running some scans on the information we downloaded to test for viruses and tracing programs. I doubt we'll find anything but it's better to do it now, before we read it on Moya and some type of hidden signal is sent out over her systems."
"That's the idea of keeping it in that box you got until it's proved the message is clean, Princess. Any way, we should stop chatting and start flying. We still have a command carrier in this system somewhere and I for one, don't feel like getting into a fire fight today. I'm in too good a mood from finding what might be wormhole charts that will lead to Earth."
"Don't forget John, that the charts also have time markers that could aid you in reaching earth at about the same time you left. You could make it look like nothing happened or that your experiment in gravitational acceleration was successful." Jool exclaimed as the scientific principals ignited her mental juices. She loved nothing more than exploring new science and nothing was as new to anyone as wormholes. "I'm really looking forward to going over the data we received from the library. Some of the medical files looked very interesting. I'm certain there's a complete Scarran biological profile in here, and with it, there might be a way to synthesis something that could weaken them without making it necessary to kill every one of them we end up facing off against."
"I couldn't care less about the damn Scarrens after everything they've done to us, Jool. I hope they and the Peacekeepers wipe each other out and take the Nebari with them." John finished his preparations and began the take off sequence. The modified jet/hetch engines kicked in, and the Farscape pushed off the ground and was streaking towards orbit. Not far behind, Aeryn and Jool followed in the Prowler. They had more than enough parts to repair the rundown vessel, and they still had to come back and pick up the shell of another prowler they were hoping to get operational.
The only weapons John had allowed on Farscape were the wormhole displacement engine and a puny close range frag cannon. It was only slightly more powerful than the personal frag cannon Aeryn sometimes used. Even with Dargo's powerful fighter, getting a second Prowler seemed a good idea. It was an upgrade from what they had previosuly had, and Aeryn would move to pilot it, while John would switch to her old Prowler if they needed a third vessel to protect Moya.
The trip was short and quiet. They passed several other ships landing and taking off and John even took a moment to buzz a Prowler patrol, trying to see what their reaction would be. Fortunately for all concerned, there was no reaction at all. The Prowler's had simply veered off and continued on a different patrol path that would allow them to avoid the fugitive crew.
They docked on Moya and made their way to command, where they knew they'd find the others waiting impatiently for them.
They took their usual seats at the round table and John motioned to Jool, who was connecting the data box into Moya's system. "Play it, Sam." he stated with a lilt in his voice, causing the other's to roll their eyes at his antics.
The flickering holographic form of one of the oldest Peacekeeper's Crighton had ever seen. There was a large scar running down one side of his face, starting at the edge of his hair line, and running along the length of his cheek to the middle of his throat. It was a vicious looking wound and john wondered how he'd managed to survive. The face scanned the gathered crowd, and John realized that it had an interactive element to state the message to him first.
"Greetings, John Crighton. I am First Admiral Jedon Pashka. I come to you with a message regarding your previous exploits in our region of space. High Command has come to a decision regarding your pursuit, and it is my duty to inform you that they are no longer willing to tolerate the loss of more Peacekeepers to the foolish quest against you and your compatriots. Included in this message are full pardons and amnesties for all members of the crew of the free leviathan, Moya. We grant these pardons on simply one condition: Leave us the frell alone! Stop your mad quest to destroy us, and stay out of Peacekeeper territory. Do this, and you need never again fear Peacekeeper attack squads or assasination patrols. As long as you stay out of our territories, which are also listed in an amendment to this message, we will never again bother you. We will allow you to go unhindered about your business, as long as you do not interfere with ours. Should you happen upon a planet with Peacekeepers on a mission, they will do their best to avoid you, as long as you avoid them. Stay out of our business, John Crighton, and we will stay out of yours. This message has been relayed to all Peacekeeper vessels. Any future interaction between Peacekeeper forces and the crew of Moya will be cordial, but restrained." The figure glowered at him for a moment before shutting down.
John whistled. If the offer could be considered as honest, it was much more than he had ever expected. "So what do you say, guys? Think old Admiral Pushup is telling the truth?"
Aeryn frowned at her lover, unsure why he continued to deliberately misuse the names of those he encountered. "I am unsure. I have heard of the First Admiral. He is among the most decorated and feared members of High Command. It is said that he never says something he does not intend on saying and that he will fight to the death to accomplish any goal he has set for himself. If he says that High Command will no longer interfere with us, than I would be forced to believe him. If this is him, however. It could be another trick, using his image since they are aware of his reputation. Though, he would be most put out if that what so, since they are using him to spread their lies."
D'argo snorted. "I trust one peacekeeper, and she is in this room. No. I can not trust this Pashka, but what do we have to lose? We can find an out of the way outpost, or track a ship, and follow. See if their word is as good as they say."
Chiana spoke next. "I have to agree with Dargo. I don't trust anything a Peacekeeper says, even with a pulse pistol aimed at their mivonks. We should test them first, before doing anything else. Maybe, maybe a transport pod or your module, John." A wicked grin crossed the cesspool that passed for her mind. "Open a wormhole up right next to a command carrier. See if they open fire."
Jool snorted at her suggestion. "Are you forgetting that they are at war with the Scarren's? If a wormhole opened near a ship, they'd assume it was the Scarren's or Scorpius and open fire before they took the time to check the ship's identification."
John turned to Rygel, who had been imprisoned for hundreds of cycles under various PK commanders. "What about you Sparky. Can we trust this guys word, or do you think we should try Dargo's idea and follow a PK ship."
Rygel's bushy eyebrows wagged and his froggish face contorted into as close as it could to a frown. "I have heard of Jedon Pashka. He is reputed to be strict but fair. It was said that he was the hardest to serve under, as he demanded utter perfection from his troops, but that he would punish only those that disobeyed his orders or went beyond the scope of his orders. He is quite strict and formal. When he gives an order, he expects it to be followed to the letter. No deviation or embelishment is allowed. I suppose that if there was one Peacekeeper whose word we could trust, it would be his." Coming from the deposed dominaar this was a rousing statement of respect. Rygel had never complinented anyone in this manner, and if he felt that the man could be trusted, than John was inclined to trust the former royal. Rygel was a lot of things, but trusting and trustworhy, he was not. But he always somehow found a way to help the crew, and John knew there was more to the Hynerian than he let on.
John stood and paced, debated the words of his friends against his experiences with a multitude of insane Peacekeepers. "Here's what we'll do. We'll coast over to that carrier here. We know they won't do anything, since the ships patrolling this space will destroy anyone who does start an attack. We'll hail the ship and play the message for them. Then I'll ask if Aeryn and I can come aboard to trade for provisions and parts." He held a hand to forestall the forming of any arguments. "I'll insist that we be allowed to come aboard armed, and I'll agree to a guard with us at all times. I'll bring that list of parts we brought to the planet. We managed to get most of them, right? So if they say no, it's no big deal, and if they say yes, then it's always a good idea to have extra around." He leaned heavily on the console, studying the faces of his friends. "While Aeryn and I do that, D'argo and Chiana will go pick up that second Prowler Aeryn saw on the planet. She say's it's spaceworthy, but take no chances. Go in full space gear. D'argo can fly the prowler back, and Chi will bring back the transport pod."
"Are you sure that's wise, John?" Jool asked, worry marking her orange face. "They said to stay away from them. Wouldn't going up to one of their ships be the same as entering their territory?"
John grinned cockily. "That's why we're doing this here. At least here, we know the locals are somewhat on our side. I'd rather do it now then wait. If they let us onboard, and we aren't back 5 arns later, contact the Coreager and let him know what's going on."
Rygel snorted. "And how do you know you can trust the Coreager?"
John laughed and tapped his head. "The same way I dealt with Scorpy, Kermit. I have something they want desperately. And they'll do anything I want just for a faint glimmer of what I have in my head."
D'argo swore under his breath. "More frelling wormhole seekers!" he snarled.
John smirked and shook his head. "Not this time. They already use wormholes. Nope. This time, its the history and geography of Earth that they want."
"What could they possibly want with that information?" Chiana asked, not seeing how some admitedly scattered memories of Crighton's homeworld would be of value to anyone.
John slapped his hand on the counter top, causing them to jump. "Because their ancestors, the species they evolved from, originally come from earth. They aren't the original inhabitants of this system. They were genetically engineered to take over when that race became the victims of a virus. They had visited earth and took several samples of certain animals, not too unlike their own ancestors, and started forcing their evolution into a similar path to what we saw on the planet. They want to know their history and see the creatures they were created from. And that's a bargaining chip that only I have. As long as I give them a glimmer of hope that they'll learn about their past, than they'll do pretty much anything to keep me safe. Including going to war with the PK's for me."
"Can you be certain of that, John? Can you trust these people we've just met?"
John grinned and chuckled. "Yes, I am, and yes we can. It's more than just mere facts to these people. I know their history, what they are and where they come from. All of you know what it's like to be taken from your home, from the world's you know and sent so far away it's damn near impossible that you'd ever find them again. That's what those people down there are feeling. That same drive to get home. That's not their world, and this isn't their system, no matter how long they've been here. They were brought here as experiments, as things for the long dead race that created them to play with and to replace them."
That was a sentiment they could all share. Each had been searching for their home for quite sometime. Or in some cases, a place they could call home, even if they refused to admit it to themselves.
Daystrom Institute
Data nodded as he listened to his captain explain the current situation approaching his temporary home. "So you as certain that it is Tinman, even though there has been no communication with Tam."
The bald held nodded in the distinctive manner he'd come to identify as meaning his captain was frustrated but unwilling to discus his stress levels. "It is Tinman, Data, but it's changed. Dr. Crusher believes that it has evolved into a different form, as thought it were preparing itself for a dangerous journey."
"And the current theory you and the crew have is that the journey is to the original galaxy from which Tinman came to our region of the universe." Thought processors faster than those of many of the newest computer models projected various scenarios through Data's lower level mind. A theory, which his current information led him to with a 90% probability, drifted to his more concious mind.
"Captain, I have a theory as to the purpose for his return." he stated, a faint thread of doubt in his voice.
The captain smiled. "I'm guessing that your theory involved Tam wanting you to accompany him on his journey."
Data grinned. "As they say, Captain, 'Great minds think alike'. That is indeed the most likely position for Tam to take. I assume that Captains Riker and Worf concur with the assesment or you would not be contacting me at the moment. What can I do for you, Captain?"
Picard leaned forward, his fingers steepled. "What I am about to ask you, Commander, is a great sacrifice. I am aware that you have recently had success in returning Laol to life, and I am pleased that she is alive once again. Yet, in the interest of current Federation politics and the damages we sustained during the Dominion Wars, personal interests must be pushed aside. I am asking that if Tam does request that you go with him, that you do so."
Data again tilted his head. "I see no difficulties, Captain. Though I would need to be reassigned from your command."
Picard leaned back in his seat. "Data, I was asking how you would feel about leaving Laol behind. Who knows how Tam would react to her."
"I can see no conflict in Laol accompanying me with Tam. While it is true that Laol does not posses the capacity to turn off her emotions as I do, her neural net does allow her to dim them to a level well below those even an empath as powerful as Tam might have difficulty detected."
The older man sighed and hesitated before phrasing his next remarks. "What about your work, Data? I know that you see her as a daughter, and I can understand your emotional ties to her, but she represent a revolution in android technology, and please forgive me for saying this Data, but do you think it's a good idea to place you both at risk by sending you both on such a quest? If anything happens to her or you, it would take years before another sentient android could be built."
Data allowed his synthetic facial tissues to form a small smile. "Ah. I understand. There is no longer any worries in that field, Captain. With the newly designed brain Dr. Maddux and I designed for Laol, as well as the furtherance of synthetic fibres and servogears and motors, we have now reached a point of equality with the works of Dr. Soon. In some ways, thanks to the breakthroughs in design made by Dr. Maddux and myself, we now have the ability to construct a superior model." Data allowed a mischevious quality to spread his smile. "In fact, I have been considering . .. upgrading myself as it were. Compared to Laol, my own positronic network is horribly slow and outdated."
Picard flashed his longest serving crewmember a grin. "Sort of like a doctor being the first in line to try a new surgery tha might solve a problem they have."
Data gave a short bark of laughter. "A quite appropriate analogy, Captain."
"So you are willing to go, should Tam ask it of you? And you would also bring Laol? Are you certain she is ready for that, Data?"
"I have no worries, Captain. I have instilled in Laol all of my own knowledge and experiences. She has already shown a remarkably keen mind. She was able to solve a minor fluctuation in the shield matrix that had been puzzling the station crew for some time. The only thing she currently lacks is the personal experience she could gain from interacting with others. It is much like the situation I was in when I was first reactivated when the Starfleet personel found me. I had all the theorical and practical knowledge but lacked the interpersonal skills I learned thanks to the experiences on Enterprise. Do not worry, Captain. I feel that this journey, should we indeed be correct, would be a perfect learning experience for my daughter. Not to mention, that while a Starfleet presence might be needed, it might be a . . . cautious idea to have myself and Laol go in place of . . . other sentient races."
Picard grinned again and took a sip of his ever present tea. "I agree, Data, though I also think it might be wise to include several others with the party. Worf has volunteered to go. He feels that his second has earned a Captaincy, and though he has not been a Captain in his own right for long, he is tired of the bureaucracy."
"Do you think it would be wise? I mean no offence to Captain Worf, but he is quite volatile and prone to emotional outbursts."
"That is my concern as well. It is why I would also include Lt. Cmd. Yasha Taree. She is a Angrogein. They are what is termed 'mind blind'. They project a sphere of influence around themselves that blocks all telepathic contact. Not even a Vulcan Mindmeld can penetrate into an Androgein mind. They are also powerful warriors. If I remember correctly, she is currently on leave pending assignment. I happen to know, from a reliable source, that she has been quite eager to meet our Captain Worf. His reputation as a warrior has spread in the galaxy and has lead to his ship being considered a prime opportunity for both Klingon warriors and other aggressive species. As long as she is no further than a dozen meters from either Worf or Tam, then Tam would not be bothered by any unwanted intrusions into his mind."
"I would suppose that would be acceptable. Though with Tam, it will be difficult to get him to agree."
"Well, we will have to wait for him to arrive. Tinman seems to be speeding up slightly, according to the last beacons he passed. Estimated time is now down to a few hours."
Data nodded to his captain. "I will be prepared to leave, should that be what he wishes. I have already made arrangments with Dr. Maddux and the Admiral to end my tenure on the station and return to active duty. I have decided to leave Lor here with the doctor in that hopes that he will be able to find some way to learn from Lor's body what they wished to learn by disassembling me. Laol is also prepared to travel. Either way, if he wishes me to accompany him, or if I return to the Enterprise to resume my duties, my time here is ended."
"So we all set to go, Sunshine?" John asked as he strapped himself into his module.
"Everything is fine here, Crighton. What is that Erp expression? Let's blow this popsicle stand?" Aeryn grinned, even though she knew John couldn't see her.
"Jool, you got that package we came here for?" John asked, having lost track of their recording device.
"Yes Crighton. I'm running some scans on the information we downloaded to test for viruses and tracing programs. I doubt we'll find anything but it's better to do it now, before we read it on Moya and some type of hidden signal is sent out over her systems."
"That's the idea of keeping it in that box you got until it's proved the message is clean, Princess. Any way, we should stop chatting and start flying. We still have a command carrier in this system somewhere and I for one, don't feel like getting into a fire fight today. I'm in too good a mood from finding what might be wormhole charts that will lead to Earth."
"Don't forget John, that the charts also have time markers that could aid you in reaching earth at about the same time you left. You could make it look like nothing happened or that your experiment in gravitational acceleration was successful." Jool exclaimed as the scientific principals ignited her mental juices. She loved nothing more than exploring new science and nothing was as new to anyone as wormholes. "I'm really looking forward to going over the data we received from the library. Some of the medical files looked very interesting. I'm certain there's a complete Scarran biological profile in here, and with it, there might be a way to synthesis something that could weaken them without making it necessary to kill every one of them we end up facing off against."
"I couldn't care less about the damn Scarrens after everything they've done to us, Jool. I hope they and the Peacekeepers wipe each other out and take the Nebari with them." John finished his preparations and began the take off sequence. The modified jet/hetch engines kicked in, and the Farscape pushed off the ground and was streaking towards orbit. Not far behind, Aeryn and Jool followed in the Prowler. They had more than enough parts to repair the rundown vessel, and they still had to come back and pick up the shell of another prowler they were hoping to get operational.
The only weapons John had allowed on Farscape were the wormhole displacement engine and a puny close range frag cannon. It was only slightly more powerful than the personal frag cannon Aeryn sometimes used. Even with Dargo's powerful fighter, getting a second Prowler seemed a good idea. It was an upgrade from what they had previosuly had, and Aeryn would move to pilot it, while John would switch to her old Prowler if they needed a third vessel to protect Moya.
The trip was short and quiet. They passed several other ships landing and taking off and John even took a moment to buzz a Prowler patrol, trying to see what their reaction would be. Fortunately for all concerned, there was no reaction at all. The Prowler's had simply veered off and continued on a different patrol path that would allow them to avoid the fugitive crew.
They docked on Moya and made their way to command, where they knew they'd find the others waiting impatiently for them.
They took their usual seats at the round table and John motioned to Jool, who was connecting the data box into Moya's system. "Play it, Sam." he stated with a lilt in his voice, causing the other's to roll their eyes at his antics.
The flickering holographic form of one of the oldest Peacekeeper's Crighton had ever seen. There was a large scar running down one side of his face, starting at the edge of his hair line, and running along the length of his cheek to the middle of his throat. It was a vicious looking wound and john wondered how he'd managed to survive. The face scanned the gathered crowd, and John realized that it had an interactive element to state the message to him first.
"Greetings, John Crighton. I am First Admiral Jedon Pashka. I come to you with a message regarding your previous exploits in our region of space. High Command has come to a decision regarding your pursuit, and it is my duty to inform you that they are no longer willing to tolerate the loss of more Peacekeepers to the foolish quest against you and your compatriots. Included in this message are full pardons and amnesties for all members of the crew of the free leviathan, Moya. We grant these pardons on simply one condition: Leave us the frell alone! Stop your mad quest to destroy us, and stay out of Peacekeeper territory. Do this, and you need never again fear Peacekeeper attack squads or assasination patrols. As long as you stay out of our territories, which are also listed in an amendment to this message, we will never again bother you. We will allow you to go unhindered about your business, as long as you do not interfere with ours. Should you happen upon a planet with Peacekeepers on a mission, they will do their best to avoid you, as long as you avoid them. Stay out of our business, John Crighton, and we will stay out of yours. This message has been relayed to all Peacekeeper vessels. Any future interaction between Peacekeeper forces and the crew of Moya will be cordial, but restrained." The figure glowered at him for a moment before shutting down.
John whistled. If the offer could be considered as honest, it was much more than he had ever expected. "So what do you say, guys? Think old Admiral Pushup is telling the truth?"
Aeryn frowned at her lover, unsure why he continued to deliberately misuse the names of those he encountered. "I am unsure. I have heard of the First Admiral. He is among the most decorated and feared members of High Command. It is said that he never says something he does not intend on saying and that he will fight to the death to accomplish any goal he has set for himself. If he says that High Command will no longer interfere with us, than I would be forced to believe him. If this is him, however. It could be another trick, using his image since they are aware of his reputation. Though, he would be most put out if that what so, since they are using him to spread their lies."
D'argo snorted. "I trust one peacekeeper, and she is in this room. No. I can not trust this Pashka, but what do we have to lose? We can find an out of the way outpost, or track a ship, and follow. See if their word is as good as they say."
Chiana spoke next. "I have to agree with Dargo. I don't trust anything a Peacekeeper says, even with a pulse pistol aimed at their mivonks. We should test them first, before doing anything else. Maybe, maybe a transport pod or your module, John." A wicked grin crossed the cesspool that passed for her mind. "Open a wormhole up right next to a command carrier. See if they open fire."
Jool snorted at her suggestion. "Are you forgetting that they are at war with the Scarren's? If a wormhole opened near a ship, they'd assume it was the Scarren's or Scorpius and open fire before they took the time to check the ship's identification."
John turned to Rygel, who had been imprisoned for hundreds of cycles under various PK commanders. "What about you Sparky. Can we trust this guys word, or do you think we should try Dargo's idea and follow a PK ship."
Rygel's bushy eyebrows wagged and his froggish face contorted into as close as it could to a frown. "I have heard of Jedon Pashka. He is reputed to be strict but fair. It was said that he was the hardest to serve under, as he demanded utter perfection from his troops, but that he would punish only those that disobeyed his orders or went beyond the scope of his orders. He is quite strict and formal. When he gives an order, he expects it to be followed to the letter. No deviation or embelishment is allowed. I suppose that if there was one Peacekeeper whose word we could trust, it would be his." Coming from the deposed dominaar this was a rousing statement of respect. Rygel had never complinented anyone in this manner, and if he felt that the man could be trusted, than John was inclined to trust the former royal. Rygel was a lot of things, but trusting and trustworhy, he was not. But he always somehow found a way to help the crew, and John knew there was more to the Hynerian than he let on.
John stood and paced, debated the words of his friends against his experiences with a multitude of insane Peacekeepers. "Here's what we'll do. We'll coast over to that carrier here. We know they won't do anything, since the ships patrolling this space will destroy anyone who does start an attack. We'll hail the ship and play the message for them. Then I'll ask if Aeryn and I can come aboard to trade for provisions and parts." He held a hand to forestall the forming of any arguments. "I'll insist that we be allowed to come aboard armed, and I'll agree to a guard with us at all times. I'll bring that list of parts we brought to the planet. We managed to get most of them, right? So if they say no, it's no big deal, and if they say yes, then it's always a good idea to have extra around." He leaned heavily on the console, studying the faces of his friends. "While Aeryn and I do that, D'argo and Chiana will go pick up that second Prowler Aeryn saw on the planet. She say's it's spaceworthy, but take no chances. Go in full space gear. D'argo can fly the prowler back, and Chi will bring back the transport pod."
"Are you sure that's wise, John?" Jool asked, worry marking her orange face. "They said to stay away from them. Wouldn't going up to one of their ships be the same as entering their territory?"
John grinned cockily. "That's why we're doing this here. At least here, we know the locals are somewhat on our side. I'd rather do it now then wait. If they let us onboard, and we aren't back 5 arns later, contact the Coreager and let him know what's going on."
Rygel snorted. "And how do you know you can trust the Coreager?"
John laughed and tapped his head. "The same way I dealt with Scorpy, Kermit. I have something they want desperately. And they'll do anything I want just for a faint glimmer of what I have in my head."
D'argo swore under his breath. "More frelling wormhole seekers!" he snarled.
John smirked and shook his head. "Not this time. They already use wormholes. Nope. This time, its the history and geography of Earth that they want."
"What could they possibly want with that information?" Chiana asked, not seeing how some admitedly scattered memories of Crighton's homeworld would be of value to anyone.
John slapped his hand on the counter top, causing them to jump. "Because their ancestors, the species they evolved from, originally come from earth. They aren't the original inhabitants of this system. They were genetically engineered to take over when that race became the victims of a virus. They had visited earth and took several samples of certain animals, not too unlike their own ancestors, and started forcing their evolution into a similar path to what we saw on the planet. They want to know their history and see the creatures they were created from. And that's a bargaining chip that only I have. As long as I give them a glimmer of hope that they'll learn about their past, than they'll do pretty much anything to keep me safe. Including going to war with the PK's for me."
"Can you be certain of that, John? Can you trust these people we've just met?"
John grinned and chuckled. "Yes, I am, and yes we can. It's more than just mere facts to these people. I know their history, what they are and where they come from. All of you know what it's like to be taken from your home, from the world's you know and sent so far away it's damn near impossible that you'd ever find them again. That's what those people down there are feeling. That same drive to get home. That's not their world, and this isn't their system, no matter how long they've been here. They were brought here as experiments, as things for the long dead race that created them to play with and to replace them."
That was a sentiment they could all share. Each had been searching for their home for quite sometime. Or in some cases, a place they could call home, even if they refused to admit it to themselves.
Daystrom Institute
Data nodded as he listened to his captain explain the current situation approaching his temporary home. "So you as certain that it is Tinman, even though there has been no communication with Tam."
The bald held nodded in the distinctive manner he'd come to identify as meaning his captain was frustrated but unwilling to discus his stress levels. "It is Tinman, Data, but it's changed. Dr. Crusher believes that it has evolved into a different form, as thought it were preparing itself for a dangerous journey."
"And the current theory you and the crew have is that the journey is to the original galaxy from which Tinman came to our region of the universe." Thought processors faster than those of many of the newest computer models projected various scenarios through Data's lower level mind. A theory, which his current information led him to with a 90% probability, drifted to his more concious mind.
"Captain, I have a theory as to the purpose for his return." he stated, a faint thread of doubt in his voice.
The captain smiled. "I'm guessing that your theory involved Tam wanting you to accompany him on his journey."
Data grinned. "As they say, Captain, 'Great minds think alike'. That is indeed the most likely position for Tam to take. I assume that Captains Riker and Worf concur with the assesment or you would not be contacting me at the moment. What can I do for you, Captain?"
Picard leaned forward, his fingers steepled. "What I am about to ask you, Commander, is a great sacrifice. I am aware that you have recently had success in returning Laol to life, and I am pleased that she is alive once again. Yet, in the interest of current Federation politics and the damages we sustained during the Dominion Wars, personal interests must be pushed aside. I am asking that if Tam does request that you go with him, that you do so."
Data again tilted his head. "I see no difficulties, Captain. Though I would need to be reassigned from your command."
Picard leaned back in his seat. "Data, I was asking how you would feel about leaving Laol behind. Who knows how Tam would react to her."
"I can see no conflict in Laol accompanying me with Tam. While it is true that Laol does not posses the capacity to turn off her emotions as I do, her neural net does allow her to dim them to a level well below those even an empath as powerful as Tam might have difficulty detected."
The older man sighed and hesitated before phrasing his next remarks. "What about your work, Data? I know that you see her as a daughter, and I can understand your emotional ties to her, but she represent a revolution in android technology, and please forgive me for saying this Data, but do you think it's a good idea to place you both at risk by sending you both on such a quest? If anything happens to her or you, it would take years before another sentient android could be built."
Data allowed his synthetic facial tissues to form a small smile. "Ah. I understand. There is no longer any worries in that field, Captain. With the newly designed brain Dr. Maddux and I designed for Laol, as well as the furtherance of synthetic fibres and servogears and motors, we have now reached a point of equality with the works of Dr. Soon. In some ways, thanks to the breakthroughs in design made by Dr. Maddux and myself, we now have the ability to construct a superior model." Data allowed a mischevious quality to spread his smile. "In fact, I have been considering . .. upgrading myself as it were. Compared to Laol, my own positronic network is horribly slow and outdated."
Picard flashed his longest serving crewmember a grin. "Sort of like a doctor being the first in line to try a new surgery tha might solve a problem they have."
Data gave a short bark of laughter. "A quite appropriate analogy, Captain."
"So you are willing to go, should Tam ask it of you? And you would also bring Laol? Are you certain she is ready for that, Data?"
"I have no worries, Captain. I have instilled in Laol all of my own knowledge and experiences. She has already shown a remarkably keen mind. She was able to solve a minor fluctuation in the shield matrix that had been puzzling the station crew for some time. The only thing she currently lacks is the personal experience she could gain from interacting with others. It is much like the situation I was in when I was first reactivated when the Starfleet personel found me. I had all the theorical and practical knowledge but lacked the interpersonal skills I learned thanks to the experiences on Enterprise. Do not worry, Captain. I feel that this journey, should we indeed be correct, would be a perfect learning experience for my daughter. Not to mention, that while a Starfleet presence might be needed, it might be a . . . cautious idea to have myself and Laol go in place of . . . other sentient races."
Picard grinned again and took a sip of his ever present tea. "I agree, Data, though I also think it might be wise to include several others with the party. Worf has volunteered to go. He feels that his second has earned a Captaincy, and though he has not been a Captain in his own right for long, he is tired of the bureaucracy."
"Do you think it would be wise? I mean no offence to Captain Worf, but he is quite volatile and prone to emotional outbursts."
"That is my concern as well. It is why I would also include Lt. Cmd. Yasha Taree. She is a Angrogein. They are what is termed 'mind blind'. They project a sphere of influence around themselves that blocks all telepathic contact. Not even a Vulcan Mindmeld can penetrate into an Androgein mind. They are also powerful warriors. If I remember correctly, she is currently on leave pending assignment. I happen to know, from a reliable source, that she has been quite eager to meet our Captain Worf. His reputation as a warrior has spread in the galaxy and has lead to his ship being considered a prime opportunity for both Klingon warriors and other aggressive species. As long as she is no further than a dozen meters from either Worf or Tam, then Tam would not be bothered by any unwanted intrusions into his mind."
"I would suppose that would be acceptable. Though with Tam, it will be difficult to get him to agree."
"Well, we will have to wait for him to arrive. Tinman seems to be speeding up slightly, according to the last beacons he passed. Estimated time is now down to a few hours."
Data nodded to his captain. "I will be prepared to leave, should that be what he wishes. I have already made arrangments with Dr. Maddux and the Admiral to end my tenure on the station and return to active duty. I have decided to leave Lor here with the doctor in that hopes that he will be able to find some way to learn from Lor's body what they wished to learn by disassembling me. Laol is also prepared to travel. Either way, if he wishes me to accompany him, or if I return to the Enterprise to resume my duties, my time here is ended."