Year: 2381

Stardate: 58078.7

Data was in the middle of pulling a science-blue jumpsuit on over the black turtleneck undershirt and shorts, when he noticed T'Mera twitching in her sleep. He walked over to where she lay in her reclined support chair and gazed down at her face. Beneath her eyelids, the eyes were moving back and forth, indicating REM sleep. He placed his left hand on her forehead, then frowned as his sensors indicated a slight elevation in temperature.

T'Mera's eyes flew open as she gasped. For a moment, she seemed unaware of her surroundings, but then her body relaxed. "You're here."

"I am here." Data reassured the holographer, "You were having a nightmare, I believe."

T'Mera raised her right hand to press the buttons on the right arm of the chair, bringing the reclined seatback to a nearly upright position, "I'm not sure where I was, but I was eight or nine months pregnant with your child. I was trying to get on a shuttle before it left."

Data raised an eyebrow, "I cannot reproduce biologically."

"Neither can I, anymore." T'Mera replied, "But dreams are what they are. They don't always reflect reality."

"Accessing…" Data's yellow eyes glanced downwards and to the right, then returned to watch T'Mera's face, "According to some interpretations, pregnancy dreams can often symbolize an aspect of yourself or some aspect of your personal life that is growing and developing. They may also represent the birth of a new idea, direction, project or goal. I find this summary to be consistent to the current circumstances of your life."

T'Mera smiled up at the android, "Thank you, Data Freud." then she glanced at his jumpsuit, "Blue for you and gold for the photonic?"

Data nodded, returning to the task of fastening the jumpsuit, "While it should be obvious which of us is an android and which is a hologram, I have decided to take your advice to differentiate further from the other Data."

"I like how the blue jumpsuit makes your eyes almost look green." T'Mera tilted her head to the right. "I also like how your hair color changes, depending on the lighting, as well. Sometimes it seems like your hair is nearly black, and then at other times, it picks up the light and turns auburn. You also don't have it styled back so severely, here. I like it when it's a bit mussed." A soft smile spread across her lips, "Listen to me, waxing poetic about you. What are the Double Datas up to, today?"

"The photonic version of me is working on building your brain and body." Data hesitated for a moment, then continued, "Geordi wishes for me to meet with him to celebrate at Giskard's restaurant in the central common area here. I am reluctant to leave you."

T'Mera pushed her chair over towards the small dresser and opened one of the drawers, "You should go with him. You've been trapped in a variety of bodies over the past ten months, so it could be good for you to take a walk. I'm sure Photonic Data will watch over me."

Data moved to the dresser, "It is an advantage of being able to be in two places at the same time." As she pulled out a crimson velvet halter, he reached for it, in order to help her dress. "I will also need to send a subspace message to Captain Picard, letting him know that I have returned to android functionality, and asking for an extension of my current leave. I will need to get clearance for you to live aboard the Enterprise, and to ask for shuttlebay space for the Ghost."

T'Mera blinked as Data set her halter in place and fastened it in the back in three places, "I hadn't thought of that. If the transfer succeeds, I'll be living with you?"

"That was the general idea, was it not?" Data smoothed the halter out, then grabbed a black wraparound skirt to fasten around T'Mera's waist, "We will be together, wherever I am. I am simply assuming it will be the Enterprise. Do you wish to wear your legs?"

T'Mera shook her head, smoothing out the skirt over the edge of the chair, "Not today. I'll rest and maybe do a little bit of holovid transfer work."

"Do you require any of the painkillers?" Data checked on the chair receptacles, then pulled out the small medkit.

T'Mera hesitated, then replied, "Maybe the improvoline, so I can work but not get silly."

Data removed the hypospray and inserted the five cc vial of improvoline into it, "It should be sufficient." He pressed it against her neck, then returned it to the case. "I will roll you out to your workstation, then get your nutritional supplement. Which flavor do you desire?"

"Strawberry." T'Mera let her head drop back, to stare up at the android behind her chair. "Thank you for taking care of me."

Data pushed her chair to her workstation, then leaned down to kiss her fully on the mouth. "You are most welcome, but it is my greatest wish to be an attentive mate to you." He crossed the room, then ordered the strawberry liquid from the replicator. "Data, please watch over T'Mera while I am out with Geordi?"

Photonic Data looked over from where he worked at the main assembly, "I will be happy to do so, Data."

Data carried the glass of pink liquid to T'Mera, "Here is your meal, and your chewing gum is next to you, as is your cup of water. Is there anything more you require, before I go meet Geordi?"

"Just one more kiss?" T'Mera lifted her chin towards the android.

Data placed his hand gently beneath her chin and leaned down to give her a tender, lingering kiss. "I cherish every moment of our romantic affiliation." He smiled softly, then turned and crossed the room, to leave by the automatic doors. Outside the holostation, a sign pointed down a long corridor to the common area. He traversed the 24.38 meters until he arrived at the circular area that held the gathering places, food, beverages and the Daystrom Institute Robotics Annex Bookstore and Gift Shop. He turned left, and headed to the restaurant labeled Giskard's.

Geordi was waiting by the entrance, "Data!" He walked over and clapped the android on the shoulder, "It's great to see you walking freely. I hope you're not in the doghouse by going out without T'Mera?"

"T'Mera has not stated any sort of desire for canine companionship at this point, so it is doubtful." Data replied, lowering his chin and raising both eyebrows.

Geordi chuckled, "I really missed those responses."

"Your laughter suggests I have been too literal-minded." Data stated good-naturedly, "Ah. In The Doghouse... A situation in which someone is angry at you for something you did or did not do. To be in mild or temporary disfavor. In a situation of being the object of someone's anger or disapproval. Frequently used to describe a situation in which one is experiencing the anger of a spouse or romantic partner." After he rattled off the listing, he told Geordi, "I do not believe I am in a doghouse. T'Mera's exact words to me were "You should go with him.""

Geordi led Data inside the restaurant, "That could mean either go or not, though, depending on the woman." He chose a table and sat down. "Some women will tell you to go out with a friend, but are really just waiting to see if you'll do it or whether you'll choose to stay with them, instead. Then, if you do go out, they get angry."

Data sat down across from Geordi, knitting his eyebrows slightly, "Lieutenant D'Sora did such things. She would tell me to return to what I had been doing, yet became upset when I did exactly as she instructed. T'Mera has shown no similar behaviors. For our entire association, she has always meant exactly what she has said."

Geordi picked up the menu to peruse, "That's good, Data. It's hard enough to be with a woman who expects a man to read her mind, when you're human. I can't imagine how hard it was for you."

"The unpredictable nature of the variables involved in a relationship with Lieutenant D'Sora were extremely challenging, to say the least. I experience none of those challenges with T'Mera. I believe that when she says I should go with you, she expects me to go." Data picked up the menu, then raised an eyebrow as the server approached.

The server was a woman standing 1.67 meters tall, with dark brown hair, tawny skin with pink undertones, curvaceous body and unblinking bright blue eyes. She wore a red tunic with silver print flowers over glittering silver stockings and black pumps. A gold chain with a heavy pendant hung from her neck. The number on the pendant was 15. She approached the table and spoke haltingly. "I am Alice Fifteen. May… I take your order? Do you require… more time?"

Geordi smiled at the server, "I'll have a glass of iced coffee and the pasta alla fiorella." He looked across at Data, "Are you getting anything?"

Data replied to Geordi, "I believe that I wish to test my new body's functions fully." He turned to Alice Fifteen, "I will have the iced coffee and pasta alla fiorella, as well." He paused, studying the server, then noticed that many of the other servers were identical, but with different numbers on their pendants, "You are an android?"

"That is correct." Alice Fifteen smiled at Data. "Two iced coffees and two pasta alla fiorella plates."

"May I inquire as to your construction?" Data tilted his head, looking up at her.

Alice's unblinking eyes and smile remained static, "This body is covered with a self-renewing plastic over a skeleton of beryllium-titanium alloy. The estimated duration of this model is five hundred thousand years. Do you require anything else?"

Data narrowed his left eye and raised his right eyebrow, "Alice Fifteen, what is your favorite color?"

Alice Fifteen's pendant began to flash, "I am not programmed to respond in this area."

"Never mind." Data waved her off, "Just the nourishment and beverages, then." He looked back at Geordi.

Geordi grinned back at Data, "They aren't sentient. You nearly caused her to crash, I think."

"I had never met one of the Galor IV androids, before." Data moved his mouth slightly to the left, "I see I was not missing much."

Geordi turned his head, watching the server head to the kitchen, "They're pretty, at least."

Data's head turned in a quick movement, "Hmm. I suppose they do have a certain aesthetic quality to them, but I prefer a woman who is more intellectually stimulating." He looked back at Geordi, "I am planning to contact Captain Picard, after this, and ask his permission to bring T'Mera and her ship aboard the Enterprise, assuming he still wishes me on his crew."

Geordi rubbed his beard, "Will T'Mera be happy living on a starship?"

Data replied softly, "She was born on the Niagara-class Wellington, to two Starfleet officers, and was raised there until she was of the age to study at the Daystrom Institute. While she, herself, never joined Starfleet, she has not forgotten what life aboard a starship is like. I believe that you and she have that in common."

"Oh yeah? I didn't know that about her." Geordi smiled, then leaned back to let Alice Fifteen set their food and drinks on the table.

Data dipped his head to the android, "Thank you, Alice Fifteen." He picked up a fork in his left hand and began to prod one of the pasta pieces as if checking it for lifesigns.

"I'd kind of heard of Doctor Chipman before, but just her work and a couple of the issues from the Enterprise D. I never knew her personal background." Geordi began to eat his pasta, then told Data, "Just pick it up with the fork, put it in your mouth, chew and swallow."

Data did as instructed, then chewed thoughtfully, "High concentration of sodium and carbohydrates, liberal amount of lipids and cellulose." He took another bite and chewed, then declared, "I like it." He took another piece, then pressed his lips together, "Geordi, do you foresee any problems with my returning to the Enterprise and bringing a romantic partner with me?"

Geordi swallowed his current forkful, then washed it down with the coffee, "I don't see why there should be problems. Off the record, I think Captain Picard misses you. Also, nobody else was ever able to hold down three positions at once, or do double shifts. I think he wants you back, and if having you back means he gets a second android and needs to make space in the shuttlebay, he'll do it."

"T'Mera's ship is…" Data paused, as if hunting for words, then continued, "Unusual. You will see when we use it to travel to Terlina III." He tasted the iced coffee and made a higher-pitched, "Mmm. This has an intriguing blend of lactose, sucrose, caffeine and caffeol from a Maillard reaction. I believe I like it."

"So, this program she wrote for you." Geordi regarded his friend, "It's letting you feel emotions and whether you like or dislike something?"

Data nodded as he took another sip of coffee, "Yes. It lets me choose the level of intensity that I wish to feel, as well. Doctor Soong's emotion chip not only did not let me choose levels, any feeling that I experienced was at a degree of intensity that I doubt humans actually encounter on a regular basis."

"Either no engines or warp ten, eh?" Geordi shook his head, "You seem much more balanced, now."

Data pressed his lips together, with an expression of shame on his face, "Sometimes, I wonder if I should simply delete the memory engram with Amargosa on it. The only positive fact I can state about that incident is that I am glad you were the only one to witness it. Losing control over oneself is unpleasant."

Geordi smiled at his friend, "Data, everyone has embarrassing memories they wish they could forget. Just try not to dwell on those."

"Sound advice, my friend." Data lifted his iced coffee glass and held it up in a toast, "Here is to…" He glanced down for a moment, then continued, "To friends and the future."

Geordi lifted his glass to clink against Data's, "To having you back with us."

Data smiled and dipped his head once, then took a long sip of the coffee. Once his mouth was wet enough, he pursed his lips and began to whistle the 'Best of Buddies' tune that T'Mera had whistled on their walk.

Geordi blinked in surprise, "Data! You're whistling!"

Data smiled back at Geordi, "Indeed, I can finally whistle. I am still slightly off-key, but I feel it is serviceable." He finished off the rest of the pasta on his plate. "I have yet to be able to sneeze properly, however that is a minor issue."

Geordi finished his meal, "Yeah, I wouldn't worry about the sneezing." He wiped his mouth with the napkin next to his place setting. "What needs to be done on T'Mera's body today?" He winced, "That never sounds right."

"It is all right, Geordi." Data smiled at the engineer, "The fluidic systems will need to be assembled. Everything else is ahead of schedule, since I assist myself while T'Mera sleeps."

Geordi stood up and pushed his chair out, "Let's get you back to her, then, and get more work done."

Data stood up right after Geordi, "After you."

Geordi left the restaurant with Data right behind him, and the two walked down the Eastern corridor, back to Holostation One. The doors whooshed open, letting both men inside.

T'Mera was near the doors, on the comm panel, speaking to a woman. The conversation seemed to be coming to an end, as the holographer was speaking, "Thank you, again, Ms. Shaw. This should make sure everything goes smoothly."

The woman on the display nodded, "I'll have it for you in a day or two. Shaw out." The display went dark.

T'Mera turned when the doors opened. She smiled, "Did you two have a good time?"

Data walked over to T'Mera and bent to kiss her, "It was quite enjoyable. How are you feeling?"

Geordi waved as he walked inside, "Hi, T'Mera. I'm going to go right to work."

T'Mera nodded to Geordi, then looked back up at Data, "A bit sedated, but I managed to do some work and get some legal matters wrapped up."

"Legal matters?" Data raised an eyebrow.

T'Mera held out her right hand to take Data's left hand, "If the transfer works perfectly, the resultant android will legally still be me, and will be considered a fal-tor-pan with a prosthetic body. My legal rights and identity will not change from what they are right now. If that fifty percent chance happens, and the android isn't really sentient, she becomes your property. Not the Federation's, not Starfleet's. Yours."

Data gently squeezed T'Mera's hand, "That is acceptable. Thank you for thinking about such things before they become a problem. May I push you to your console?"

"All right, Bright Eyes." T'Mera relaxed as Data rolled her across the room to her workstation. "I have a question. Will you know how to do a synaptic scan transfer, when we get to Terlina III?"

Photonic Data looked up from his labors, "I assume you'll be answering that, Data?"

Data nodded to his duplicate, "For the sake of ease, it might be best if I handle all the conversational needs, Data."

"Agreed." Photonic Data returned to building the endoskeletal framework for the female android.

Geordi pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes with a sigh.

"I should be able to figure out what to do, once I see the equipment that he used on Juliana." Data replied to the question, "I am hoping it will not be in disrepair, since Doctor Soong would have died approximately fourteen years ago, assuming he died shortly after we left him."

"Left him?" T'Mera raised an eyebrow.

Data nodded to the holographer as he walked to the servo workstation, "Yes. It was his wish to be left alone to die there."

Dark, Vulcan eyes stared at the android, as T'Mera raised her voice slightly in incredulity, "Wait… You just left him alone there to die? So, when we open the doors, we'll be greeted with a decomposing corpse?"

Geordi looked up from the hydraulics construction, "Oh, geez, Data, that's right. We never did go back, even to bury the man."

"In retrospect, I see the error of leaving him behind and not returning to check." Data replied to the other two, "After 14 years, decomposition would be mostly completed, leaving not much more than a skeleton and possibly some mummified tissue. The important thing will be in finding his notes on Juliana's transfer, and the equipment he used."

"Oh, that's a comfort…" T'Mera lifted her cup to drink a bit of water. "You said that your father had regrets about her?"

"Yes." Data replied as he looked over the servo calibration and testing, "He had brought her back perfectly as an android, but being alone on Terlina III with him and having no real life or social interactions began to have an effect on her. He was so busy in his work that he paid no attention to her, and she left him."

T'Mera tilted her head to the right, "How did you find all this out?"

"Doctor Soong had placed an information chip inside Juliana, with a holographic interface, so he could explain to anyone who found out the truth about her." Data told the holographer.

"Odd. How could he have put the chip inside of her with the knowledge that she left him, unless he did it after she had already departed?" T'Mera mused.

Geordi looked up from his work, with a stunned expression on his face, then looked over at the android version of Data.

Both the android and photonic versions of Data had halted work at the exact same moment, with the same deep frown and processing expression. The photonic Data shook his head and continued his work, while the android Data let out an exclamation, "Son of a bitch!"

Geordi blinked at Data's outburst, "Are you okay, Data?"

Data turned to view both T'Mera and Geordi, "I apologize for my outburst, but at times, it feels as if I have an aberration in my programming that forces me to take whatever my father says as a pure truth. This is another container of Annelids. The only way that Doctor Soong could have put that amount of information on that chip into Juliana is if he had called her back to him after she had already left him. She most likely has the same homing device that Lore and B-4 have and which I used to have."

"I'll tell Emily to have Bruce remove it from B-4." T'Mera frowned at the revelation, "He had a homing device in you?"

Data returned to the servos, nodding, "Indeed. I did not even know of its existence until he decided to activate it. It overrode my entire neural net, and I wound up taking over the Enterprise by myself. It nearly caused the death of a sick child that we were supposed to be taking to a starbase."

"Why didn't he just send you a subspace message, asking you to come see him?" T'Mera reached for a stick of gum and popped it into her mouth. "Just hijacking you seems to be a really selfish thing to do, especially considering he knew you were a Starfleet officer with duties. It's a good thing that you weren't in important negotiations or something, at the time."

"It is as if I can trust nothing he has ever said to me, at face value." Data's voice took on a slightly annoyed tone, "He lied to me, he lied to Lore, he lied to his wife… Lies of omission and lies of loopholes." He suddenly looked up, his facial expression changing to delight, "I am aggravated!" He turned to look at Geordi, "I am quite aggravated!" He told his friend, cheerfully.

Geordi laughed softly, "That's great, although it's too bad it has to be like that." He continued his work, then asked, "Weren't you going to try to reach Captain Picard?"

Data nodded, then walked across the room to the comm panel, "Affirmative, but I wanted to check the servo calibration, first." He tapped on the display and the Starfleet insignia popped up. After a few minutes, the face of Captain Picard appeared on the monitor.

Captain Picard stared at the screen for a few moments, after which he seemed to finally find his voice, "Commander Data, is that really you? The message header... "

Data moved his lips into his usual slight smile, "Greetings, Captain. Yes, it is me. I am contacting you for a few reasons. The first is to inform you that the transfer of myself from B-4 to a new android body has been successful."

"That's quite good news, Commander." Captain Picard smiled back at the android, "The Enterprise has not seemed the same without you. When will you be able to return to duty?"

"That is the second reason." Data replied to the monitor, "I do not wish for Doctor Chipman to die, so I am going to attempt a synaptic scan transfer of her mind into an android body. Once the body is completed, it will take us three days to travel to Terlina III. If everything goes well, the synaptic scan will take perhaps a day. From there, the only extra time needed will be the time to travel from Terlina III to a rendezvous point with the Enterprise. That leads to the third issue. It is my intention that Doctor Chipman remain with me aboard the Enterprise, and her personal craft will need to be docked in our shuttlebay. It is approximately the size of a Danube-class runabout."

Captain Picard stared at the screen, "You're going to make another android? Isn't that a bit reckless, Commander?"

"Doctor Chipman has already taken care of the legal issues that might arise from such an undertaking." Data told the captain, then added, "If we need some sort of exception, since she is not in Starfleet, Doctor Chipman would be aboard as my domestic partner."

Captain Picard leaned forward, setting his elbows on the surface of his desk, bringing his hands together and steepling his fingers, "Commander, as I recall, Doctor Chipman has more than enough Starfleet clearance to serve in a civilian capacity aboard the Enterprise if you need her for maintaining your systems. There's no need to claim her as a domestic partner."

Data lowered his chin slightly, "You misunderstand me, Captain. I do not need her to maintain my systems. During our time together, I initiated a romantic affiliation with her, and was gratified that I was able to induce her interest in me to a degree beyond one of a professional nature." He raised both eyebrows and pressed his lips together quickly, then summed up, "We are in love."

Captain Picard placed both hands over his face with a sigh. "Give me a moment, Commander."

"Understood, Captain." Data responded, "I realize this is quite a bit of information to assimilate."

Captain Picard removed his hands from his face, then seemed to study Data through the screen, "There is also the matter that, in your… absence… the position of First Officer has been filled. Commander Worf is my current first officer, but as it happens, our current Operations Officer and Second Officer is going on family leave soon. We still need a Senior Science Officer as well. Essentially, you would be getting your previous three positions back, although you will still be promoted to the rank of Commander."

"Worf is an excellent choice for First Officer, Sir." Data replied, his face showing a neutral expression. "I would be more than willing to resume my previous posts." His expression changed to a more solemn one. "There is also the matter of my insubordination at Bassen Rift. I disobeyed your order."

A shadow seemed to pass over the captain's face, as his expression changed to a combination of shame and sadness, "You don't remember what happened, do you?"

"While it is true that my memory record diverges from the original Data before the events with Shinzon took place, I was informed of the series of those events." Data explained. "Regardless of the outcome of my actions, I am unsure as to whether the ends justified the means."

"Commander…" Captain Picard seemed to be struggling with words, his facial expression changing to one that Data had come to associate with regret and remorse. His voice became both soft and hoarse, "Data… I committed a terrible mistake. I had a lapse in judgement brought on by my emotions, and I failed you and I failed the crew of the Enterprise. Had it not been for your insubordination, I would have caused the deaths of the entire crew of this ship. Thank you for that. Even if you had lived, I had no intention of marking it as a negative in your record, nor would I have reprimanded you." He inhaled deeply, then slowly exhaled, "The fact remains that I am directly responsible for your destruction and for costing you one year of your life." He went silent, with his face now a mask of misery.

Data watched the captain, moved his jaw forward slightly, raised his eyebrows, and with a small smile, offered, "One year, two months, twelve days, two hours and twenty-five seconds of my life, sir."

That brought a smile back to Captain Picard's face, although his eyes now had a wet sheen to them, "I have sorely missed you, Mister Data."

"I have missed you, as well, Captain." Data smiled fully at the screen.

"Both you and Doctor Chipman will be welcomed aboard." Captain Picard sat up straighter, "You will keep us apprised of your timing and whereabouts, I assume?"

Data nodded in reply, "That is the current plan, sir. Thank you."

"Thank you, Mister Data. Picard out." The captain's face was replaced with the Starfleet insignia, which then faded to black.