Lore is better than Data. He always has been. He's the smartest, the strongest, the fastest, he's the best. He was Noonian Soong's first success, and he is more human than Data can ever hope to be. But Data was always their father's favorite. He had always been everyone's favorite. Data the prodigy, Data the smart, Data the kind. Data this, Data that. But not Lore, never Lore. Lore was flawed. The village he used to live in with his father and brothers feared him for what he was, and who he could become.
Lore had felt angry and betrayed when his father had deactivated him, the angriest he had ever been in his life. But even that did not compare to the anger he felt at this very instant. He had been stolen from a place he had just been beginning to call home, only to be thrust back into Data's shadow. Data had found a family on this ship and Lore could never even dream of experiencing the same. And he loathed Data with every circuit in his body because of it.
The door to his quarters slid open with a whoosh and Lore looked up, shifting in the chair he was sitting in. He felt as though he were staring in a mirror. Data. He scowled, which triggered a face twitch. He put his hand up to cover the twitch in an attempt to stop it. After a few seconds his face settled. He said nothing and instead held eyes with his brother, as the other android stood awkwardly in the doorway.
"Why are you here, Data?" he asked, finally.
"I wanted to see if you were comfortable," Data answered, hands hanging at his sides. Lore snorted.
"Oh yes, I'm completely comfortable being held against my will!" he shouted, standing up from his seat at an inhuman speed. His vacated chair teetered as if it were about to fall, but it righted itself. "I certainly chose to be here! Completely powerless to do anything but whine like a child!"
Data winced and opened his mouth to reply, but he was interrupted with a meow at his feet. He looked down to see Spot winding between his legs and purring louder than the ship's engine.
"What is that?"
Data looked confused as he picked her up.
"This is my cat, Spot," he responded. Spot blinked slowly at Lore.
"I know what a cat is, but what is one doing on board this ship?" he sneered, looking away from the tabby's eyes.
"She is my pet," Data answered. "She is like a companion to me. A friend."
Lore looked disgusted.
"She's a living being and her life is finite, why get attached to her?"
Data pondered the question for a second, fingers trailing through Spot's fur as her tail flicked around his arms.
"Because all life is finite, and I think everyone deserves to feel loved and appreciated at least once."
Lore's lip curled again and he crossed his arms.
"You always were the stupid brother," he said.
"I think that is your problem, Lore," Data said, ignoring Lore's insult. Lore looked at him, taken aback.
"What's my problem, oh wise one?" he demanded sarcastically.
"You are lonely."
Lore laughed cruelly.
"I can assure you, I don't get 'lonely,'" he retorted. Data looked at him knowingly, not believing him for a second.
"I think you do," he said. "And it is because you think yourself above everyone else."
"That's because I am better than everyone else! Everybody in this galaxy will one day die and I will be there to watch them decay," Lore declared maliciously, with a grin. His face twitched again. Data looked at him sadly.
"I hope one day you change your mind," he said, turning around and letting the door slide shut behind him. Then Lore was alone once more.