10. Really?

"Aura, this will be your bed." Data told the kitten as he deposited her on a pillow that occupied a small basket. She sniffed the new object casually but it didn't hold her attention for more than a couple of seconds. After only a moment she hopped out, padded over to Data and sat on his foot. Her little neck strained as she looked straight up at him.

"Mew."

"What do you want now?"

"Mew!" She was now standing up clawing his pant leg.

"Do you want me to pick you up again?"

"Meeeew!" The answer was obviously to the affirmative.

"I cannot hold you all the time." He said uselessly as he plucked her off his shoe. He held her close to his chest and her cry morphed into a soft purr. She happened to be about eye-level with his commbadge and it seemed to catch her attention. "We will have to come to an agreement of—" Aura flinched as the intercom link chirped. She stared wide-eyed at the metallic pin then slapped it again. When the sound resounded a second time she looked up at Data with amazement on her tiny face. "That is not a toy." Being of the feline species she, of course, ignored the statement.

Smack!

chirp

Smack!

chirp

"Please desist, Aura."

She swatted at it a few more times in rapid succession before he restrained her paw. "No."

The chime sounded again but this time it was not the kitten's doing.

"Data?" Aura searched the room in confusion for the source of the voice.

"Yes, Doctor?" Data's voice recognition program told him immediately that it was Dr. Pulaski calling.

"Do you still have that kitten that Wesley gave you?"

"Yes. In fact, I am holding her presently." As he spoke Aura wiggled out of his gentle grasp and climbed onto his shoulder. She purred loudly in his ear, contented with her new perch.

"I was very busy when Wesley brought it to me earlier and I didn't have a chance to do a proper physical on it. Which is called for when any new life form becomes a member of the ship. So would you bring it down to sickbay?"

"Of course. We shall be there directly."

They broke communication and Data headed out into the hall. He received more than a few curious glances as he navigated his way to sickbay with a tiny white furball clinging to his shoulder.

"It's good to see you up and running again." Pulaski said as Data entered sickbay. "You had some people pretty worried for a while."

"Yes. I have been informed that my condition was distressing to some members of the crew." He plucked the kitten off his shoulder. "I apologize for any inconvenience I may have caused." He held the patient out for examination.

"Oh, don't apologize, Data." The doctor scolded as she scanned Aura. The kitten tried to attack the medical tricorder as Pulaski ran it over her. "I did begin to wonder what the Enterprise would do without you. An android can sure come in handy around here, you know. But I'm a doctor." She lowered her tricorder when she finished. "And doctors can't waste time or mental power on things they can do nothing about. Although I was pretty shocked when they beamed you up. You two were in pretty bad shape. I had to sedate Geordi immediately."

Data furrowed his brows slightly and cocked his head. "I was not aware that Geordi had been injured."

"Really?" She ignored the readings on her tricorder for a moment as she spoke to Data. "I'd think you, of all people, would know."

"May I remind you, Doctor, that until very recently I have been unconscious and unaware of my surroundings." Data pulled the kitten off his uniform and held her firmly so she could no longer attempt to eat his commbadge. "What was the extent of his injuries?"

"He had a badly bruised rib and a broken ankle."

"I wonder why he did not find it necessary to inform me of this."

"Oh, he probably thought it would make you feel guilty."

"I am incapable of any feelings at all, guilt included."

"I know that." She said with conviction. "But sometimes I'm not so sure Geordi dose."

"Your proposal that fear of causing me guilt was Geordi's reason for his failure to enlighten me about his condition seems to suggest that I had a hand in instigating it. Is that what your are insinuating Doctor?"

"Yes." She replied quite bluntly. "It was pretty obvious that not all the damage was done by the rockslide."

"How so?" Data looked very disturbed—for Data. Pulaski, of course, didn't notice. She raised one eyebrow as if she found his confusion hard to believe.

"First, the main injury to his ankle was not caused by something falling on it; which would have been the case had a rock simply fallen on it. The muscles, and ligaments were stretched in a way that it could only have been caused by the foot being jerked through a space too small for it."

"Geordi fell and his foot became entrapped in a small fissure."

"…And you pulled it out, correct?"

"Yes. It seemed that time was of the essence. It would have prolonged his time in danger had I moved the rock before I extracted his foot."

She nodded but didn't really seem satisfied with his explanation.

"Second, right over his bruised rib he had a perfect black and blue handprint right here," She placed her palm near the center of Data's chest. Even though his expression did not change his eyes seemed to flash with realization.

"That is the exact location my hand made contact when I displaced Geordi from under the rockslide."

"Exactly." She gazed at him steadily almost as if daring him to speak.

"I only calculated the perimeters of pressure necessary to propel him to a safe distance and in my haste failed to consider the safety limits to such a force. I assure you, Doctor, my only thoughts were on his safety. I had no intention of harming Commander LaForge."

"Oh, don't defend yourself, Data. After all you saved Geordi's life. In this case the end justifies the means. But with that so-many-calculations-a-second processing unit of yours you sure could have been more careful about it. Organic beings are fragile things. I mean if you'd have hit him any harder you would have defeated the whole purpose."

"I could have killed him." He clarified. He seemed to be contemplating this concept quite intensely.

"Right." Finally she looked down at her tricorder readings. "Oh, my!"

"What?"

"Look at this brain activity!"

Data moved so he could see her tricorder. "It dose appear to be unusually high."

"What kinds of experiments did Wesley say were in that lab?"

"He mentioned radiation and numerous chemical tests."

"Well apparently being exposed to them did a whole lot more than stunt her growth. If these figures are right it's boosted her IQ tremendously. I believe this calls for some more tests." She reached for the kitten and Data obliged. Pulaski scratched Aura behind the ears. She seemed to like it but was obviously more interested in the blinking tricorder that the doctor had set on the nearby counter.

"You know, Data, I just can't see you owning a pet."

"Why is that, Doctor?"

"Pets need lots of love and attention."

"I believe I can provide her with adequate attention but I can not give her love."

"My point exactly."

"I could attempt to emulate affection. But if that is not adequate for her needs then perhaps it will be necessary to find someone better suited for her care. But I do not intend to give up without trying."

"I guess." Dr. Pulaski said, with an it's-bound-to-fail sigh. As she turned away, kitten in hand, Aura became clearly agitated. She wiggled out of the doctor's grasp hopped onto the counter and made a beeline to Data. "Where do you think you're going?" She snatched up the furball before it could reach its destination. As she turned back and started for a console across the room Aura's cries and protests became louder.

"Why are you tormenting the cat?" Asked a very logical voice. Dr. Pulaski and Data turned to see Lt. Selar, the Vulcan Medical Officer.

The Doctor Rolled her eyes. "I'm not tormenting her. She was fine just a second ago." She held the spitting and screaming bundle at eye level. "What is wrong with you?"

"It would appear that it is distressed at being separated from the Lt. Commander." Her Vulcan features stayed neutral but it was obvious that she found their ignorance pathetic. She found the tools she had come for and left without another word.

"Hmph." It was hard to tell if the sound was a response to Selar's suggestion or in frustration to the squirming cat. "I can't hold her still and scan her at the same time. Will you take her for a second?"

The instant Data took Aura back the crying stopped.

"Huh." The doctor said with a confounded smile. "I guess anything is possible."