"Well, I suppose I owe you an apology, Data," Dr. Pulaski said, approaching the android in Ten-Forward. She did not take a seat at his table. "I spoke with Geordi earlier this afternoon and he said that you did solve the trap that Moriarty set up for you. So I suppose you did solve the mystery in your own way."
"I appreciate the apology, Doctor, but you could have asked me about my side of our adventure and I could have relayed the events to you even more accurately than Geordi could."
Distrust flickered across Pulaski's eyes for a moment. "Oh, I just wanted to hear Geordi's side of it."
Data decided not to address the lie directly. "I still do not understand why you seem to distrust me, Doctor."
"Oh. Well," she said, "you're a machine, Data. Machines malfunction."
Data cocked his head. "Do humans not malfunction? Do they not suffer maladies both mental and physical and also make mistakes? Does that make them untrustworthy as well?"
"No, of course not," Pulaski said, taken aback by the android's questioning.
"Then it is because I am different, and that you do not understand how I function."
Pulaski patted Data on the shoulder in an almost condescending way. "That's a very astute observation, Data," she said. "Anyway, I'll be off."
She left Data feeling more than a bit isolated in the crowded lounge.