Chapter Eight
Data quickly wrenched his gaze back to the monitor. The next moment the group was drawing alongside him, Norman standing stiffly to attention a slight distance away.
"Norman," Maddox greeted him, in a friendly tone. "Are you making your own inspection?"
"Yes, commander. It seemed a – reasonable precaution."
"Of course, of course," Maddox replied heartily, clapping him on the shoulder, and Data realized with a jolt that what he had at first taken for friendliness was in fact condescension. "You're a good worker, Norman."
The two who had been in conversation were now silent, observing this exchange closely, and when Maddox realized this he shook his head. "Even if some people might not agree, you're a good worker. Carry on, Norman."
The group moved on, all of them except Maddox casting uneasy glances at the stoic Norman. "Commander," one of them ventured, "it would really be a very simple precaution to -"
"A useless precaution," Maddox cut in impatiently. "You know how multitronics are. If we shut it down we may never get it working again, and I'd still like to study it further before we do that. Besides, I've been through its programming thoroughly. We all have. There's absolutely nothing there that would allow it to go so far off-grid as to perform any act of sabotage, no matter how minor. The issues we've had are far more likely to be the natural result of using a facility that's both alien and very old, combined with a bit of bad luck. No, we're already doing everything we can to solve these issues, and we'll just have to be patient."
One of the others began to protest again, but her words were lost even to cybernetic ears as the group moved further away. For a time there was silence apart from the steady, quiet drone of the equipment, then Norman spoke. "You – know the commander?"
"Commander Maddox once intended to dismantle me so that he might better understand my systems," Data replied, bitterness creeping into his voice. "However, I had thought – hoped – that he had learned some respect for me – for us. At least he made me believe so." Their correspondence had been irregular, prompted largely by Maddox's occasional requests for information, but Data had thought that he had managed to form at least a kind of friendship with the commander despite the circumstances under which they had met. But that friendship had been an illusion – perhaps due to deliberate deception on Maddox's part, or perhaps simply because of Data's own desire to believe that the man had changed. Yet here he was, proving that he was still just the same.
Norman shook his head, his jaw tense, and confirmed Data's worst fears. "He thinks nothing of us. He has dismantled many of my people. It seems to – give him pleasure."
"Perhaps it does," Data said, sorrowfully. "I am sorry that these are the sorts of humans you have met. I did not fully realize how fortunate I had been in that respect."
"Yes," Norman replied, hope creeping into his expression. "You have your friends and – you said that they would help us if they could."
"I believe that they would, yes," Data said slowly. Geordi would, at the least, but the android had already placed Arzin's career at risk and was deeply reluctant to do the same to anyone else. "Though I am not certain that they could. Maddox's work is officially sanctioned, and my presence here is decidedly not. In any case, at the moment, I am unable to contact them safely." Again he thought of Maya, who would also have helped no matter the risks, and now wished that she was still alive for the sake of all the Midian androids as well as his own. "But I am not leaving, and together we will find a way through this," he added with a confidence he did not feel.
"I am – glad – you are here," Norman replied, though his face was back to its usual expressionless mask. "Even if nothing can be done, I am glad to know that there are at least a few others like us. And we will help you as I promised, no matter what happens. Your friend will live, and – at least one of us will live as well, in a way."
"If you can save Maya," Data began, fighting the sudden sting of tears, "then... I will forever be in your debt. But do not give up hope, Norman. The situation is difficult, yes, but I refuse to believe it is impossible. I will not abandon you or your people."
"And we are – grateful," Norman said, even more gravely. "But... if you find that you must choose between helping us and preserving your own existence, then – I must ask that you abandon us. Dr. Soong was the only human who was ever – kind to us, and I cannot repay him by letting one of his creations be destroyed."
For a moment, Data was silent, regarding the other android as though seeing him for the first time. "There was a great deal that I feared to find here, and much of that has turned out to be true," he finally said, slowly. "But I also hoped to find some kinship here... and there I have found more than I ever could have imagined."
Once more he held out his hand, and though Norman clearly still found the gesture awkward he shook it readily enough. "Yes – kinship. I had thought we would not find that again. I am glad that I was incorrect."
Again there was silence, until Data spoke again. "Perhaps you should show me the rest of the facility?" he suggested. "Or a schematic, at least. It will help if I know the layout and the capabilities of the complex."
"Yes, you can download the schematics. That – will also allow me to look at your systems. And – there is something else that I must show you."
Without having altered his voice in the slightest, Norman still gave the impression that this something else was very important, and Data instinctively prepared himself for an unpleasant revelation. He had had too much practice in dealing with those recently. In silence, Norman lead the way to another part of the complex, one that was clearly of much newer, Federation construction. There were also fewer androids walking the halls here, though the humanoids in the area still primarily ignored them.
Soon they arrived at a room where several large monitors covered one wall, with several Starfleet personnel seated at computer stations to analyze and observe. At a glance, they appeared to be studying a standard flight log recording of the bridge of a starship in the midst of a pitched battle, though the figures on the screens did not wear Starfleet uniforms. And the figures were also familiar, Data realized, spotting two of the Alice series along with three Oscars, two Annabels, and two Hermans.
A voice ordered the androids to fire a spread of photon torpedoes, though it was quickly apparent that the commander, whoever he was, was not present on the bridge. The ship was rocked several times by return fire, and one panel shorted out dramatically, sending one of the Hermans to the floor. As the battle went on and the damage mounted, Data turned in confusion to Norman.
"I do not understand," he said, quietly. "You said none of your people had yet been sent into battle."
Before he replied, Norman lead them back out into the corridor and they began to retrace their steps. "They have not. This is a holographic simulator that was created for combat training. To date, nine androids have been destroyed during these – simulations."
"Destroyed?" Though he had begun to believe himself beyond surprise, this startled him. "Federation holographic programs are normally equipped with safety features that prevent -"
"The safety features have been deactivated. To more accurately recreate combat situations. Commander Maddox said that it would be – more effective."
Expecting a wave of anger, Data was instead most rocked by sadness, and not only for the loss of the androids. "I believed Commander Maddox understood... but I could not have been more mistaken. Why did I not see it?"
"Regret – is not practical," Norman replied. "We must face the situation as it is."
"You are right," Data said with a sigh. "That is a lesson that I seem to have a great deal of trouble learning. We must discuss our options and decide on the best course."
"Yes. There is a workshop I often use. We will speak there, and I will observe your systems."
Workshop was a slightly misleading term, it being a spacious room filled with equipment that most engineers and scientists would have ached to possess. Even two millennia after their deaths, the Midians were still ahead of the Federation in some ways, and there were a few items whose function Data could only guess at. Though he was sure that his host would have been glad to explain, Data did not inquire. He felt he would not be able to muster the necessary patience for even the most fascinating scientific discussion at the moment.
Despite the circumstances, Norman seemed glad of the opportunity to study a functioning positronic net. This reminded Data unhappily of Maddox's intentions, despite the fact that the other android was both careful and considerate in his studies – just as fascinated as the human was without any of Maddox's recklessness. Again Data felt the still unusual sting of impatience, and it seemed hours before Norman nodded.
"Yes, I believe the transfer will be possible. Though – if we are to perform the transfer here, and I believe we should, then we should do so quickly," he added, with faint uneasiness. "I must see about adapting one of the bodies already in process. Do you have exact specifications?"
"Specifications," Data echoed, still coming to terms with the fact that this was actually happening. "Yes, I do." He entered the bare statistics of Maya's physical existence calmly enough into the computer terminal, one that had been adapted previously for the Starfleet personnel, then looked at Norman, feeling surprisingly unsettled. "I... will download her image," he said. "I also have a voice pattern." Now he finally realized why he was uneasy: He had grown accustomed to keeping Maya all to himself, hoarding her memories and even her appearance away from the rest of the galaxy, and it felt somehow like a betrayal to let anyone else see her – even the being who would be instrumental in saving her.
But of course to Norman she was simply another human – one that was vouched for, at least, and more to be trusted than most, but still just another human among trillions. He accepted her image as he had accepted everything else, merely nodding as he sent instructions out for one of the current batch of androids to be made to resemble her, with no programming to be added beyond the basics of the multitronic systems. Watching silently, Data found he could still not yet trust that this was really happening, that it was not simply a daydream he had gotten lost in, as he had so often gotten lost in his memories.
He was soon brought back to the more immediate crisis, however, as Norman spoke up again, calling up files on the console. "Here – are the schematics," he said, and Data stepped forward to scan them. The facility was much like a standard Federation outpost in all but size, with several alterations having been made. Escape pods had been added, along with standard security measures such as the ability to flood all or some of the rooms with neural gas that would incapacitate nearly all humanoid races. That might be useful, but that alone would get them nowhere – though the technicians and scientists here were largely left to their own devices for the sake of secrecy, they were able to call upon all the resources of the Federation should they feel it necessary. Though he had not really expected a simple study of the complex to provide a quick answer, he was nonetheless disappointed that it had not happened anyway.
"Without access to a ship large enough to transport us, I – do not see any practical options," Norman put in, and Data could only agree.
"Yes. I imagine that there is no reason for a ship of any size to call here, and in any case there is no single Federation ship large enough to transport even a significant fraction of the androids at one time. That is the fundamental problem we must solve." He paused, thinking again of Maddox and how little his behavior seemed to match several things he had previously said during their correspondence. Perhaps there was a reason for that discrepancy after all. "I believe that I should speak to Commander Maddox," he added, thoughtfully, surprising himself at speaking aloud before fully thinking the matter through.
Norman almost looked alarmed. "That – would not be advisable," he said, reminding Data of all the times he had raised a similar objection to a dangerous endeavor proposed by one of his shipmates.
"Perhaps not, though first we must have a plan in mind."
"A plan – to persuade him to help us?" Norman asked, one eyebrow quirking up. "I do not believe that is possible."
"To persuade him, or force him," Data amended. "His work here is outside the normal rules and regulations. Though he has been kept safe from repercussions thus far, it may be possible to change that."
"Let me go with you," Norman offered.
But Data immediately shook his head. "It would be better for the Commander to believe that I have acted alone in this. I would prefer to have an ace up my sleeve."
Norman tilted his head. "An ace up one's sleeve. A hidden advantage."
"Precisely. If he believes that I am alone in this endeavor, he is far more likely to underestimate the amount of opposition he can expect."
"Agreed. Now all we need – is the plan."
