Chapter Nineteen

Work at the lab was making progress. At Arzin's suggestion, they had for the moment stopped trying to break through or stop the interference and were instead working on a way around it. After consulting with Norman they had concluded that it would be possible to alter the frequency of the network in away that would render the interference moot. It would be, in Data's usual understatement, a lengthy process, since it would require making a physical adjustment to each android. The process would speed up greatly as more androids were available to help, but it was also possible that the interference might simply change itself at some point, undoing all their work.

There were no better options, however. "It is possible that the interference is automated. Certainly nothing we have done has caused it to alter in any way. I believe it is the best solution," Data said.

"Agreed," Norman said after a moment. "I believe we – must proceed."

"I will go check on Maya. She will wish to help."

On his way back to the lounge, Data allowed himself to feel optimistic. If Maya was feeling better then she would be even more glad of a project to work on, and would perhaps continue to improve in general. And it would be a relief to everyone to have all the androids functional once more; as it was the halls still felt uncomfortably like catacombs.

But when he reached his destination, his thoughts scattered at once and he stopped in his tracks. The room was empty.

"Maya!" he called, fighting back panic. If she had woken earlier, she would surely have returned to the lab. There was nowhere else she would go. He pulled out his comm badge and tapped it. "Arzin, Maya is not in the lounge. Can you check to see if she is at the relay station?"

"Yes, sir." There was a pause before he continued, concern creeping into his voice. "No, sensors show there's no one there. Hang on. Trudy, have any of you seen Maya?"

Trudy tilted her head. "Negative," she replied. "Do you – wish to find her?"

"Yes, yes we do," Arzin said at once. "Data, I'll coordinate with Norman and get a search going. But I'm sure she's all right."

"I hope you are correct," Data replied, his voice strained. "I will begin searching in this area. Keep me informed."

"Yes, sir," Arzin said, then sighed as he cut the commlink. He hadn't believed his own reassurances any more than Data had, but at least they had more help for the search now. "Norman, can you show me a schematic of this facility?" he asked, focusing all his attention on the task at hand.

With nearly 6,000 of the androids now active, they were able to scour the complex with impressive speed and efficiency. But none of the searchers found any sign of Maya.

Data had reluctantly returned to the lab – actively searching, however fruitlessly, still seemed preferable to sitting and coordinating the search – and forced himself to reason the situation through. His eyes drifted over to Lore, still lying inert under the tarp. At least he was not endangering Maya again, though that might have been preferable to some of the scenarios Data was imagining. "You are certain every area has been checked?" he asked Norman.

"Yes. There is no sign of Maya – anywhere in the facility."

"Then she must have left somehow. Is there still a way to get to the surface?"

"There is one," Norman replied promptly. "Most airlocks – were damaged or destroyed by the explosions, but one is still functioning. Here." He indicated a spot on the schematic, at the edge of the complex, not very far from the lounge area.

"Scan the surface," Data asked Arzin, who was already at the appropriate panel and beginning to do so.

"Not all sensors are operable," Norman said, apologetically. "There will be – blind spots."

"Yes, there are," Arzin murmured, leaning closer to the console. "But I've got something. Energy source, just over 10 kilometers away.

Data moved to look at the readout, committing the coordinates to his perfect memory. "Monitor her position. Contact me if she moves."

"Aye, sir," Arzin said automatically, studying the screen and fighting back worry.


It wasn't often that Data truly ran – having been among humans all his life, he had learned the habit of staying at their speeds for the most part – but now he did not hesitate to move as fast as he could. Being forced to stop for the airlock cycle was almost more frustration than he could take, his mind still full of terrible possibilities. Why would Maya have gone to the surface? There was nothing there, particularly now that the upper portions of the complex had been largely reduced to rubble. And she would have known what effect simply disappearing would have on him – and despite her occasional, unusual flashes of emotion, she had still shown nothing but consideration for him, for everyone. It was difficult to imagine her willingly causing so much worry.

Though Data saw none of it, there was a certain stark beauty to the planet. Its surface was often swept by powerful windstorms that had, over millennia, shaped the rust-colored stone into smooth, elaborate arches and waves. Over these formations hung a striking yellow-gold sky, rippling faintly like an aurora borealis. Once there must have been far more water on this planet as well, for in this area, at least, ancient rivers had also carved the rock, leaving their marks behind.

One such river had created a canyon that surpassed anything on Earth, and it was there that Data's search led him. Maya must have been motionless all this time, since he had heard nothing from Arzin, and as he first neared the canyon he faced the horrible possibility that she had fallen to the bottom of it.

Then he caught sight of her, standing motionless at the top of a formation that swept upward slightly as it extended out over the edge of the abyss. She was staring downward intently as though fascinated by something she saw in the darkness. "Maya," he said, quietly, afraid of startling her. The atmosphere was thin and sound did not carry well, but with her android hearing he believed she should have caught the word. But she did not react.

He risked a step closer and said her name again. Though she still did not seem to have heard, she murmured something nonetheless. "Falling."

"You are not falling, Maya," he said quickly, panic creeping into his voice. "Come over here and you will not fall."

As he spoke, she tilted her head a fraction as though finally hearing him. "Falling," she said again, thoughtfully,then turned to look at him. A brief spark – perhaps curiosity, perhaps hope – lit up her eyes for a moment, then faded away as she shook her head. "No. You're not real. Nothing's real." Her gaze drifted back to the unfathomable darkness.

"I am real," he said, reaching out his hands as he stepped closer, still cautious even though she seemed beyond being startled. There was a resigned exhaustion in her that seemed to drive out everything else. "Maya, I am real. Please, come here. Let me help you."

Again she turned to look at him, a faint frown creasing her forehead. "Do I remember you?"

Had the low power mode somehow disrupted her fragile memories again? If that was all it was, they might be able to solve that problem. "Yes, you remember me. I am Data."

"Data," she said, with a flash of recognition. "But you're gone. Everyone's gone." There is no accusation in her tone, only that same faded curiosity, but Data feels the sting of guilt nonetheless.

"I was working in the lab, with the others," he explained. "I wanted to let you rest. I stayed until you fell asleep. Do you recall?"

But this only seemed to confuse her. "No, you were gone. You left. Such a long time ago." Her shoulders slump and she seems very small and lost.

Unsure what to make of this, Data could only keep trying to reassure her as best he could. "I am here now. Let me help you."

For a long moment, she made no reply. Just as he was about to speak again, she turned fully towards him, studying him doubtfully for a moment. After one last glance into the darkness, she began to walk towards him, slowly, each step seeming to require great effort.

He moved forward at once to meet her, putting his arms around her. "You are safe," he said, trying to convince himself of that as well.

But Maya had frozen in place the moment he touched her, staring in subdued astonishment. "You are real."

"Yes, I am," he said, keeping his voice as calm as he could as he stepped back again and studied her face. "Let us go back inside. We will run a diagnostic and make sure that you are all right."

Again that flicker of hope shone in her face. "Is it over? I'm not still falling?"

"No, you are all right. You are not still falling." Though he still understood very little of what she said, he was prepared to say anything that seemed likely to make her feel better. "Let us go inside."

There was no physical reason for it, but her steps were still unsteady – not as they had been earlier, but as though she was truly exhausted almost beyond endurance, hardly able to keep on her feet. Finally Data picked her up and carried her back to the airlock. She said nothing on the journey back, only buried her face against his shoulder. He could only hope that she took as much comfort from the gesture as he did.