Chapter Three; Confusio
Confusio. Noun. 1. Shame. 2. Confusion. 3. Union. 4. Trouble
Maddox didn't run any tests on him that morning. He sat on the floor, just out of reach, and talked. He told the android how closely he had been monitoring his development, how pleased he was when he received Data's messages. And slowly Data began to answer. Just harmless things, how he felt looking back on aspects of his life, how his behaviours had changed since the installation of the emotion chip. Maddox seemed entranced by every little detail, jotting notes and nodding encouragingly. When the man's stomach growled for the fourth time, Data quirked his head.
"You are hungry."
"Yes, it's past lunch. But I'm really enjoying talking with you."
"We can talk more when you have eaten."
"Of course." Maddox stood and stretched, and Data heard the creaking of his joints and muscles, stiff from sitting on the floor for so long. He felt ashamed that he hadn't taken the man's discomfort into account sooner.
"I'm sorry about this, but we'll have to leave the cuffs and the inhibitor on for a while longer." And Maddox did look sorry, Data thought to himself.
"It is alright, I understand." He replied mildly. Maddox smiled shyly.
"Thank you Data, I appreciate hearing that. I'll be back in an hour. Do you want anything?"
"No, thank you."
"All right."
"So, tell me something that makes you feel sad."
"Lal. My daughter."
"Uh-huh. I remember. You sent me some footage, she seemed lovely. And what happened?"
"You know what happened."
"Yes. But we're trying to provoke an emotional reaction, so that I can gather more information. You understand?"
"... Yes."
"I know this is difficult for you, but I promise, it won't take long. Go ahead and talk, at your own pace."
"Good, well done. You're doing so well, I'm very pleased. Now, tell me about a time you felt frightened."
"I... I was trapped. It was... I was buried, and I could not see."
"Good, good. Keep going, deeper into that memory."
"Tell me about your brother."
"He was a liar. He hurt me, and those I care about. He made me... do things, that I am ashamed of. He was a murderer."
"And how do you feel, when you think about Lore?"
"I... I do not know."
Maddox sighed deeply and put down the PADD. "Data, please, you must cooperate with me!"
"I know." Data frowned. "But, when I think of my brother, it is hard for me to say how I feel, the emotions are... complex."
"I need you to try! We have to put names to these feelings, otherwise these readings are useless!"
"I know, but I cannot!"
"Fine!" Maddox stood abruptly and stalked to his console, jabbing at the screen viciously. Data found himself being hauled upright, the chains retracting into the ceiling and dragging him up by the arms, pulled up until his feet no longer reached the floor, and his whole weight was on his wrists.
"If you are having trouble with complex emotions, why don't we try something more basic?" Maddox snapped, picking up the pain stick.
"No, no, Bruce please, I am sorry, I will try..."
"Data, I told you, if you are bad..." The stick connected with the android's side and he shrieked and jerked, his body swinging on the chain as the current coursed through him.
"... Bad things happen. Do you understand me?" Maddox drew the stick away and Data nodded as he sobbed, his body hanging limply.
"Good, good. And now I have an accurate reading for your pain sensation, so it's not all bad. Oh come now," he glowered at the weeping android, "you brought this on yourself. This is your fault. You know I don't want to have to hurt you, but you persist in being disobedient. We're done for the day."
Maddox threw the stick onto the console and strode from the lab, leaving Data dangling and whimpering.
"I'm sorry, you know that, don't you? I don't want to have to do these things, but if you don't help me, how else am I supposed to achieve anything?"
"I know, Bruce. I am sorry."
"It's alright, don't worry. Are you feeling able to help me this morning?"
"Yes."
"I'm glad to hear it. Come on, let's get you down."
The chains lengthened and Data allowed his legs to give under him as he was lowered down, his knees coming to rest on the deck.
"Is that better? I suppose you don't suffer from aching muscles, do you? But still, I didn't like leaving you like that."
"I will be fine." The inhibitor was still active, and he felt heavy and awkward. He shook his head slightly. He felt dazed and light headed, almost inebriated.
"Good. Now, I know you won't like the next test, so I'm apologizing in advance." Bruce quirked a small smile at him. "I promise, if you're good, good things will happen, okay?"
"All right." Data nodded. He just had to remember not to be bad, that's all.
"I'm so pleased with you, Data, you know that. And I care about you, so much. So, be good for me."
"I will Bruce, I promise."
"You are wonderful." Bruce came to kneel before him, and put a hand to his cheek. "You know, I've admired you since the day I first learned about you. But I was so misguided back then. You've made me see how special you are, did you know that? You are so precious to me." Bruce swept his thumb over Data's lips and the android closed his eyes. He could feel the man's hand trembling where it rested on his face.
"What do you need me to do?"
Bruce sighed and sat back on his haunches, removing his hand to pick up his PADD.
"I need to test the limit of the restrictions in your sexual behaviour programming."
Data shuddered. "I... I cannot..."
"Data, I'm right here. I won't let you come to any harm."
"... But..."
"DATA!" Bruce snapped, and the android flinched. "You promised me that you'd be good! Is this good behaviour?"
"N... no, but..."
"For God's sake!" Bruce threw the PADD to the floor and stood to glower down at Data. "I don't know what to do with you! What do you want from me, Data? Why do you persist in trying my patience?"
"Bruce, I... I am sorry..."
"Please, Data!" Bruce's eyes were wide, entreating, and he knelt once more before the android. "I'll help you, I promise. I care about you. You believe me, don't you?"
"Yes, Bruce."
"So let's try it, okay? Can you do that? For me?"
Data looked into the man's eyes. "Yes."
"Thank you." Bruce smiled, and ran his knuckles down Data's cheek. "So, go ahead. Do what you'd do if you where alone. Pretend I'm not here." He stood and moved away to scan Data from behind his console.
Shame swept through him in a hot wave as he put his hand inside his clothes to touch himself. He closed his eyes and allowed his mind to drift, imagining hot kisses, soft lips and warm hands, and the feeling of a body pressed against his. His breathing sped up, pulse thumping through his hydraulics, and he let his head fall back and his mouth open to breathe a sigh as he brought himself to fullness. The manacle snagged on his waistband, and his mind was abruptly drawn back to his current situation. He gasped and withdrew his hand, embarrassed, and the subroutine quit.
"Data..." Maddox said, and he heard the warning in the man's voice.
"I am sorry..." Data raised his hand to look at the shackle, and then at Bruce. Bruce shook his head
"I can't remove them, you know that. You'll just have to work around it." The man's eyes were hard, and the android trembled. Just be good.
He knelt up and shuffled his trousers down onto his thighs, and shoved his boxers down enough to expose himself. His modesty subroutine shot a warning through his mind but he dismissed it, focusing on his memories.
It only took him a moment to reactivate his sexual behaviour program, and his stiffness leapt into his hand and he groaned and gripped it, his movements slow as he stimulated himself. He shut his eyes again and gave himself over to the sensations thrumming through his body, focusing on his movements and the steadily building pressure burning through him. He clenched his jaw, his other hand gripping his knee, and pulled from his memory banks every heady erotic memory he could, pushing himself towards his ecstasy. He gasped as the tactile memory of a tongue on his sex made lubricant trickle from the tip of his cock, and his hand smoothed it down the length. He was almost there, just a touch away, but the program wouldn't complete, the parameters not met. He bent over himself, put his hand to the floor, pushing himself into his fist, thrusting with his pelvis, his mind swimming with lust and longing. He was too hot, the memories and tactile information burning through his processors at an astonishing rate.
"Bruce..." He panted, his breathing laboured. He opened his eyes to look up at the man, standing behind his console so far away, too far. He wanted him, needed him. His vision cut out for a second as his processors struggled.
"Not yet." The man's voice seemed distant, and Data groaned. It was good, so good, the sensation building and building, but soon, too much. Every touch was so intense that it was almost pain. His hand was slick with his own fluids, his erection painful in its hardness. His body trembled with effort, fighting against the inhibitor and his own programming. His visual feed cut again, came back to a view of two shining black shoes, just in front of him. He gasped and knelt up, looking at the man standing just out of reach. Bruce was breathing hard, sweating, a muscle in his jaw working rhythmically as he stared intently at the readout on his PADD.
"Please, please, please..." He couldn't stop, he was so close, his lust swelling in his chest, gasping for air. He leaned back and slid his other hand between his legs, pushed two fingers inside himself and howled as he found that place inside him. Good, so good, but still not enough. He tore his pants from his legs and collapsed onto his back, shoving two and then three fingers deep into himself, raking his faux-prostate and writhing into and onto his hands. He didn't care that he was exposing himself to this man, that his knees were either side of his chest as he opened himself to his pleasure, modesty and shame forgotten. His vocal processor failed as he screamed, and his vision whited out as a fresh surge of sensation shot through him, his fingers writhing inside his tightness. His breath was hot, gasping from his chest, and his cock throbbed in his hand, waiting, ready. He was going to... any moment...
"A little more, you're doing so well." Bruce's voice trembled, Data heard the man's own lust in his breathy words, and he howled again.
"Bruce, please! I beg you! I... I cannot..." His eyes rolled back in his head and he shut down.
He came back online with a gasp. He still had his own fingers inside himself and he withdrew them slowly and carefully, avoiding the reactivation of the program. The shutdown had ended the process, his body no longer clamouring insistently for completion, although his mind was still awash with lust. He lay on his back for a moment, gulping air to cool himself as the warnings slowly died down, his thoughts cluttered and confused. He pushed himself up and tucked his legs under himself to kneel once more and grabbed his discarded clothes, bundling them into his lap to cover himself.
Bruce was leaning over his console, both palms pressed to the screen, his head bowed. The man's breathing was harsh, and he was shaking.
"Bruce?" He said softly, and the man lifted his head to smile at him.
"Glad you're back. Are you alright? I didn't know that you would shut down. I'm sorry, I pushed you too hard."
"I am all right." Data was shivering, his systems recovering slowly from the abrupt termination of his processes.
"No, you're not." Bruce pushed himself up and raked his fingers through his hair, trying to calm himself. He sighed, looked at the android. "I take it that the sexual behaviour program shut down when you went off line?"
"Yes." Data's trembling hands were slick with his own wetness. He wondered uneasily if he should wipe them on his clothes, whether Bruce would get him something clean to wear if he did, or if that action would be classed as 'bad'. He looked up at Bruce and noticed the man's erection, visible through his uniform.
"You are aroused." He said, and Bruce laughed awkwardly, his face flushing.
"Yes, well, let's not... let's not worry about that."
"Do you want me to assist you?"
Bruce's dark eyes fixed on the android. "Only if you want to."
"I..." Data knew how the man must be suffering. Just be good. "Yes, I want to."
"How about..." Bruce strode to him and knelt in front of Data, shuffled close. "... we help each other. Would you like that?"
"Yes." Yes, he did. The subroutine had shut down, but he still felt the lust, and as Bruce cupped his face in one hand the program surged into life once more with aching intensity. The android gasped and pushed his face into the man's hand.
"God, I want you." Maddox breathed. "You are so beautiful." He brought their faces together, brushing his lips over the android's, and Data opened his mouth, flicking his tongue out to touch the man's lips. Bruce breathed a sigh and kissed him, soft and gentle. Data sucked the man's lower lip into his mouth, pulling gently on the supple flesh and Bruce moaned softly with pleasure before bringing their mouths together again, harder this time as his passion rose.
"What would you like me to do?" Data said as he leant back to part their mouths.
"No, together. Show me what you want. I want to help you." Bruce moved closer and ran his hands down Data's arms, trailing his fingertips along the android's bare thighs and making him tremble. Data leaned close to kiss the man's throat, feeling his rapid pulse with his mouth as his nimble fingers undid Bruce's trousers and slid inside to caress his arousal. Bruce gasped as the android's slick hand smeared his hardness with lubricant, his cock twitching eagerly. He wrapped one arm around Data and put his other hand under the bundle of clothes on the android's lap to mimic his movements. Data moaned and rested his head on the man's shoulder as Bruce's hand caressed his shaft and his head swam with passion. He shoved his crumpled clothes away and pushed himself up onto his knees, urging Bruce to join him. He crushed their mouths together and wrapped his pale hand around both of their cocks, pressing and rubbing them together, and Bruce groaned into his mouth. Data's other hand slid under the man's shirt and up his chest, smearing his hot skin with slick wetness as he caressed Bruce's nipple. The man's tongue was in his mouth, his hands on his back, clutching at the fabric of his shirt. He needed this, needed the contact, the warm skin against his, the ache of his desire shared and the promise of fulfilment. He could feel the pressure in him building, the insistent urgings of his body clamouring for release. He put his hand around the man, pulling him close, pressing their bodies together as his hand moved faster.
"I want..." He gasped, slowing himself. He looked into the man's dark eyes. "I want you inside me."
Bruce's eyes were unfocused, his breathing ragged. "I... I can't, I'm too close, I'm so close..." He shuddered and cried out as Data's hand gripped him harder, sliding their aching cocks together. "Data, I'm..." His fists clenched in the back of the android's shirt and he buried his voice in Data's shoulder as he shouted his climax, spilling himself over the android's hand. Data moaned, kissing the man's neck as he wrung the last from his orgasm, his pale hardness slick with the man's essence.
"Data... Data stop, stop, it's too much, I'm done." Bruce gasped, and Data released him from his grip, whining at the loss of contact. The man took his face in his hands and pressed their foreheads together.
"Amazing, you're incredible, so beautiful." Bruce breathed and Data keened in his throat, his hardness aching in his hand, the heat and pressure in his chest intolerable.
"Please, Bruce, please..." He gasped, his eyes pleading. Maddox smiled and kissed his mouth, making him groan. The man slid his hands from his face and trailed them down his body to take the android's sex and grip it firmly, while his other hand slipped between his legs. He pushed two fingers inside him and made a beckoning movement, and Data screamed, his mind awash with the heady sensation. Bruce touched that place again, Data's hands shot up to grip the front of the man's jacket, and he crushed their mouths together as he came, his whole body jerking as his climax thundered through him, the shock of release almost blinding in its intensity. Bruce crooked his fingers again and Data shrieked once more as another burst of ecstasy crashed over him, his cock jerking in the man's hand as fluid spurted up the front of his jacket, spattering his chest with gold. Once more those fingers moved and Data threw his head back and howled as Bruce milked him of all sensation, his hands wringing him dry, and his vision filled with starbursts as he shut down once more.