Chapter Two; Delico

Delico. Verb. 1. Clarify, explain 2. Reveal, disclose

It took Geordi two days to run out of excuses for not visiting the crippled android. When he did, it was with a heavy heart. He rang the chime, more out of politeness than need, and opened the door when he heard Data call. He entered the room hesitantly.

"Hey."

Data hadn't moved since Geordi had left him. The man supposed he shouldn't be surprised. After all, his legs- Lore's legs, Geordi mentally corrected himself- were useless, and with only one arm he was essentially immobile. Geordi sighed. Data hadn't greeted him in return, was facing the wall, staring into the darkness. Geordi frowned.

"Why are the lights off?"

"You and I have no need of them. Why should I have them on if they serve no purpose?"

Geordi huffed a small laugh. "I guess. Kinda weird though. Sitting here in the dark."

"Lying. Not sitting. In the dark." Data's voice lowered. "Alone."

Geordi shook his head, tried to curb his irritation. So, Data was feeling abandoned. Well, he had every right to.

"You're not alone now." Geordi pulled a chair to the side of the bed, and Data turned his head to look at him, golden eyes luminous in Geordi's enhanced night vision. The sharpness of the android's gaze made the man shudder and he looked away, suddenly anxious.

"Guess I should start by apologizing." Geordi rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I... I didn't give you a chance to explain, I just... I was just so angry, so disappointed. Y'know, I'd been dreaming about seeing you again, how great it was going to be, and then..." He took a deep breath and blew it out, turned his head to look at Data. "So, I want you to tell me everything. I want you to explain. And... and we'll just, go from there."

Data was still staring at him, unblinking in the gloom. Then Geordi saw the android's eyes flicker, a sure sign that he was accessing his memory banks. He looked back at the engineer, and Geordi was relieved to see that his gaze had softened.

"The explanation may take some time. Would you care for a beverage? I am afraid you will have to serve yourself." Data looked down and waved his hand at his legs as explanation and Geordi chuckled weakly as he stood.

"Yeah, alright. You want anything?"

"No, thank you."

Geordi fetched himself a coffee and sat back next to the bed as Data began, from the moment he materialized in the holding cell. He paused frequently in his recounting of his memories, and Geordi resolved not to interrupt. Data was obviously finding it difficult to open up about some of his experiences, and as his story unfolded Geordi began to understand his reluctance. Data told Geordi how Maddox had warped his thought processes, how eager he became to please the man, and how terrified he was of the consequences of his disobedience.

"I understand now that my behaviour was due, in part, to the modifications that Maddox made to my neural net. But, having said that, I am not sure that I would have behaved differently had he not altered my emotion chip. Although perhaps it would have taken him longer to... persuade me."

He told Geordi of the discovery of Lore's presence, their developing of a silent communication, and the reclaiming of his memories. He explained to Geordi, as best he could, that integrating the memories had changed the way he thought and felt about his brother, how their previous closeness had altered his perceptions. He tried to skirt around some aspects of their relationship, but Geordi became increasingly suspicious.

"Data, you're hiding something from me. Y'know, you're a lousy liar."

"I am not lying. I... I am merely omitting certain information that I believe is not relevant."

Geordi sighed and rubbed his eyes. "I just want you to be honest with me. It's obvious there's more to this that you're not telling me!" He looked at the android and Data looked away, fixing his eyes on the ceiling.

"You will not understand."

"But I'm trying to! I, I want to understand!"

"You may wish to, but I am unsure how to explain without fear that you will judge my actions against human moral and ethical standards."

Geordi paused. "Wait. What are you saying? That... that what you did is... immoral?"

"That depends on your standards, as I said." Data was still staring fixedly at a point on the ceiling. Geordi felt the anxiety swell in his chest and he clenched his hands into fists to stop them from shaking.

"Just... just tell me, Data. Just say it, right now." Geordi demanded. His breathing suddenly seemed too loud in the still room, his heart thumping in his chest. Data glanced at him, and then away again.

"Our relationship became sexual."

Geordi gasped and bowed his head as the blood thundered in his ears, the wave of revulsion sweeping away rational thought.

"Please... please tell me you're joking. Tell me this is... some sort of sick prank." He croaked.

"You demanded the truth, Geordi. You must accept it."

"No, no, no." Geordi shoved himself up out of the chair and began pacing the room. "Just because you've told me the truth, that doesn't mean I have to accept it! It's, it's not automatic! I can't just... brush it aside! Oh, oh fuck, Data, are you really... he's your brother! Oh God, I think I might throw up..." Geordi stumbled to the couch and slumped down onto the cushions, burying his face in his hands. Data sighed.

"I will endeavour to explain things from our point of view if you wish, to ensure that you are aware of how our perspective of the issue differs from the accepted social norms of..."

"How could you possibly explain?" Geordi cried, lifting his head to look wildly at the android. "How could anything you say change the fact that you... that..." Geordi shuddered as a fresh thought intruded. "When you were on that ship... when you came back here... you wouldn't leave him..." Geordi stood and walked slowly to the bedside to look down on Data. His dark face was ashen, silver and blue eyes gleaming. "Were you..." He took a shuddering breath. "Were you... intimate with him? Here, in the present?"

"... Yes." Data still wouldn't meet his gaze. Geordi felt the universe tilt around him, his foundations crumbling. His hands were tingling, his legs numb, his heart clenching painfully in his chest.

"I've been waiting for you." He whispered. "I had surgery, I-I worried so, so much... and the whole time... you were fucking your brother?"

"It was not like that. My thought processes..."

"Did he force you?" Geordi snapped, his voice shaking. "Did Maddox force you to fuck him? Did you want it?"

"It was consensual, but..."

"Oh God, oh God..." Geordi put his hands to his face. "This is a nightmare. A-any minute I'll wake up... Oh fuck..."

"Geordi, please calm down and let me explain."

Geordi lowered his shaking hands, looked at the android. He took a deep breath and forced himself to relax, trying to present the impression of a calmness that he didn't feel.

"Okay. Okay, you... You explain. BUT..." He held up a hand, stalling Data. "I... I don't promise that an explanation is going to be enough. It... it's a lot, Data, you know? I'll try to... to understand. But..."

"I know, and I do understand your trepidation. It is my hope that providing clarity on our perspective may enable you to judge us by our own standards, and perhaps then to make an informed decision."

"Okay. I... I'm getting another coffee."

No more interruptions, he told himself, and he sat and sipped and listened as Data told him about Omicron Theta, the bond that developed between the androids. Their shared passion and love, the closeness that they could only find with each other. He told Geordi of the assault on him perpetrated by the colonists, the resultant betrayal by their father, their escape. The activation of the homing devices, the removal of his emotions and memories. Data's voice was flat as he explained how Maddox had used the bond between them to ensure Lore's compliance, how Data had managed to convince the man to allow him to repair his brother, allowing them to escape.

"It was never my intention to harm anyone on that ship. I had no idea how profoundly altered my thought processes were. Had I known, I never would have attempted such a risky strategy. I must live with the guilt, the repercussions of my actions, all my life."

He told Geordi how the activation of the inhibitor had triggered his memories of his assaults, causing his mental breakdown. Geordi shook his head and looked away. He knew all too well how badly Data had been affected, had seen him sitting in the corner of his quarters in the dark, unresponsive.

"I must ask; whose idea was it to put Spot in my quarters?"

Geordi laughed shakily. "Well, Counselor Troi was thinking that I could sit with you, but it... it wasn't practical. It was Reg who said 'what about Spot?', so, you've got him to thank."

Data nodded thoughtfully. "I shall make a note to do so."

"So..." Geordi put his mug down. "Then you snuck down to the brig and let Lore out."

"Yes." Data closed his eyes briefly. "I was... aware of the likely consequences of my actions. However, the alternative was to abandon my brother. I could not allow it. I promised that I would protect him, and I failed. I had to... make things right."

"You knew he was going to kill Maddox."

"Yes. And..." Data looked away. "I... I would have preferred an alternative outcome, but I am not sorry that he is dead."

"I guess I can understand that." Geordi said. He twisted his fingers together in his lap. "So... why didn't you leave with him?"

The silence stretched as Data pondered his answer, and Geordi knew that his pause was only to give the illusion of deep contemplation. Even so, he appreciated the chance to gather his shattered thoughts.

"I love him. I always will, and I cannot change that. But, please do not think that my affection for him somehow lessens my love for you. Love is not finite, it is not diminished by being shared. I simply realized that, what Lore and I had, before, we can no longer return to. We are too different, too much has happened, and I can neither forget nor forgive him for his crimes."

"Then why did you let him go?"

Data looked at Geordi. "I was under the impression that the Federation no longer considered executing prisoners to be ethical."

"Well, yeah, but, deactivation is different."

"How so? Because there is the potential for it to be reversed?" Data shook his head in irritation. "Would you shoot someone, mortally wound them, safe in the knowledge that with appropriate and prompt medical attention their life could be saved?"

"That's... that's different..."

"Because we are androids." Data quirked a small, bitter smile. "He would never have been reactivated. He would have been dissected. That is not justice, that is murder."

"He's too dangerous..."

"He is as alive, as sentient, as I am. It would be hypocritical of me to stand by and allow his rights to be violated, whilst enjoying the privileges allowed me by my status. So," Data looked up at the man. "Here we are."

Geordi sighed, pushed his palms into his knees and stood. "Yeah. Here we are." He rolled his shoulders to try and release the tension, returned his mug to the replicator. "I've gotta go. I... I've got a lot of thinking to do."

"I understand. Geordi?"

"Yeah?"

"Please... never doubt that I love you. I stayed. I am here only for you."

Geordi heaved another heavy sigh. "Sure. I just... I'm not sure it's enough."

He bowed his head and left the android lying in the dark.

Data pondered the situation for some time. He was grateful that his mind was once again clear and he could think and analyze with his customary thoroughness.

"Computer. Lights."

Geordi had left the chair by the bed and, with some difficulty, Data managed to manoeuvre himself into it. He rocked his body awkwardly, and 'walked' the chair to the replicator, where he tapped the screen. The replicator chirruped an acknowledgement.

"Twelve kilos of titanium in these configurations..." Data began typing a command when the computer interrupted.

"This replicator unit is no longer allowed to produce non-domestic items."

Data frowned. Obviously they had changed the program to prevent him from replicating anything potentially dangerous. He scooted the chair to a nearby screen.

"Computer. Please display a list of all non-food items available from the replicator in these quarters."

The words began to scroll up the screen.

"Ten times speed, please."

The words flew past. Even so, it took an appreciable amount of time. When the list ended, Data frowned again. This was going to be much more difficult than he had imagined. He looked around the room, analyzing. He reached out to the table, grabbed the leg and pinched it between his fingers experimentally, measuring its resistance. He pursed his lips thoughtfully, then turned back to the replicator.

"Please provide the following list of tools..."