Chapter Twenty-Five
Deanna Troi pulled her hair back with her fingers and fastened it in place with an elegant clip carved from a single piece of sugandh wood, from Betazed. The wood's fragrance had a soothing effect and she closed her eyes, letting the muscles in her neck and shoulder start to relax…
"Hey, there."
She opened her eyes and sat up, startled to see Riker striding into the control room's side office to straddle the chair beside hers.
Normally, she could sense Riker's unique emotional presence long before he could get close enough to surprise her, but tonight…
There was something off, something…shielded...?
"You look tired," he said, his bearded face soft with sympathy. "Long day?"
Troi sighed and rubbed her temples. Maybe it was exhaustion playing tricks on her mind. The dull ache behind her eyes did make it hard to think…
"How would you feel after jumping through bureaucratic hoops all day," she said, and looked up at him, letting her eyes trace the familiar curve of his face, the shape of his eyes, his mouth…
The few streaks of gray she saw in his beard made her lower her eyes again, and her expression tightened.
"I dismissed Data's outburst of anger over that article as an overreaction, a sign of immaturity," she said. "And, I did it again last night. Perhaps because I didn't want to believe the prejudice he spoke of was that serious. Not in this day and age. But now… I think Data's right, Will. We've known him so long, we've been there with him all these years, watching his social development, his emotional growth— He's part of our family. Even when he removed his skin, it was impossible for us to view him as anything but a person. But out there…"
She sighed again and shook her head.
"I've gotten the Federation's Department of Social Services on board with sponsoring Ishta for Federation asylum as a 'vulnerable person'. She will be allowed to stay. But no one, not one official I spoke to, was willing to consider letting 'a machine' apply to be her permanent legal guardian. The fear I sensed in their voices…it was deep, almost primal - far more then just a politician's fear of 'losing votes' in a volatile political climate. One of the social workers I spoke with told me the very idea of granting an android the responsibility of raising a 'living' child gave her 'chills.' Oh, Will…"
She raised her eyes to his.
"When I think of Data's kindness, his accomplishments…the sacrifices he's made to defend the Federation… How can I tell him…"
"From what I've heard," Riker said gently, "I think Data already knows."
"It isn't right, Will," she said. "It isn't fair. He's always admired humanity - he's worked so hard to emulate the best of what we are. To be let down like this… Shut out from the very thing he's always…" She took in a slow breath before admitting, "Sometimes, I worry…"
"Data isn't his brother, Deanna," Riker told her before she could finish the thought. "And, he's not a child we have to protect. Give the man more credit."
"He's vulnerable, Will," Troi countered. "More vulnerable than you know."
Riker's lips twitched, and he seemed to swallow back a chuckle.
"He's hit a crossroad, that's all," he said. "We've all been through it before. Give him some time to explore his options, feel his way around."
He smiled warmly and reached out to take her hands, the pair of them rising to their feet.
"Data's a smart guy," he said. "I'm sure he'll pick the right path."
Troi returned his smile, stepping closer to melt into his embrace…
She felt a flash of cruel satisfaction - his hand pressed against her back…
"You're not—!" she started, but her voice was already fading, unconsciousness reaching out to claim her as the little side office dissolved into transporter sparkles…
'Riker' smirked at the space where Troi had stood, then moved his eyes, his holographic image shifting as Data's voice crackled over the comm…
"Attention: Commanders Riker, Troi and Crusher. Captain Picard has returned to the compound. He requests that you join us in the cafeteria for a meeting in five minutes."
'Troi' tapped the comm panel, her dark eyes glinting as she spoke.
"Acknowledged, Data. I'm on my way. Troi out."
To Be Continued...
References include: TNG: The Price; Man of the People; Silicon Avatar; Datalore; Descent; The Measure of a Man; The Schizoid Man; The Offspring; Thine Own Self. Sugandh is a Hindi word for "fragrance".
Until next time! Please review! :D