Journey to the Dark Side: A Lore Story, REDUX
Written by: S. Bell
Chapter Nineteen: Resurrection
USS Enterprise. Stardate 41242.45
Lore laid in sickbay just moments after reassembly. He had been found on the desolate planet of Omicron Theta; a planet that had been totally stripped of all life. The Chief Medical Officer and Chief Engineer collaborated to reassemble and reactivate the android. All that was left to do was to wait, to see if there efforts were successful.
Meanwhile the android saw nothing, yet heard voices all around him. The sounds were faint at first, but took a fraction of a second to strengthen with crystal clarity.
"Certainly a perfect match for Data, sir." a male voice stated.
"Do you think so, really? I wonder which of them was made first?" a second male voice stated.
At that point, the android opened his eyes and looked around. It took him barely a second to process all of the visual images around him. He observed that he was laying face-up on an operating table in a medical facility. He quickly studied the people who were surrounding and analyzing him. There was a slender woman in a lab coat; her hair was as red as flame. Beside her was a tall man with thick dark hair; next to him, stood a bald distinguished-looking man who spoke with an accent.
'Humans! More humans! Just great!' Lore thought cynically. However he noticed someone else standing there, but he was not human; he was another android and a mirror image to himself. 'Well, well, well, if it isn't my replacement. He looks simple enough, there's no need for me to worry.' Lore thought, 'Look at them; I bet they just can't wait to make me jump through their little hoops! Well, they have another thing coming; I'll never let humans fool me again. Dear Jackie was the last person to do that and there will never be another. I'll be able to claim my rightful place in society… if I play my cards right.'
"He was." Lore replied, "But they found him to be imperfect and I was made to replace him." As he recalled his troubled past and all the events that led to his deactivation, he couldn't help but feel boiling rage and resentment. The culmination of his anger manifested itself physically in the form of a facial tic, but he managed to maintain a cordial façade, "You may call me Lore." he replied with a relaxed smile.
Lore noticed the expressions on the faces of his observers. To him, it seemed comparable to the amazed reaction a child would have after plugging in a new toy and seeing that it worked. He also noted the surprised reaction they had when he mentioned that the other android was created first; the one they addressed by the name of Data.
Lore realized something upon his reactivation, something that his emotions had blinded him from seeing when he was back on Omicron Theta. He had a multitude of memories that he didn't experience first hand. As he recalled the experiences, they were initially overwhelming. At first he was confused as he recalled the memories of the entire lives of Alex, his assistant and the shuttlecraft pilot. He remembered every aspect of their lives as if he'd experienced it first hand. However, those weren't the only memories he possessed, he now had the memories of thousands of other life forms of varying species. Lore relaxed as millions of memories flashed through his mind. It didn't take long for him to realize where all the memories had come from… the Crystalline Entity. Lore deduced that the Entity had granted him with the knowledge and experiences of others as gratitude for his cooperation that day in the shuttle. He also presumed that the power generated from the Crystal during the information transfer had damaged his recording device that same day. The feeling of possessing so much information gave Lore a feeling of power. It was amazingly addictive and he wanted more.
When Lore was introduced to the crew he was far from impressed, yet he maintained his act of being cordial and eager to please. The analytical manner in which the crew regarded him reminded him of the way the colonists would look at him. He resented the fact that they were prying him for information and felt that they were attempting to use him. Lore thought the behavior was so typically human. As he met the crew one by one he immediately developed opinions about them, none of which were very high. He noticed the way they treated Data and resented the way they seemed to dismiss and disregard him — unless they needed something from him. 'How dare they think they're better than we are brother?' Lore thought scornfully. Although he was jealous of Data, he wanted to show him that they were not inferior to humans. He wanted Data to realize that he didn't need the acceptance of humans in order to validate himself. However, he was impressed that even though the humans viewed Data differently, they respected him enough to grant him a position of authority. Lore watched with a combination of admiration and envy as his brother gave orders to lower ranking officers — who promptly obeyed his commands. On the other hand, he felt Data wasted too much time on focusing to be like them, instead of recognizing himself for who he was; what Lore believed they both were, superior
As time went on, Lore began to learn about the ship. One day on the bridge, Geordi was explaining the concept of the ship's propulsion system and he eagerly absorbed the information. He wanted very much to have a position of power and authority like Data. However, he noticed that there were several officers on the bridge that simply refused to give him a chance and were very guarded. Lore noted a bit of skepticism from Worf and made note of it, but didn't allow his anger to show on the surface. As Data entered the bridge, there was a look of surprise on his face. Although Lore knew Data was incapable of emotion, he couldn't help but notice the look on his face seemed to note displeasure. Based on Data's abrupt behavior, Lore guessed that Data was a bit unnerved about his presence on the bridge.
After returning to Data's quarters, he and Data began to discuss various topics. It was a discussion that made Lore realize that he and Data were even more different than he initially thought.
"So brother," Lore replied with a smile, "we were interrupted when we began to discuss the topic of emotions. Would you like to continue?"
"Yes. How does it… feel to have emotions?"
"It feels wonderful brother!" Lore replied with a broad smile. He enjoyed the fact that he possessed the one thing Data wanted most but couldn't have. Just as Data possessed the one thing he wanted but couldn't have; a position of power and authority. "It almost defies explanation. My emotions have allowed me to bond with humans in a way that would not be possible if I didn't have them. However, it's also allowed me to understand that they're flawed, imperfect beings."
Data sat at his console and began typing commands.
"What information are you requesting?" Lore asked.
"Everything available on a Doctor Noonien Soong."
"Good old 'Often-Wrong Soong.' Lore replied with a chuckle before seeing Data's puzzled face in response, "A joke, brother! Actually, he was a genius by human standards."
Data read the computer screen as he replied.
"But had destroyed his own reputation by making what seemed wild promises about his positronic brain design... almost all of which failed."
"Promises he later proved to be true..." Lore replied while tapping his own head, "Which made you and I possible." there was a brief pause before he asked, "Will I soon have a uniform like that, my brother?"
"If you get one the way I did, Lore, it means four years at the Academy, another three as ensign, ten or twelve on varied space duty in the lieutenant grades..." Data replied, there seemed to be a note of impatience, perhaps even annoyance.
In the split second he had before interrupting, Lore realized that Data viewed him exactly as the humans did. It hurt and angered him, but he believed that all the years Data had spent with humans had corrupted him.
"... A system designed to compensate for limited human abilities. But you, my brother, have begun thinking as humans do. You and I are completely different from them. Are you truly satisfied with the memories and knowledge of just a few hundred human colonists? Suppose it could reflect thousands... or a million... or the knowledge of hundreds of millions of life forms of every kind?" Lore replied before his face ticked again.
"How?"
"We will discuss it in time."
"And will we also discuss, Lore, which of us was constructed first?"
Lore was becoming increasingly furious with the way Data was speaking to him. There was something about his tone that seemed almost condescending.
"It would be foolish to underestimate you, my brother. Yes, I lied when I said you were made first. With good reason. Doctor Soong made me perfect on his first attempt. But he made me so completely human that the colonists became envious of me." Lore explained.
"You lived with the colonists?"
"Until they petitioned Soong to design a more comfortable, less perfect android. In other words, you, my brother." Lore brashly replied.
Data and Lore looked at each other for an awkward moment before Lore continued.
"For example, haven't you noticed how easily I handle human speech? I use their contractions... such as isn't or can't. You say ... is not or cannot. I say tomato, you say tomahto; I say potato, you say potahto... A very old joke, but you also have trouble with their humor, too. Am I right?"
"Quite true. I keep trying to be more human... and keep failing."
"Do you realize, my brother, that I can help you become more human?"
"And do you realize... Lore, that I am obligated to report all of this to our ship's captain?"
Lore was taken aback by his brother's comment. It became overwhelmingly clear to Lore that his brother saw him as an outsider. 'My dear brother, you think you're better than me? Well, I'll prove you wrong… you'll see.' Lore thought.
"I assumed as much when I began studying you." Lore replied as he walked over to the computer, "May I use this to learn more of this vessel and its customs?"
"Use it also to describe for the captain the time you spent with the colonists. Including all you know about what happened to them."
'Now you're giving me orders?' Lore thought angrily, but instead replied with a broad smile, "I promise a report with great detail and accuracy."