All of this story is meant to be read while listening to Philip Glass's 'Metamorphisis.' You can find it on Youtube.

Two.

They escorted him to the examining table and instructed him to lie back. Security locked the magnetic cuffs to the metal table. The doctor shaved his head to attach the electrodes. The commander ran wires to the computer and started the decoding and recording program.

"The computer is able to guide you sequentially through your memories, but the process is much faster if you focus and try not to affect the pace or direction," Spock instructed. "The experience is likely to be unpleasant. Some of the experiences will not be within your conscious memory, but stored in your mind and forgotten. Some will be as real as when you experienced them. You are restrained by the cuffs in order to keep you stationary. Are you ready?"

"I am," he replied, trying his best to sound bored.

Spock pressed a button on the computer.

From the notes of Doctor Leonard McCoy

Re: Noonien Singh Recording, Session 1

"Khan" Noonien Singh has no memory of his first moments. For most humans, the moment of birth is printed large on the parchment of the brain, but locked away because of its traumatic nature. The first memory in Noonien's mind is of what appears to be a plastic incubator, common in the 20th century. He was unable to identify the any of the people in his first year as his parents- in fact, he was unable to remember having any parents at all. He identified a woman named Sarina Kaur as the woman who contributed the basic structure of his genetic material, but it is apparent by the obvious differences in their appearances that his genetic material has been altered. Intentionally.

In his first memories, he was identified as a failure by one of the... scientists... that created him. The man stated that while Noonien displayed all of the intended genetic alleles associated with the X chromosome, his Y chromosome alterations were incomplete. Early in his first year, his creators tried to use trauma to correct this, nurture rather than nature, but the outcome wasn't what they wanted. They became impatient with him, and lost interest. They chose to concentrate on his younger, quote, brothers and sisters, unquote.

While Noonien got along quite well with his siblings, as they grew older the difference became clear. His brothers and sisters were vicious and didn't like to think for themselves. They were incredibly intelligent, but independence was intentionally absent from their genetic code. Noonien frequently snuck out of the compound where they lived- in northern India or Pakistan, it was never stated aloud- but he always returned and usually was able to talk his way out of any punishment. In the time away, he found and integrated himself into the society of a Sikh village.

Though he was still a child of seven, he planned a Sikh takeover of the Golden Temple and the assassination of Indira Gandhi, which did in fact take place. While politics are not my strong point- I'm sure Commander Spock will provide notes enough on the political and social implications in his own notes- it seemed he was interested in the assassination plans from an intellectual perspective as well as through loyalty to his adopted family. He was too young to take power himself. The Sikhs, however, had adopted him and called him Noonien Singh, making him one of their own. In return, he created and enforced a belief amongst the locals that a ghost protected the Sikh village and anyone who approached uninvited would be killed. That second part, at least, was true.

The raw recording is paired with neural imaging to gauge his reactions now to what happened back then. The computers are currently analyzing and isolating significant brain activity for possible untruths. It's unlikely the subject can lie to the computer, but still... I wouldn't put it past this guy to find a way.

Noonien returned to his cell without incident. An hour passed. He ordered supper from the replicator and sat cross-legged on the floor, seeming content for the moment.

Spock returned to a room empty of every other soul. It was mostly silent, but for Noonien. He greeted the man politely. "Khan Singh."

Noonien smiled unreadably. "Commander. I didn't tell you my name so you could call me by my title."

"Then you should call me by name, as well." He dragged a chair over to the glass and sat. "You are still a vegetarian, though you do not seem to follow all of the customs of the Sikhs."

"Correct. I am not entirely a Sikh."

"What do you consider yourself to be?" He was genuinely curious.

"You are not entirely Vulcan." Noonien didn't answer the question.

Spock raised his chin slightly. "No. My mother was human."

"I might be more Sikh than you are Vulcan. But apples to oranges." He paused for a moment, and Spock wasn't sure who was the subject behind glass. "You're not as emotionless as you wish you were."

"I have... difficulties," he allowed. "Though I have attempted to embrace the culture of my father, it seems my mother has had more influence on me. You did not answer my question."

Noonien finished his meal and put the tray back in the replicator unit for cleaning. He returned to the same place on the floor and sat, cross-legged as before. "I am that I am. I have the good fortune to decide what that means. I find the warrior culture of the Sikh to be more noble than any other warrior culture found on Earth. They were kind to me as no others were, nor have been since. I find the juxtaposition of aggression and benevolence, power and peace, to be the superior way of life. There are many trappings and affectations of the culture that I have no need for- the traditional manner of dress, the ceremonial knife, and so forth. So I did not adopt those. You feel loyalty, love, and curiousity like a human. You are unable to deny those emotions."

Spock could say nothing.

"Are they incompatible with what Vulcan culture finds morally commendable?"

"...No. They are not incompatible with moral standards."

"Only with the 'no emotions' rule."

"Correct."

Noonien nodded. "Then you have already decided what you consider yourself to be, and it is not entirely anything."

He did not answer. There was no question. "You have no connection to the heritage of your father or mother?"

"If they had a heritage, they abandoned it when they began meddling with the natural order of things to create me. No culture was ready to embrace the kinds of atrocities that were committed in the name of resources and racial superiority. But there were many precursors of such things happening in human history, and I doubt the eugenics wars were the last. I was not so effective."

He raised an eyebrow. "It was the last. How do you mean, 'so effective'?"

"You will see."

And the conversation was over.