XXVIV.

Heva had been awoken by the sound of pounding and people around her, talking in fast voices under their breath. Her eyes slowly blinked open with extreme hardship and she looked around. Sick bay…why was she in sick bay?

She slowly pushed herself up only to fall back in pain. Her left arm was in excruciating pain and she rubbed it. She felt a large wound just below her shoulder and pulled her fingers away in shock. She was shot…just before…

Data!

She sat up quickly and her eyes darted around sick bay for Data's body; though she knew very well that Geordi would be the one to tend to him if he was damaged. Heva swung her legs over her bed and attempted to stand, only to be stopped by Doctor Crusher.

"Heva." She said as calmly as she could. "Lie down! I haven't even tended to your arm yet, there are so many injured men I have no idea what to do. Just sit tight and-.."

"Data!" Heva sobbed. "I want to see Data! Where is he? Tell me right now I need to find him!"

Beverly pushed Heva back into the bed as Heva's consciousness left her again, mumbling to herself. Beverly decided that now would be the best time to aide Heva's wound. She looked around sick bay. All 25 beds were filled with injured, even dying, patients. The world around her seemed slow in chaos.

The battle may have been won, but they were definitely losing the war.

The Borg had been destroyed, their plot foiled. Star Fleet along with the Enterprise had obtained countless casualties and wounded. The Enterprise herself was missing many parts of her hull, which were being repaired as quickly as they could.

Picard still sat in his chair, staring out at the now empty target area. Debris was almost nonexistent, but headquarters had sent small shuttles to retrieve any that may be reminiscent of the battle to use for research. He had already checked to make sure the away team had made it back safe.

One casualty, three injured. Worf had sustained a broken arm while attempting to carry both Heva and Data out of the line of fire. Heva had been shot and was suffering a small head injury, cause unknown. Data…Data had not only been shot, but according to Geordi a lot of his positronic net had been severely damaged.

Jean-Luc knew that he must go and see Geordi's progress in repairing the damage, but he was unsure of how he would handle it. In the past week and a half, he had resented, betrayed, and insulted Data in so many ways that he didn't know if he could take the guilt of not properly making peace with him. But he needed to, he had to.

He rose from his chair and made his way to engineering. On the way, he observed the anarchy within his beloved Enterprise. Many of the walls, the ceilings, even the doors had been jarred from their original places and lay askew on the floor before him. Some wires protruded from various areas and continued to spark as engineering staff attempted to repair them. Occasionally, he would stumble on an injured or even dead body in the corridor; some of them were beamed before he could get a proper look at who they were.

The noise was what was the most unbearable. The sound of a creaking hull, the screams and shouts of his crew as they hastily began repairing danger areas on the ship, the shocking utter of a spark flying through the air from a malfunctioning wire, every single one was more than he could take.

Once he reached engineering, he saw Geordi running in circles around the repair bay; where Data stood.

He could see that Data was still working; his eyes darted around the room as though searching. They landed on him and a painful look overcame them. "Cap-t-aaaain." His voice was but an echo of mechanics. He sounded like a dying man struggling to stay alive.

"Don't talk, Data." Geordi said quietly as he began work on his open stomach.

"Most of his neural net has been damaged." He went on to the captain. "This opening in his stomach will be easy. But somehow, the blast sent a shockwave through his system and overloaded most of his main components. Including the emotion chip."

Jean-Luc looked up in horror at Data. His expression dimmed and his head fell to one side. Picard stepped forward and Geordi held out an arm. "I just shut him down temporarily. I don't want him to hear me while we talk."

Geordi turned to Data's head and brought it to where the top was facing him. He opened the top of his scalp and yanked the emotion chip from its spot. The tiny chip was singed and it smoked as Geordi spun to face the captain. "I am not exactly sure if I can repair it. I may have to have him help me."

"What about him? Will he still be aware of everything that's happened to him? His progress? Heva….?" He trailed off and approached Data's lifeless form. He held a hand under Data's chin and lifted it so that he could get a better look at Data's face. A part of it was obviously brand new, repaired flesh. A large portion of it encompassed the left side of his face and some of his forehead. Jean-Luc closed Data's eyes with his other hand and let his head fall back to look down at the floor and he turned to Geordi.

"This chip is his only hope of even knowing what they had. If I can't repair it, Heva is in for a world of heartbreak. See, the emotion chip holds a lot of memory. Every emotion he's ever felt is stored within it and is transferred to the rest of his neural net. Without it, he may not even remember who she is."

Picard lowered his head. "Where is she?" he asked softly.

"She's in sick bay…she's unconscious right now, though." Before Geordi reached the end of his answer, Jean-Luc had already left engineering; making his way to sick bay.

Heva woke slowly, feeling a hand in hers. She rolled her head from side to side and blinked at the form above her. "Data…?" she mumbled.

"No…it's me." Picard answered, running a hand over Heva's forehead a few times as she opened her eyes to look at him.

"Captain…where's Data?" she sat up slowly and leaned against the wall behind her. She held a hand to her head and clenched her eyes shut. "My head is killing me…" she said, mostly to herself. "Heva," the captain began. "I have some bad news…about Data."

Heva's eyes popped open to stare at him in fear. "What?" she whispered.

Jean-Luc sighed and looked away from her. Things in sick bay had died down. Many of the patients were asleep while others spoke quietly to one another. A few of them stared out of the windows, a look of blank description on their faces.

"Data…" he went on. "Has been damaged. The wound to his abdomen is easiest to repair. But the rest of his neural net has been severely damaged…including his emotion chip."

Heva's expression began to weigh down as she prepared for some tears to flow; one had already invaded her cheek and rushed down into her lips. "The emotion chip holds a lot of memory, including the memory of your relationship. If it can't be repaired…he may not remember anything that happened between you two. He may not even remember you…"

Heva turned away and let out a quiet sob. Her hand gripped tightly on Picard's and he could feel her arm tremble. He stroked her hand with his thumb and rubbed her arm with the other, trying hard to console her. "He really is an android…isn't he?" she asked. Jean-Luc listened, knowing this question didn't require an answer.

"I love him so much…I looked past what he is to who he really was. When I leaned over him after he got shot…I saw all of his mechanics. He never looked so…artificial before. Everything we've been through…it makes him so…"

She choked back a waterfall of tears and looked out the window. She couldn't bear the thought of never feeling the way she did with him ever again. The very inkling of a life where he was merely a co-worker on this ship brought her heart so much pain that she couldn't hold back anymore and uttered her last word in a shaky sob.

"Human."

In the days that came, Data had come to a full recovery. However, his emotion chip still needed immense repair. He sat in engineering, connected to the computer and he spoke to Geordi; who was tinkering with the chip.

"Geordi…" he began, Geordi looking up at him. "I am wondering…I have been asked many questions about Commander Brookes. I know who she is, but I am unaware of her significance. I know that I have known her for the past week while we were on this mission. The only memory I have of her is seeing her in the halls. Is there something more that you need to tell me about her?"

Geordi slowly leaned back over the emotion chip, silent. He was sure that if he told Data what had gone on between him and Heva, he wouldn't understand.

"Let's just say…" he finally answered. "You and Heva have been working a lot closer than you think." He turned to Data with the chip in hand, hoping that what he had done fixed it fully.

"Ok Data, I need you to turn this way for me and open your top hatch."

Data reached up and gave a short tap to the top of his head, opening his neural hatch. Geordi fiddled with the opening where the chip belonged, trying to fit it back in. The moment the chip was back in, Data sat up and looked around. He opened his mouth to speak when suddenly, the chip sparked and popped right back out of his head. Geordi cursed under his breath and bent to pick the chip back up.

Data's head twitched to one side and he blinked. His memory filled with unknown information and he felt a strange surge in his neural net. He was sure it was nothing, so he continued his interface. "Geordi, I have picked up some unknown files in the computer. I am going to my quarters to do a self diagnostic." He reached up and disconnected the wire and stood, closing his side and top hatches.

Geordi watched him walk out, feeling guilt and remorse knowing what he now had to tell the captain and Heva as he held the chip in his hands; it had been severed in half. No repair could be done to it.

Heva and Picard stood before the transport shuttle with Yeuls and Truih, shaking their hands. The two Frugians pressed their fingers to both of their heads and began their good byes.

"We cannot thank you enough for what you have done." Yeuls said, a cheerful tone to her voice.

"It's a part of the job. We are grateful to you for all that you've given us. You have given us a new friendship that we look forward to living with you." Picard answered.

"Please," Truih argued. "You have saved us from complete destruction. Our old comrades may be gone, but Yeuls and I are completely capable of repopulating our system. At which time, we invite you to come and experience our hospitality as our guests and allies."

"It'll be hard, won't it?" Heva asked. "Being alone for such a long time I mean."

"Yes, I suppose it will." Yeuls replied. "But it won't take as long as you foresee. And we cannot attempt to recreate our life-source until we have more Frugians to help us. But we have endured so much, I think we can handle a little rebuilding."

Heva smiled. "I'm glad. I want you to know that I am sorry for helping the Borg. I was-.."

"Do not apologize, Commander." Truih cut in. "You did an honorable thing to protect your comrades. We know you were acting on their best interests, not your own. You, especially, will be welcome to our home. You and your captain have made lifelong friends with us. We cherish our experience with you and wish you good luck. We eagerly await your return to Frugia."

"May your lives be blessed." Yeuls said as they broke their connection. Heva and Picard opened their eyes and smiled at their new found friends as they entered the shuttle with an ensign who was to take them home. They waved their last good-bye and left the docking bay together. Heva was silent as they walked and Picard spoke.

"How are you feeling?"

"Oh…I'm alright I guess." Heva answered. "My arm has healed and my headaches stopped. But…I guess you could say I'm in mourning. Since Geordi told us that the emotion chip could never be repaired…I felt like I'm a widow, though we were never married."

Picard nodded in great understanding. "I can see your pain on your face, Heva. I know it must be even harder to work in such close proximity."

As they turned a corner, they saw Data coming toward them. He nodded at them and bowed his head back to the information pad, inputting more research as he made his way to the bridge.

"Yah…" Heva said, watching him enter a lift. "It's harder than I ever thought it would be."