Chapter 4:
"Greetings Mr. Luke."
Luke spun around; his focus on the glittering diamond stars outside had prevented him from noticing the android's approach.
"Huh? Oh, hi Data."
"What is...up?"
Luke stared at Data for a moment, then chuckled.
"Not much. I'm just thinking about how I wound up here."
Luke meandered away from the viewport and plunked down on a crate near Data. After a moment's pause, the android stiffly sat down beside him.
"I mean," Luke continued "when I was stuck back home on Tatooine, I thought I would never get to see the galaxy."
Luke's gaze shifted back to the stars in the viewport.
"And now I'm here on a starship with a rogue, a Wookie, and a princess—plus you and the other droids" he added hastily.
"This is a rather unusual situation. How did you and the others...'wind' up here?"
"Well, after I bought the droids from some Jawas, I discovered that R2 was carrying a message from Princess Leia to his old master, Obi Wan Kenobi. I got to talk to Obi Wan, and he told me that my father was a Jedi Knight, and that...that I should become one too." Luke laughed bitterly. "I thought he was crazy at first. Now I just wish he were still here."
Data said nothing, but something in his gentle expression invited Luke to continue.
"Anyway, after the clones...killed my Aunt and Uncle, I left with Obi Wan and the droids, and we hired Han and Chewie to take us to Princess Leia. She had been captured by the Empire-we rescued her, but Obi Wan...he didn't make it." Luke's face hardened. "Darth Vader killed him."
Data was silent for a moment, taking in the story. Then, he spoke up softly.
"I am sorry for your loss, sir."
Luke met Data's gaze.
"Protocol droids can fake it, but no droid can feel sympathy..." he thought. "And yet, it seems like he really means it." He smiled at the android.
"Thanks, Data."
Luke breathed out as a familiar voice echoed in his mind.
Learn to let go...
The gloom left Luke with his breath, and he brightened.
"So, you said before you've had experience working on a starship?"
Data noted the change in Luke's demeanor, but chose not to comment; if the Enterprise crew had taught him anything, it was the humans can change moods in a flash.
"Indeed, I have worked aboard two different starships: the USS Trieste and the USS Enterprise-D."
Luke's eyes widened.
"You were in a fleet? But those don't sound like names of Empirical vessels.
"I was, indeed, working in a starship flee. However, it was not this 'Empire.' Where I come from, there is an organization called the United Federation of Planets, which has a fleet of starships to carry out missions of exploration, diplomacy, and aid."
"Wow...I've never heard of this 'Federation.' Was this a big organization?"
"Yes, sir. There are 150 planets that are permanent members of the Federation, and Starfleet has about 30,000 ships. You do not know of the Federation because it is not present in this universe. The organization exists on the other side of the black hole through which my ship passed."
"So, did the ships use androids like you for a lot of these kinds of jobs? Like making repairs and running the engines?"
Data blinked.
"No sir. I was the only android in Starfleet."
"Really? So they just had crew members do that kind of work on the other ships?"
Data cocked his head to the side.
"Perhaps you misunderstand, sir: I was a member of my ship's crew."
"An android...?" Luke's mouth dropped open. "Well, what was your rank?"
"Lieutenant Commander. I was 3rd-in-command on the Enterprise."
Luke's eyebrows shot up, and his jaw dropped even lower.
"...3rd-in-command...?" He shook off his surprise. "Data, that's amazing!"
Data's brow subtly knotted. He stared at Luke.
"I mean...I just never imagined a droid being a commanding officer!" Luke smiled at Data.
"Then again, I've never met a droid like you."
The corners of Data's mouth lifted as well.