Small Packages
Part Two of Seven
By GirlX2
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Geordi was at a loss. What did you do with a child android that was also Lt. Commander? He couldn't leave him in the nursery or with other children, even if he looked just like a small child.

And a weirdly adorable one at that.

"This body is not as well maintained as my own." Data said as they entered the transformed android's quarters.

"What's wrong with it?"

"The movements are jerky and uneven." Data demonstrated by walking across the room. He even moved like a real child. Uncanny.

"I think the body may be built that way."

Data tilted his head slightly. "Why?"

"That's how human children walk." Geordi sat down heavily on his bed. Data was always inquisitive. That combined with the nature of a young child…well, Geordi was always happy to answer Data's questions.

There would be a lot of them.

Data stepped up to the foot of the bed and studied it for a moment before clambering up.

"Need some help?"

"It is not necessary." Data sat beside him. "I must learn how to utilize this body until a solution is found. That will include physical difficulties."

"There will be plenty of that." Geordi looked around the quarters. "Maybe I should move some things on to lower shelves for you."

Data looked around his quarters. "I am slightly less than half my former height. The amount of things now inaccessible to me would make the task inordinately long."

"I don't mind." Geordi stood up and began shifting items from high shelves to lower ones.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." He made a mental note to fetch a few child-oriented books and several toys from the nursery. Data seemed normal, but if something happened, he wanted to be ready.

The Academy had trained him to plan for the worst, after all.

0o0o0o0o0

The bridge crew listened grimly as Riker briefed them on the situation. Data sat in his usual chair, yellow eyes barely peeping over the tabletop. Picard was half amused and half ready to have a booster seat sent up.

"So until we know more about how this body functions Lt. Data will be on leave."

"That will be unnecessary sir. I am not malfunctioning." Data's stare was almost mournful. Or was that his imagination pasting emotions on the android?

"Not as far as you can tell. You might be compromised unexpectedly." Riker found himself gentling his words and shook himself. He wasn't talking to Wesley: Data had the mind of an adult. "It's how it has to be."

"Yes sir."

"So, in the meantime Lt. La Forge will oversee Data's care. He can't do that all the time of course, so the duties will also be shared amongst myself, Ensign Crusher, Lt. Worf, and a few other senior members of bridge crew."

Worf's eyes widened almost imperceptibly. "Sir, I am not accustomed to dealing with children."

"But you are accustomed to Data." Picard held in a smile. They had to keep a careful eye on Data in case something went wrong. They couldn't use anyone who didn't work with Data on a daily basis. How else would they spot a problem? Worf would have to do his share. "And that experience is invaluable."

"Yes sir." Worf shot Data a look that would have sent a normal child into a crying fit. Data merely tilted his head inquisitively.

"Ensign Crusher is devising a schedule. If there are any problems, you are to report to me or Dr. Crusher immediately." Riker walked over to Data. "We're dealing with unfamiliar territory here, but we'll get through it. Dismissed."

Data hopped out of the chair and walked over to Worf. "May we spend some time in the Holo-Deck? I would like to test this body's capabilities."

Worf grumbled under his breath but nodded.

Geordi hung back for a moment as they exited. "Captain, has Dr. Crusher found-"

"As soon as Dr. Crusher makes any headway, you'll be the first to know." Picard assured him. "For now, you're needed on the bridge."

"Yes sir." Geordi nodded and set off.

"Sir, I can debrief you on the Terraten situation now if you'd like." Riker said as the last of the crew filed out.

"Of course, Number One." Picard cleared his mind. He had a whole ship of people to captain. Time to let others work on the Data situation.

0o0o0o0o0

Data stared curiously around the environment selected by the holo-deck. Worf had requested something 'appropriate for human children four years of age.' The computer had decided this was the best bet.

The environment was non-realistic. It looked like a relic from the mid 21st century known as animation. Still popular among children and adult nostalgics. It was a forest. Anthropomorphic animals about his current size skipped, sang, and preformed a number of tasks designated as cute.

Worf looked ill.

"Is this what human children find interesting?" He asked the Klingon as a bear-like creature with a clover on its stomach passed by.

"I would not know." Worf growled.

Data followed the creature for a few steps. "Amazing."

Worf shifted uncomfortably. There was no way to assess the damage it would take to kill one of these creatures: it would either be as easy as it seemed, or they would be unkillable. He couldn't plan an attack without knowing…

"Worf?"

He snapped back to the saccirine reality. "What?"

"What did you find interesting as a child?"

"It is personal." He snapped. "Now explore the holo deck, or we're leaving."

Data tilted his head slightly. "I will explore for another quarter hour, if that is acceptable."

"Understood."

Worf quirked an eyebrow as Data spun around on his heels and SKIPPED after the bear-like creature. He made a mental note to report it to Riker upon completion of this pointless exercise. That was not normal behavior.

A bear with a sun on its stomach approached Worf. "You look like you could use a hug!"

Worf snarled at it and the creature skittered back into the undergrowth. He permitted himself a momentary smile. That had been satisfying.

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To be continued.

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Thank you to my reviewers! I appreciate the feedback.