Stardate: 58549.5

Enterprise-E VIP Quarters

"Computer, mark the time in the log entry and close." Phillipa Louvois sank back into the maroon chair by the desk in her quarters aboard the Enterprise. She shut her eyes for a moment, then reached for her cup of tea. As she lifted the cup to her lips, the door chime sounded. "Enter!" Louvois called out, then took a quick sip and placed the cup back on the saucer.

Captain Picard entered the room, "I hope I'm not interrupting anything, Phillipa."

Louvois motioned with her hand towards a chair, "Not at all. Have a seat. In fact, I just finished looking through all my notes on Lore's case. Would you like anything? Tea, perhaps?"

"Thank you. Don't get up. I'll get it, myself." Picard walked to the replicator, "Tea. Earl Grey. Hot." He grabbed the cup that materialized and strode back across the room to sit in an armchair. "I can't imagine this case has been easy on you."

"No, it hasn't been." Louvois swiveled her chair to face him, "Every precedent for this case is awful, going all the way back to Gould versus United Earth and the Acts of Cumberland. I'm afraid B-4 was right, when he said the closest example is the one concerning M-5. We have a history of shutting down artificial intelligence that poses a danger to us, even when it shows signs of sentience. The Federation no longer applies the death penalty to those charged with a crime and rehabilitation is preferred, but does that extend to artificial lifeforms?" She paused for another sip of tea. "My final decision will depend heavily on the interview with Lore, after he's been fully repaired. Has he regained consciousness?"

Picard shook his head, "No. He's still asleep, with Ms. Darnell watching over him. T'Mera tells me that Lore's building the connections that were missing from his positronic matrix, so she's hesitant to wake him for the next part of the procedure. The moment that his repairs are completed, you will be notified."

"Good." Louvois nodded in acknowledgement, then pressed her lips together, "I'm also having trouble trying to find a place for Lore, assuming everything goes well with his repair. I considered the possibility of letting him remain in Ms. Darnell's custody, but there's no way I can justify what would amount to giving Lore to the Orions. There's Doctor Tainer, but I don't find her to be a viable solution, either."

Picard frowned and set his cup down, "Won't he be sent back to Galor IV? That was where he was before all of this started."

"That was when Lore was in pieces." Louvois sighed and leaned back in her chair, "Admiral Haftel is worried that Lore could reprogram the other androids and turn them into an army, like he tried to do with the Borg cube he found. Galor IV is a research and education facility, not an android prison. There's no penal colony in the Federation that would hold Lore if he wanted to leave."

Picard's frown deepened, "What about something like what we're doing here? A holographic prison cell."

"At some point, Lore will figure a way to break out of it." Louvois shook her head, "It would also be seen as isolation, which I'm not certain will help him." She paused to take a sip of tea and studied Picard's face, "Would you be against having him remain on the Enterprise? I know that it seems odd to want to keep him on the Federation flagship, but there would be many advantages to that arrangement. Lore wouldn't have to start over with a new counselor, and he'd have access to Doctor Chipman."

Picard stood and moved to look out the window at the stars. A few moments passed before he spoke, "Before I commit to having Lore on board as a permanent civilian resident, I would want to make certain that Data and T'Mera both agree to it. While it would be Veluna and T'Mera supervising Lore, it could also affect Data as far as his duties to this ship are concerned. Commander Worf has been recalled to Qo'noS, to help the High Council. It's time for Data to take his place as my Number One, but I don't want him driven to distraction by his brother." He hesitated, then turned to face Phillipa, "Will there be any legal repercussions for our past actions against Lore?"

"Only if Lore wishes to press charges." Louvois answered. "If he does, then another hearing would have to be convened."

Picard returned to his seat with a solemn expression on his face. "Have you decided if Lore will stand trial for his past crimes?"

"That was the most difficult part." Another sip of tea followed before Louvois continued, "Based on the depositions, the evidence with his programming and the fact that Lore has no peers for a jury trial, I've decided to sentence him to a five year probation under the supervision of Doctor Chipman, if she agrees to it."

Picard frowned, "Isn't that a bit light, given the severity of Lore's crimes?"

"If I only take his crimes into account, yes. The vast majority of crimes that Lore committed were accessory to murder, second degree murder, incitement to murder and manslaughter." Louvois returned Picard's frown with one of her own. "But he spent a combined thirty-seven years in deactivation, so I'm considering that as time served. Lore also spent two years in not just solitary confinement, but sensory deprivation, which could be counted as cruel and unusual punishment. At each point, his due process was ignored. Unless, of course, you want to argue that he's property." Louvois leveled her gaze on the Captain.

Picard leaned his head forward to pinch the bridge of his nose, sighed and looked back at Louvois, "No. Although he was declared Data's property after the incident with the separated Borg, it does not alter the fact that Lore is a living, sentient being, much like his brothers. If Commander Data agrees to it and the repair is successful, Lore will be assigned quarters."

"Thank you." Louvois gave Picard a small smile, "It's not my intention to exonerate him. I figure that five years will be enough time to see if Lore has truly changed, or whether he backslides in behavior."

Picard's expression softened as he got up from the chair and returned his empty tea cup to the replicator for recycling. "Very well. I'll speak with Commander Data after his shift is over. In the meantime, how about dinner?"

Louvois' lips parted in a broad smile, "Are you buying?"

Picard chuckled softly at their in-joke, walked over to Louvois and offered her his arm, "Of course."

Louvois accepted the arm and stood, giving him just a nod of her head, then moved with him through the sliding doors and into the corridor.

Stardate: 58551.6

Enterprise Holodeck Four

Lore opened his eyes, attempted to move without success, then exhaled in frustration as the dreams faded and he recalled his circumstances. He felt something resting on his chest; A brief glance to his left confirmed that Lynn lay on her right side, with her chin near his left shoulder and her left arm draped across his body. The deep, even intervals of her warm breath on his neck and her steady heartbeat helped to soothe him as he adjusted his own respiration to the same rate. He continued to explore the parts of the holodeck within his range of vision and noted that the illumination was set very low; He estimated it to be around ten lux. T'Mera was no longer at her desk, and the two photonic guards stood at their post near the arch. No other security guard seemed to be present.

A brief check of his internal chronometer confirmed that Lore had slept for nearly three standard days. About one hour remained until the start of alpha shift, and Lore presumed that T'Mera or Data would be arriving to check on him. He turned his attention back to the woman cuddled next to him; Lynn showed signs of waking. Unsure of what else to do, Lore began to sing. "Amazing grace! How sweet the sound… that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now I see."

Lynn's eyes opened, "Ohey. Good morning, Lore. You finally woke up." She stretched her arms, eliciting some audible cracks from her joints.

"I must have been remarkably tired." Lore's eyes followed Lynn as she propped herself on her elbow. "Where is everyone? Aren't I too dangerous to be left unguarded?"

Lynn pushed herself up to a sitting position, "Since you can't move, we figured that me and the two holograms can handle you."

"Speaking of which…" Lore looked up into Lynn's face, "On T'Mera's desk there's something that looks like a small screwdriver. I can instruct you on how to use it, so I can move again."

Lynn shook her head, "You went nuts before, and tried to run out of here. It might be better to wait for everyone to get back."

"I promise I won't go crazy and try to run away." Lore widened his eyes and drew his lips into a pout, "Please? I would really like to be able to move."

With a loud sigh, Lynn got up and headed to the desk, "I hope I won't regret this." She fished around on the desk and picked up a small tool. "This?"

"That's the one." Lore's lips upturned into a tiny smile. "Bring it here and look for the ventral access panel in the left side of my neck."

Lynn returned to Lore's side and sat on the edge of the chaise, "I see it. It's open. There's a cross-head to the left and four buttons to the right and a few other slots or holes."

"Good." Lore replied, "Place the tool in the center of the cross-head and rotate it to the right, until you feel a detent." At Lynn's confused expression, he added, "That's the bit of resistance you'll feel, like when it clicks into place."

Lynn grimaced and turned the small screw, "Here's hoping I don't break you."

"That's it! Stop." Lore called out as his internal sensors reported his motion systems back online. "Thank you, Lynn. I hate being helpless."

Lynn rose once more and returned the tool to the desk, "You weren't helpless. I was here, protecting you." She watched as Lore swung his legs off the side of the chaise to sit up. "Do you feel more settled now?"

"I'm not going to space myself, if that's what you're asking." Lore's eyes glistened with the formation of tears and he wiped at them. "I've done horrible things, Lynn. The worst part of it is, I thought I was justified in doing them. It all made sense to me, at the time. Crap." Lore wiped at his cheeks as the flow of tears ran unabated. "Who the hell makes an android that cries? What good is that?"

Lynn moved to join Lore in sitting on the chaise. "The same man who tried to make an android that hiccups." She wrapped her arms around him, "The same man who made androids that get angry. Don't fight me, Lore. Let me console you."

For a moment, Lore hesitated. With a visible effort, he brought his arms up to return the embrace, then buried his face in Lynn's shoulder and sobbed. "Damn him. Damn myself…"

Lynn rubbed his back, carefully avoiding the area around his lumbar region. "It'll be all right, Lore. You're strong and you'll make it through this. I know you can do it."

"We can't stay together, can we?" Lore closed his eyes and savored the physical touch. "You're still going back to Farius Prime, to be with your husband and children."

Lynn loosened the embrace and lifted Lore's chin with her hand, "My children, yes. I never had a husband. I didn't want to end up like my mother, so I went to a lab and chose from a list of genetic profiles. I don't even know the man's name, but his donations gave me two lovely children."

"I'm happy for you." Relief washed over Lore as his crying streak ended. "I wouldn't have been able to give you children, even if you and I had run off together. It was better for you, this way."

"What?" Lynn searched Lore's amber eyes, "Me thinking you were dead with everyone else on the colony? I mourned for you."

Lore lowered his eyelids to avoid her scrutiny, "You loved a monster."

"I still do." Lynn pushed Lore's chin upwards and leaned forward to plant a kiss on his lips.

The initial shock diminished and Lore pulled Lynn closer, letting his lips play against hers for a few minutes before he replied. "There were so many better choices I could have made, if I hadn't acted on my initial emotional impulses. If I could have thought everything through. If I could have stepped back from the anger."

"I know, Lore." Lynn let out a sigh, "You weren't alone in that. I should have tried to help you more than I did. Looking back, you and I were just children."

Lore closed his eyes as his mind extrapolated numerous outcomes. "If I were with you on Farius Prime, it would be the same as it was on Omicron Theta. I'd be surrounded by bad influences. Can we at least communicate with each other?"

"I'd like that very much." Lynn brushed her lips against Lore's. "I'll make sure to set it up, once we find out where you'll be going." She traced her fingers along Lore's jawline. "I'm glad you're not putting up a fuss about not coming with me."

"It's hard to explain." Lore opened his eyes and stared into Lynn's optical implants. "Part of it is that I feel like I don't deserve to be happy right now. Not after everything I've done." He paused as Lynn's fingers traced across his lips. "The other part is the one that's difficult to put into words, but reminded me of that song, earlier. I was blind, but now I see. It's astonishing, Lynn. I never knew how much of my computational ability I was missing."

The beep of the intercom interrupted the conversation. "Lore?" T'Mera's voice emanated from the speakers in the holodeck, "I see you're awake. Data's on his way. I'll be there shortly."

"I'll be here." Lore replied to the comm as he wiped at the remaining wetness on his face. He turned his attention back to Lynn, "Are you staying for the rewiring?"

Lynn nodded, "I plan to, although I'll probably sit in the corner and eat breakfast when they work on you. I won't leave until I know you're stable." She reached up to pull Lore's face to hers and pressed her lips against his.

As the kiss between Lynn and Lore deepened, Data entered through the holodeck arch. "My apologies for interrupting your amorous exchange."

Lore released Lynn and regarded Data with a hooded stare, "Your timing is still rotten, Data."

Data quipped in reply, "My timing is still digital." He tapped his fingers on the input console of the arch. A moment later, the android alcove appeared in the center of the room. "Commander La Forge and Doctor Crusher will be assisting me with your repairs, Lore."

Lore grimaced as he moved towards the upright cage-like alcove. He reached out to one of the grey vertical supports and patted it. "Why are they helping me? I set Doctor Crusher on fire. I threatened to kill her child. I forced you to do unspeakable things to La Forge…" His voice cracked as tears spilled down his cheeks, once more. "You must be getting some sort of vindication from watching me go through all this. Seeing me cry… seeing me in a vulnerable state."

"No, Lore." Data crossed the room to stand in front of the control panel of the alcove. "I am experiencing no schadenfreude in relation to your current state. You once told me that I would understand you better, after I had emotions of my own. That we would be more alike. You were not incorrect in that assumption."

Lore wiped at his eyes and leaned against the waist-high control panels that encircled the alcove, "You mentioned becoming unstable with the emotion chip. Did it cause you to become murderous?"

"No." Data hung his head forward, "I became a coward. Everything frightened me, and I became immobilized with feelings of fear and anxiety, followed by shame and guilt. My inability to act nearly got Geordi killed. After I managed to regain control of myself, I noticed something disconcerting about my having emotions. Every time I spoke, it was your voice I heard. Every time I laughed, it reminded me of your laugh. If I caught my reflection as I smiled, I perceived it as your face, not my own. I know the pain of remorse from my own behavior while I utilized the chip. I cannot comprehend the scope of what you must now be feeling, but I can say that I do understand you more than I once did."

Lore's head dipped down and to left as he studied his brother. "And now I understand you more than I once did." He closed his eyes, "I thought you were a pawn of Starfleet, mindlessly following whatever you were instructed to do. Now I can think as you do. I'm able to predict and extrapolate more than one outcome." He opened his eyes and noticed his brother's confused expression. "Data, I couldn't anticipate multiple outcomes or consequences until now. As I revisit everything I had planned, I realize that none of it would have worked as I'd intended it."

"I am sorry, Lore. I did not know." Data hesitated, then moved closer to Lore. "I am also sorry that I never put forth the effort to examine the malfunctions in your systems."

Lore turned his head to stare into the alcove, "It doesn't matter. I wouldn't have let anyone besides Father touch my programming, until I met T'Mera." A grimace of misery spread across his face, "I was ready to kill her, in order to hurt you like you had hurt me."

"I am curious, Lore." Data tilted his head to the left, "What stopped you from doing so?"

Lore threw his head back with an ironic laugh, then turned to look at his brother. "I like to talk too much, dear brother. She was able to keep me conversing long enough that my anger faded and my interest in her was piqued. But it was the question she asked me that gave me pause."

Lynn had moved closer to Lore and placed her hand on his shoulder, "What did she ask you?"

"And then what?" Lore reached over his shoulder to place his hand on top of Lynn's. "She asked me "And then what?" and I had no answer. I've never had the ability to think past a certain point, but it hadn't occurred to me until she kept pressing the matter." He stared intently at Data, despite hearing the holodeck doors opening. "Then I found out that she argued with you on my behalf, brother. It was enough to allow me to trust her."

"My Vulcan ears are burning." T'Mera headed through the arch and over to her workstation, "Good morning, Lore… Lynn. Data, just give me a moment to check Lore's neural net activity, do a backup of his current pathways, and then I'll remove his monitors."

Data dipped his head in acknowledgement, "Very well. I am curious as to the results of Lore's extended slumber." He dipped his head in greeting to Doctor Crusher and Geordi, as they entered close behind T'Mera.

"I think everyone's here, now." T'Mera smiled, then went quiet as she checked the displays at her workstation.

"Good morning." Doctor Crusher smiled as she headed towards T'Mera's desk.

Lore lowered his head as Geordi approached him. "Good morning, La Forge."

Geordi watched Lore for a moment, then replied, "Good morning, Lore." He looked down at the console, "Data, I'm going to set up the interlink sequencers."

"Thank you, Geordi." Data paused to observe Lore, then continued his own work in setting up the repair station.

Lore lifted his head to look at Lynn, "Get something to eat. I can hear your stomach growling."

Lynn gave Lore's shoulder one last pat, "All right. I won't be far away." She walked to the replicator to order breakfast, then sat on the chaise to eat.

"Excellent!" T'Mera exclaimed, nearly causing Lynn to fall off the chaise. "Lore's managed to form several connections between the subcortical relays and the ventromedial prefrontal relays, and the morality program is running nicely." She noticed Lynn managing to keep the plate steady in her hands. "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to startle you, Ms. Darnell."

Lynn smiled as she settled onto the lounge, "It's all right. No harm done."

Doctor Crusher leaned over next to T'Mera, observing the dual displays of Lore's neural net. "I have to admit, I was skeptical, but this is looking much better now."

"He seems stable enough." T'Mera rose from the chair and walked over to Lore, "Let me remove his monitors and that'll be the end of my part." T'Mera carefully removed the small monitors from each cranial port. "All right, Bright Eyes. It's your turn."

Data gave T'Mera a brief smile, "Thank you, t'hy'la." then gave a quick nod to Geordi.

Geordi opened the double doors on the side of the alcove, "If you'll step inside, Lore."

Lore avoided La Forge's eyes as he moved through the opening and into the center of the cybernetics station. "All right. Let's get this over with."

"Lore, please initiate a graceful shutdown." Data closed the doors to the alcove and took up a position behind his brother.

Lore closed his eyes and responded to Data. "Beginning the procedure for powering down now. Twenty seconds until shutdown. Nineteen… eighteen…" Lore continued the countdown as long as he could, as each pathway saved and terminated. His eyelids drooped, his head lolled forward slightly, and everything went black and silent as Lore deactivated.