USS Emissary.
part 2.
Through the halls
CHAPTER :
Lore let the knowledge fill him. It wasn't just the last three hundred years of the Federation being downloaded into his brain, but the complete history of every civilization the Federation had encountered in that time.
The complete medical template, for each species, and all new engineering advancements, not considered "classified", was downloaded as well.
All the information took up nearly all 8 Petabytes of his memory. He would need to filter what he wanted to keep himself. Data never was good at prioritizing "relevant" information.
Lore shivered "I always loved a good download, gives a bit of a rush."
"Indeed?" Data tilted his head.
"You need to appreciate the little things, dear brother," Lore smiled, as Data removed a circular device from his memory port. There was no wires attached to it. A plug that downloaded information from the private wireless network on the ship.
They still hadn't figured out how to create an instantaneous subspace network across the whole galaxy, but that just resulted in computers being made to have a much larger memory capacity.
A single data crystal could hold 157 Yottabytes of information... and their were trillions of those making up the ship's database. Lore's brain still operated far quicker than a normal computer, but he didn't have near the memory capacity.
"I need a Tricorder," Lore informed, as he was let out of his little cage. With the look Data was giving him, he snorted.
"Not a Starfleet issue one, just standard. It will be good to store unnecessary information, and it's scanners are more accurate then my own." Lore informed.
Data nodded.
"So... care to show me to my quarters?" Lore asked.
"You will be staying in mine and Geordi's rooms." Informed Data.
"Yours and Geordi's huh? Can't say I didn't see that coming," Lore threw his arm over Data's shoulder, "B-4 living with us to?"
"They are large quarters with seven bedrooms."
"Only seven? Well I guess that's enough space for when we finish piecing the kids together, if they bunk... you're sure it will work this time?"
"I assume you are referring to the construction of the next Android. There have been significant advancements in engineering and Replicator technology. I believe the next Model will last indefinitely... however you should prepare yourself, as I had believed the same thing of all other models."
Lore snorted, "So don't get attached."
"On the contrary, I find it very rewarding to get attached. Even if something happens, I can store the memory anagrams, and give them a new body when I manage to start replicating them."
Lore thought on it, "Manufacturing a Positronic Brain, specifically for the purpose of being replicated, isn't going to be easy. We'll need to lay down the circuitry, in simple patterns, while still maintaining optimum sufficiency.
"You have the ability to just make another android right now, with low risk of system failure, but trying to create a Positronic Brain to be replicated, greatly increases the chance they'll die."
Data insisted. "Our race needs to be able to reproduce more efficiently. If we create other Androids, the way we were built, the same issues we have will be their's.
"It will be difficult for them to continue constructing others, if anything happens to us. Just as the technology was lost for hundreds of years, after the death of Dr. Soong.
"With the capability of replicating Positronic Brains, at will, we insure our species will survive beyond us."
Lore snorted, "We're both proof it's hard to keep an android dead."
"But it is not impossible. I want to not only create more of us, but insure our species will survive indefinitely."
Lore sighed. "Fine, just show me where our Quarters are, followed by that tour of the ship I was promised."
"To unrestricted areas only," Data informed heading for the door. It opened by itself at his approach. Primitive cultures are actually impressed by the idea of a motion sensor.
They walked down the hall, and it seemed much in the style of the old Enterprise Lore was familiar with.
Computer monitors on the walls (only now they had the option of creating a interactive holographic map and other such things) with an extra blue strip of light where the wall meets the ceiling, at a good 5 meters from the floor.
Analysing the blue strips, Lore found those were the Holographic projectors.
When they got in the Turbolift the only real difference was how quickly and effortlessly it moved. Even with the sensors in his body, Lore could barely feel the thing moving, as it paused less then a fraction of a second each time it changed direction.
It took barely any time, moving several hundred miles, to reach deck 1. The lift opened to a similar Hallway, in the quarters Section of the Officers District.
Lore followed Data a little ways further. The older Android's download, told him this section, was for the highest ranking Commanding Officers of the Fleet. Most of whom were Commodores.
Data's Quarters were actually at the end of the hall, and the largest. Immediately upon entering, Lore was hit by the sheer wasteful luxury of it all.
The living room was decorated with various art pieces and sculptures, that were actually quite good. Three hundred years of practice could do that. Data always had been obsessed with creating art of all kinds. There were also some... interesting drawings next to the replicator, that looked like a small child had drawn them.
"You like my pictures?" Another android, with his face, appeared. He was wearing a skin tight yellow outfit, with red and purple stripes at the shoulders, ankles, and where the short sleeves cut off at the bicep. It was obviously a child's design in clothes.
"I drew them. With CRAYONS!" the droids voice echoed mechanically, in his throat, with an air of childlike innocence.
"They're very pretty," Lore assured.
"You're not me, but your not Data either. Data told me we had another brother, and he was fixing him."
"That would be me. I am Lore and you must be B-4."
"You know me?" B-4 grinned.
"Of you at least."
"Want to go to the children's district? We can pet the animals! But you have to be careful though, and not be too rough, or you'll hurt them."
"I'll keep that in mind," Lore couldn't help but smile.
"B-4," Data got the oldest android's attention, "Let Lore get settled first, then you may take him to all your favorite places."
"Kay," B-4 nodded then looked at Lore. "Want to see my room?"
Data shook his head, but Lore smiled and agreed. The little guy, as Lore felt compelled to call him, despite being the exact same height down to the centimeter, smiled back. Then tugged at his arm until they were in the room.
B-4's room was rather messy, which considering how anal Data was, probably got him in a bit of trouble.
"This is stuffy," B-4 held up a stuffed animal, modeled after a Klingon razor beast. The toy actually lifted it's head on it's own and smiled at Lore. More primitive AIs were used even in children's toys. "Data got him for me" if there was any further evidence that Data treated B-4 like a child, that was it.
B-4 showed off all his action figures (which all moved, talked, and bent light to generate minor illusions to reflect their powers, but not enough to make their 'abilities' solid). There were even more rudimentary drawings on the walls.
After a while though B-4 seemed to get uncomfortable. "Lore," B-4 suddenly got serious after a good half an hour of playing with him and his sentient plushie collection, " Will you promise me something?"
"Depends on the promise," Lore wouldn't promise something if he didn't know what it was. Especially not to someone as innocent as this. B-4 probably put a lot of weight in promises.
"Can you not die?"
Lore blinked staring at the oldest android.
"I'm not supposed to talk about this, but most of the androids Data builds don't function for very long."
"You know about that?"
"We play together, and have fun but they all end up getting sick. Data says he can bring them back one day, but I don't like seeing them shut down. Promise that won't happen this time?"
"Well... that isn't very likely to happen with me anyway, as I'm your brother not, say, your nephew. The man who built you and Data, built me, and he was a good bit smarter then Data. He built us to last but Data hasn't figured out how to do that yet."
"Why?"
"That's a tough question..."
"Why?"
"It just is, hey look The dinosaurs are attacking Captain Photon," Lore pointed at some toys laying on the floor. He picked up a dinosaur and had it bite the superhero in question.
"No!" B-4 laughed grabbing Photon and having him "Fly away" while the dinosaurs chased after him.
