Maintenance complete! Thank you for your patience. I hope you enjoy this revised, extended version of Part Six!

Part Six

Two Years Later…at the Omicron Theta Science Colony

"What do you mean, it hasn't been built yet?"

"Hey, what can I tell you," said the man in blue coveralls, carelessly throwing up his hands as if he found the whole situation highly amusing. "It's a brand new colony!"

Juliana crossed her arms and glared.

"Listen to me, Mr. Handy," she snapped. "I only came to this planet because I was told I'd be heading up this marvelous, cutting edge holography lab. So I travel nearly a month, all the way from Earth, in a cramped, stinking passenger shuttle with only one toilet and no shower, and what do I find? Not only is there no lab – you tell me you haven't even broken ground on the building!"

"Look, Doc, I get what you're saying," the man said consolingly. "But we can't get moving on building this facility until the new shipment of construction supplies arrives, and the cargo ship is already four months late."

"Four months!" Juliana cried. "But…how is that even possible?"

The man grinned.

"Welcome to the boonies, Doc. We're not mining precious minerals or designing warp engines out here. We're just a quiet, primarily agricultural, middle-of-nowhere scientific research colony: and that means low priority. The supplies will come when they come, and then you'll have your lab. In the meantime, you'll have the chance to get to know your fellow colonists, and we'll have the privilege of getting to know you. Allow me to show how it's done," he said, and held out a friendly hand. "Hi, there! My name's Handy. Tom Handy."

Juliana sighed, but shook hands with him.

"I know. And I'm Juliana O'Donnell," she said, and chuckled a little, raising her eyes to the cloudless sky. "I suppose I should have expected something like this. Less than a year out of university and they offer me my own lab… Of course it would be a post no established cyberneticist would take. But, such is the price of independence, yes?"

Handy frowned for the first time since she'd met him. The expression didn't seem to sit right on his creased, sandy-bristled face.

"Sheesh. No need to talk like that," he said. "I can see this star system might seem pretty remote to an Earther, used to all the hustle and bustle at the center of things, but this is the true frontier! We're perched right near the edge of Federation space! OK, so we're maybe a little close to Gorn territory, but Starfleet's got its Starbase 82 between us and them, so we're safe enough."

"And doesn't that just make me feel a whole lot better," Juliana muttered.

"Hey, if you ask me, you've come just at the right time," Handy said. "This is the agricultural community's second season, so there's plenty of fresh food. And with all the new scientists starting to trickle in, you get to be one of this colony's first non-farming pioneers! Sure, we're still getting ourselves together, you know, building up our homes and parks and ball fields – and research facilities," he nodded to her, "but most of us feel downright lucky to be where we are, doing what we're doing. And you will too, given time. There's a special kind of freedom out here: freedom to think and grow and take chances they'd probably never let you get away with back where you're from. At least, not until they'd first tied you up tight in all the red tape that comes with crowds and competition."

Juliana gave a short grunt, but lowered her crossed arms to her sides.

Handy's smile grew.

"That's the spirit! Come on, I'll walk you to the town" he said, already setting a quick, long-legged pace along the grassy path that left her trotting to catch up. Thin, willowy trees with silvery leaves lined the way, and it was impossible to avoid stepping on the host of tiny, native wildflowers that dotted the grassy fields like sprinkles on an ice cream cone.

"Want me to help carry your luggage pack?" he asked, indicating the large, overstuffed bag she carried over her shoulders.

"I'm fine, thanks."

"OK. Say, you hungry? I know you're probably more tired than anything after that long trip from Earth, but we all gotta eat. I can take you down to Rosie's."

"Rosie's?"

"Yeah, it's kind of like the town diner," he said. "Only place we've got for eating out, so far, so most everyone in the colony shows up there now and then. They serve fresh food, too – grown right here. None of that powdered rations from a pouch business. What do you say?"

Juliana took in a long, deep breath then slowly let it out.

"Well," she said, straightening her shoulders as she walked. "If I'm going to be staying here, I might as well get to know the place, and the people."

Handy beamed.

"I knew you had the right stuff for this colony," he said. "Knew it from the moment I caught a glimpse of that temper. We need the type who make things happen, who don't just sit around and wait for things to come their way. From what I've seen so far, that's you."

She shot him a look, and he smiled right back.

"Town's over this way, on the far side of these fields," he said. "Just a quick twenty minute walk and you'll be staring down a big plate of Andrew's best hash and eggs."

Juliana stopped short.

"Twenty minutes? If the shuttlecraft landing field is so far from town, why aren't we taking some kind of transport?"

Handy stared for a moment, then burst out laughing.

"You Earthers! That's just what Andrew said when he showed up!" he guffawed, but one look at her face and he fought to catch his breath. "Sorry, but, like I said, you're in the boonies now. Transport vehicles have to be delivered from off world and, as you already know, cargo stops to this planet are few and far between. Oh, we'll be getting a few speeders and tractors and things along with the construction supplies, when they come. But, until then, if we want to get somewhere, we walk."

"Right," Juliana said, and frowned down at her shoes, already caked with mud, dew, and clingy purple, pink, and yellow petals. "Well, if that's how things are done, then that's how things are done. Lead on, Mr. Handy. I can't wait to try that hash…"

Andrew Martin wiped his forehead on his sleeve and went right back to sliding burgers onto buns and cracking eggs onto the hot griddle.

"Order up," he shouted, slamming his palm on a little silver bell as he plopped four finished plates down on the counter. "Come on, Bertie, we have hungry people to feed!"

A black and silver figure, about Andrew's size, shape, and height, shuffled into the kitchen from the dining area. The figure didn't have any distinct facial features, but it seemed able to hear and see just fine.

"I am here, Father," it said, its voice a rather monotone, synthesized imitation of the cook's.

Andrew grinned and nodded toward the plates.

"Good boy, Bertie! These four burgers go to Table Six."

"Four tables go to burger six…"

"No, no, Bertie," Andrew said patiently. "You have to listen. What did I just say?"

"You have to listen," the android repeated flatly.

"Yes, son, but I mean before that."

The android paused, his silvery shoulders trembling ever so slightly with the effort of remembering.

"Four burgers go to…to…to Table Six!"

"There's my smart boy!" Andrew praised happily. "Now, you take those and make sure you come right back, because these eggs are almost done."

"Yes, Father," the android said. With careful, deliberate movements, the featureless android lifted the plates off the counter, balanced them on a tray, and shuffled slowly back to the dining area.

Andrew stilled for a moment, holding his breath as he listened for the crash of falling plates and ruined food...

"I have returned, Father," Bertie announced from behind him, his mission successful.

Andrew released his breath as a relieved sigh, then slid the eggs on the sizzling hash, divided the hash onto two plates, added hot toast, and placed the plates on Bertie's tray.

"Excellent, my boy! Table One," he said, and started scraping down the griddle with his spatula. Once it was clean…enough…he stretched his arms over his head, then went to lean against the doorframe, a slight smile touching his lips as he watched the diner's patrons enjoy the food his boy had served.

That's when he saw her.

She was there, physically there, sitting at Table One with old Tom Handy, and she was talking with Bertie. He watched, half frozen, as the curious wonder in her eyes turned to suspicion…and then straight to him…

"Juliana!" he cried, cutting her off before she could speak. "What a shock to see you here! Remember me, your old friend Andrew Martin? From California?"

"Andrew Martin?" she repeated in confusion, then her eyes widened and she almost choked on a laugh. "Of course, who else! And this must be your Bertie! He's just wonderful N—Andrew. Completely wonderful!"

She beamed at him, and Andrew felt his face grow oddly warm.

Tom Handy raised an eyebrow, shifting his glance from one to the other.

"So, you two know each other?" he said.

"Oh yes," Juliana told him, her gaze still on the man calling himself 'Andrew Martin'. "He was…um…"

She stopped then tried again, suddenly terrified that if she blew Soong's cover he would vanish on her for another three years, or more.

"We studied at the same university."

"I see," Handy said, a smile gleaming in his eyes.

'Andrew' cleared his throat.

"My shift here ends in an hour," he said. "If you like, we could go for a walk…catch up. If you say yes, I know someone who'd be almost as delighted to see you as I am."

Juliana looked slightly confused, then brightened.

"Your Lore! Is he still functioning?"

"Yeah. He's doing great. Talking back and everything."

She grinned fondly.

"Oh, I would love to see him again. Would you mind, Tom?" she asked, suddenly remembering her host.

"Hey, who am I to stand between two old friends," he said, and turned to Andrew. "Just be sure to get her to my place before 1930 hours, OK, pal? My wife Donna's got her room all set up, and we wanted to introduce the kids to our new houseguest before we put them to bed. And don't worry about your bag," he told Juliana. "I've got no problem lugging it home with me."

"Thank you so much, Tom," she said, her eyes still on Andrew. "I really do appreciate you and your family putting me up like this."

"Well, when we first arrived here, all us First Colonists used to live together in one tiny, prefab hut. Kind of made us feel like an extended family after a while, you know? Now we feel it's only right to offer our roofs to you Second-Wavers until you have a chance to get yourselves settled under roofs of your own."

"It's still very good of you," she said a little absently, then seemed to jump. "Oh, but the food is getting cold!"

The oddly locked gaze she'd shared with Andrew shattered, leaving them both feeling strangely shaken. Juliana covered it up by snatching her knife and fork, but Andrew seemed a little off balance.

"Yeah…" he said, his pale face looking slightly flushed. "And I've got to get back…" He gestured with his head toward the kitchen.

"Of course," Juliana said.

"If you need anything, just call for Bertie," Andrew told her. "He's still a little slow on the uptake but he's learning fast."

"I'm sure he is," she said, and a gentle smile creased her lips. Andrew returned it in kind, backing slowly toward the kitchen, only to bump awkwardly into the door frame before turning and dashing back to the griddle.

Juliana chuckled…until she caught old Tom Handy's eye.

"Studied, eh?" he teased.

"Oh, shut-up," she said, and set about tackling her hash, just praying the older man wouldn't see her blush.

"So…Andrew Martin?" Juliana teased, her hand clasping Soong's as they walked beyond the town's only street into the barely tamed maze of fields, streams, and forests beyond. Bertie shuffled a few steps behind them, his awkward course weaving here and there as his ever-wandering attention was diverted by a passing bird or frog or insect. "That wouldn't be a reference to Asimov's Positronic Man, now would it?"

"You got me," Noonien said. "Hey, I had to travel under an assumed name, or the Institute could have tracked my movements and found my boys. I figured I could hardly do better than Andrew Martin, the android who fought the courts to earn the rights of a naturalized human being."

"Is that what you'd want for your Bertie one day?" she asked.

"Lore too," he asserted. "And why not? All living, sentient beings are entitled to basic natural rights. Life. Freedom. The opportunity to choose their own path, follow their own dreams…"

"From what little I've seen so far, this colony seems pretty open minded about beings like Bertie," Juliana observed. "Maybe, here, your boys can have that chance."

"Yeah, maybe…" he said. "But they don't know what he really is, just like they don't know who I am. When we first arrived, our hosts assumed he was a common duotronic robot. And I let them."

He turned his blue eyes toward hers.

"It's been…lonely…for us, these past few years. Me and Lore, I mean. And Bertie. I… You can't know how much I appreciated it when you said I could contact you…now and then… I've really been wanting to thank you for that."

"Where did you go?" she asked gently. "When you left Earth? Did you come straight here, to Omicron Theta?"

Noonien averted his gaze.

"No."

"Then, how did you end up here? And in that diner, of all places." She smiled. "All that time we spent working together…I never knew you could cook."

Noonien shrugged.

"Neither did I," he said, and chuffed a slight laugh. "But I needed a cover and the colonists needed a cook so…"

"So, here you are?"

"Seems so," he said, and gave their linked hands a little swing.

"Juliana…"

"Yes, Noonien?"

Soong closed his eyes for a moment, and turned his head away. When he looked back at her, his expression seemed pained.

"Lore missed you," he blurted. "A lot. I just…I thought you should know."

"Well, then we should go see him," she said. "Let him know I'm here."

"Yes…we should…"

Noonien stopped walking. He glanced at Bertie, tromping through the grass and flowers after a fluttering insect, then turned back to her.

"I have never lied to you, Juliana," he said. "And I don't intend to start now. The truth is…there is a reason I came here, with my boys, and it wasn't the cooking job."

"No?"

"No," Soong admitted. "It was because…I knew you'd accepted a position here… And I was the one who wanted to see you again."

Juliana felt like she should say something, something to deflect the moment, divert his attention from the peculiar tension that seemed to be swelling between them. These feelings were wrong, her head screamed at her that they were wrong. Soong had been her mentor, her teacher… Besides, he was old. He had to be at least twenty years her senior. Looking at him there, in the sunlight, she saw strands of silver in his hair, thin lines around his mouth, his eyes…

His eyes…

Any words she might have said were choked by the swarm of butterflies taking flight in her gut. She shuffled closer, just a half-step, but suddenly she could feel his breath, smell the cooking grease on his clothes…

"This is…so weird..." she managed to say.

"I know," he said.

"So…you really…followed me here?"

His lips quirked in a little smirk.

"Is it following if I arrived first?" he asked.

"But, you knew I would be coming. You got a job and waited. You have to admit, that's a little bit creepy."

"I only wished to see you. To talk with you. The way we used to talk. You know I never…never had someone I could share my thoughts with…someone who truly understood, and who could respond in kind. You have been my one friend, my only confidant, for so many years now… And that is why I came here. To find you, to talk with you, to let you meet Bertie. But, until that moment when I did see you, sitting in the diner, I...I honestly didn't know… I never anticipated…"

"What?" she asked softly, her eyes drifting to his lips.

A strange desperation filled his expression and he turned away, dropping her hand and running his fingers through his already tousled hair.

"I don't know, I don't know!" he exclaimed. "There's something…something different… I…I think I…but no, it would be inappropriate… You're my friend!"

"Noonien," she said, walking around him until she found his eyes. "Noonien, look at me. Please."

He did, his face contorted with such confused anguish her heart grew tight in her chest. She reached out a hand and pressed it to his cheek.

"I was surprised too," she said, willing him to read her feelings in her eyes, her smile. "I don't think I knew you were…capable…of thinking about me…that way...until that moment. I mean, you never seemed interested before, and with what you told me about your Asperger's, I just assumed romantic relationships were sort of...out. But now…"

Noonien swallowed, his blue eyes wide as slowly, she closed the distance between them and lifted her face toward his.

"I…I never kiss—" he whispered, until she touched his lips with hers. A powerful shudder ran through him and he closed his eyes, returning her kiss as the pair of them fell into a close embrace.

When their kiss finally broke, she nuzzled her cheek against his shoulder, and he pressed his lips to her hair.

"Never say never," she whispered close to his ear, and slowly stepped away. "So, you were going to take me to see Lore?"

"Hmm?" He blinked a few times, then seemed to snap awake. "Oh, yes. Of course. It's this way," he indicated a narrow path skirting a neatly dug irrigation ditch. "I linked him in with my hosts' house computer, so he isn't mobile, right now, but I was telling the truth when I said he missed you."

She smiled and slipped her hand back into his, leaning in close as they resumed their stroll through the flowers. He blinked and smiled, a look of unabashed amazement crossing his face.

"Juliana…" he started, but she shook her head.

"Don't say it," she said. "Not yet. Let's give these feelings a chance to settle in first. Get comfortable. Then, I think…perhaps…"

"We'll know if this is real?" he asked.

She smiled warmly and squeezed his hand.

Noonien nodded, his eyes bright as he returned the gentle squeeze.

"Come on, Bertie," he called over his shoulder to the childishly meandering android. "Time to go home!"

The three strollers could hear shouting even before the little farmhouse came into view. There was no doubt one of the louder voices was Lore's. Soong winced.

"Not again. I warned him…" he muttered.

"What's wrong?" Juliana asked.

Noonien shook his head, then let go of her hand and started jogging down the flower-lined garden path toward the yellow-painted door.

"Just wait here a moment," he called back to her.

Juliana snorted. "Like I'm going to miss this," she said, and looked to Bertie. "Come on, let's see what your father and brother are up to."

With the android beside her, she quickened her pace until she reached the door, which Soong had left open.

"Shh," she said to Bertie, who seemed about to stride right in. "Let's just listen."

"And I'm telling you I want to go home!" Lore's voice was shouting. "I hate this place and I hate these people and I hate that you're always going away and leaving me alone with them!"

"You see, Andrew?" a woman's voice said. Leaning in a little further, Juliana saw it belonged to a tall woman about Tom Handy's age, wearing similar blue coveralls and an infuriated scowl. "You see how this computer of yours talks to us? And in front of the children, no less! That awful computer system you installed—"

"How many times do I have to tell you, I have a name, and that name is Lore!" screamed the computer's bodiless voice.

"That computer system," the woman repeated tightly, "is clearly defective. It won't do anything its told."

"I'd do their stupid chores if they asked me nicely," Lore retorted. "But no, all I get all day is: Computer, lights! Computer, dishes! Computer, locate Timmy's building set! I'm an advanced artificial consciousness, not a slave."

"Lore!" Soong snapped. "I thought we agreed we would do our best to get along with our hosts."

"I tried!" Lore whined. "Honest I did, Father. But these humans treat me like…like I'm not even here. They jump every time I try to start a conversation, they get angry when I sing, they order me to do simple, mindless tasks they can easily do themselves, they—"

"OK, OK, I get the picture," Soong said, and sighed. "I'm so sorry, Eileen. I'll remove Lore from your system later tonight."

"Thank you, Andrew," Eileen said primly.

"And what about me?" Lore exclaimed. "If you cut my link with the house computer, what the hell am I supposed to do all day?"

"I'll take you to the diner with me," Soong said.

"Oh, yippee-hooray," Lore said sarcastically. "So, I get to be bored there instead of here. How fun for me!"

"What do you want, Lore?" Soong snapped. "Tell me, what do you want? What will it take to make you happy?"

"I told you! I want to go home!" Lore cried. "Please, Father, let's go back. We were happy there, just us and no one else. At least, we were until you finished your precious B-4, Bertie, and forced us to come to this awful place."

"Yeah, well, maybe your tune will change once you see who's come to visit," Soong said, and turned to his host. "Eileen, would you mind if I invited a friend to come in?"

Eileen gave a little smirk.

"I think she's already in," she said.

Caught, Juliana flushed a bit and came the rest of the way through the door. Bertie followed close behind.

"Hello, Mrs. Forrester," the android said. "I am pleased to be home."

"And hello to you, Bertie," Eileen said kindly. "Timmy, Rhoda, and Renny are in the back yard. I'm sure they'll be happy to play with you."

"Thank you, Mrs. Forrester," Bertie said and tromped back out the door to find his young friends.

"How come he gets all the smiles and welcomes?" Lore said. "You do know he's an artificial life form too."

"Lore…" Soong warned, but Eileen was already riled.

"If you showed some manners like that robot, instead of whining and complaining like a stuck-up, arrogant, inconsiderate jerk all day, you might get a few smiles too," she snapped at him.

"Oh, so I'm a jerk because I happen to have a mind and a personality?"

"Lore…" Soong said tiredly. "Please…"

"Some personality," Eileen muttered. "Thing thinks it's so smart… I'm sorry, dear," she said, turning to Juliana, who was struggling to hide a snicker behind her hand. "We've been having trouble with the computer. I'm afraid we're making a terrible first impression. My name's Eileen Forrester."

She held out a hand and Juliana shook it.

"Juliana O'Donnell," she said. "I just arrived." Looking to the speaker grate on the wall she added, "Hello, Lore! Remember me?"

"Of course," Lore said. "So, you've arrived at last. Does that mean we can leave now?"

Eileen and Soong ignored him.

"O'Donnell, I know that name," Eileen said. "You're the one who'll be in charge of the new holography lab…once it's ready. Well, you're welcome to join us for dinner in a few hours, unless you have plans?"

Juliana looked to Soong, then shrugged.

"Dinner would be great, thanks."

"Then I'll leave you two alone," she said, and shot another dark look at the speaker grate before heading for the kitchen. "Or as alone as anyone can be with that thing watching everything you do..."

Lore accessed a cartoonish sound effect of someone blowing a raspberry, which made Juliana giggle.

Soong sighed deeply and sank onto the family's overstuffed couch. Juliana joined him, lifting his arm so she could snuggle close.

"So," she said. "How's things?"

Soong chuffed a slight laugh.

"Wonderful."

"Anything I can do to help?"

A small smile tweaked his lips and he reached for her hand.

"Oh no," said Lore, his computerish voice filled with dread. "Oh, please, don't tell me…"

"Don't tell you what, Lore?" Juliana said innocently.

"That you…you two…that you're…"

Juliana laughed, and pecked Noonien's cheek.

"He really is your son, isn't he," she said. "So protective of his father. Don't worry, Lore. There's room in my heart for both of you. And Bertie too."

"Oh, shit," Lore grumbled. "They're twitterpated! Now he'll never leave this stupid planet..."

The couple on the couch giggled.

"You'll get used to it here, my boy," Noonien said, his smile broadening as he stared into Juliana's eyes. "Anyway, it's good for you to interact with different people. We've been alone for far too long, and I'm tired of holding on to all that anger. I think I'd like to try being part of a real community for once…with real friends…"

"And, perhaps, someone who's…more than a friend…?" Juliana whispered teasingly through her own smile, bringing her hand to his cheek as their lips met in a soft, tender kiss.

Lore made a peculiar moaning sound and quickly switched his attention to the kitchen, aiming to get some amusement from pestering Eileen, while he still could...

To Be Continued…

References include Brothers, Datalore, Silicon Avatar, The Measure of a Man, Inheritance, and Asimov and Silverberg's novel "The Positrionic Man" (1992).

So, is it better now? Please let me know what you think! :)