Birth of the Soong Android Race, Part 2; B-4. Series: Star Trek.


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.


Data left Lore to relax in their Quarters, with B-4, and returned to his duties. B-4 had volunteered to give Lore his much desired tour.

Stepping onto the Bridge, in the deepest center of the Ship, Data was met with a field of holographic stars, whizzing by, in a massive spherical room. Various circular platforms floated in the room.

Data hopped away from the Turbo-Lift, and floated over to the center Platform. Although the room itself held no gravity, each platform held their own, Earth-Norm, gravitational fields.

While all the platforms held bridge officers, this one was special. As it held the Senior Officers of the Starship Carrier, herself.

These people were the rare Commodores. Most having served Start-Fleet for 3 lifetimes or longer.

They sat around the platform, handling their duties from holographic controls.

Data took his own chair, in the center, and quickly read over the reports the Ship had for him.

Under most, and actually all, circumstances, this ship flew herself. As she just reacted quicker then organic lifeforms... as well as, she was too big for organics to comprehend the measurements.

The Commodores major duty was organizing the Organics of the entire fleet. While working with the AIs.

First Officer and Chief Engineer, Commodore Geordi La Forge, smiled as Data sat next to him. The dark skinned man, with synthetic eyes, was young in appearance, despite having centuries of experience.

It was good to have his husband back. As Starfleet allowed Data to handpick his Senior Staff, regardless of rank. Although Geordi was the only one assigned through nepotism. Even then, not really, as Geordi was the greatest engineer in the fleet... but that wasn't Data's major reason for choosing him.


Marriages are legally terminated, at each rejuvenation cycle, and people often lost contact with their former spouse, as it was deemed inappropriate.

This is why, when someone was rejuvenated, usually their spouse asked for the procedure as well, so they could be together, and not get in any legal trouble since rejuves were considered minors.

The schools set up for these kids, doubled as an Orphanage for them, but usually they went back to living with family or friends. Data could not have any of that as he was an android. He had no childhood body to be regressed into.


All the Starfleet officers were dressed in similar black Armor to Data's. Although the jacket wasn't as well decorated, and often a different color.

The various branches of the general military, were dressed in red, although different shades depending on their position. While The Medical Officers were different shades of blue. Then the bridge crew were a variety of yellows.

Star-Fleet had changed the colors back to something similar to Kirk's Era, some 400 years ago.

However, they also added a few more colors, in the last 300 years. The Engineers wore green and the Science Officers wore purple. Then the rare Civilian Officer wore Silver. With Admirals dressed in white.

Commodores wore white, along with their trim being colored after their department. While Admirals had gold trim.


"Sooooo?" Geordi got Data's attention, "How are... things?" Awkwardly asked the dark skinned man.

Data lost his smile as he explained, "I gave Lore permission to move around the ship."

"With armed guards, I hope," Geordi commented.

"He is fully repaired. There will not be an incident." Data assured. Most people on board didn't know Lore's history, as it was three hundred years ago. Not even a good portion of the senior staff cared, but some were hesitant to trust Lore. Hopefully that would change with time.

"I hope your right," Geordie sighed. "I know how much he means to you. I just want you to prepare yourself for disappointment."

"I am fully aware of the possibility this endeavour will prove to be-"

"Data," Geordie looked at him, cutting through the unhealthy levels of distance the clinical description provided.

"I know it could go so horribly wrong," Data assured him. "I am willing to take the risk."

Geordie sighed, "Not like we never faced uncharted waters before." He smiled, "To Boldly Go, and all that."

Data smiled at the sentiment.


The children's district was... a bit much...

Lore was currently walking down the halls of this District. Multiple decks, each the size of a large city, filled with games and fun... for kids that is.

B-4 was grinning madly and chatting non-stop about all the places they could go.

"You do realize," Lore sighed looking at B-4. "You're not a child, right?"

B-4 slouched, "My mind is... limited... even with Data teaching me and improving my software... my hardware can only handle so much... I can't think very big thoughts..."

The childish android looked up at Lore, a face void of all hope, "Children's games challenge me without overwhelming my circuits... I have tried more grown up puzzles... they overwhelm me and can short out my systems for a time as I try to process it... I don't even understand how I work. I just... I just know that I do...

"I can't even help Data make more of us. The most I can do is fetch tools but a lot of the time I mess up even that!... I'm so stupid I can't help... I can't..." B-4's eyes were filling up with tears.

Lore's chest tightened. He stopped the boy. "Just because your limited doesn't mean you don't have anything to contribute. You told me you play with the Androids Data has built over the centuries. You help them function and grow... even knowing they likely won't last... that is very brave and a worthy role...

"Sorry I was careless with my words. If children's programs are as complex as your mind can process, then there is no shame in enjoying them."

B-4 wiped his eyes, "But I don't. I mean I do, but I also feel bad that I can't handle harder stuff..."

Lore looked at him a moment, "Like I said, there is no shame in finding joy in things despite your limitations... but if you don't want to deal with that right now, how about we go somewhere else... the Safari maybe?"

"Can we look at the ships?" B-4 looked up.

Lore's mind took a moment to process the information, due to his near full harddrive. He mentally pulled up a public map of the ship. It only listed the civilian zones. "There are civilian lounges in the docking stations. I'm sure Data won't mind if we go look at the fleet from there. I'm afraid I am not really familiar with the ship classes. You'll have to show them to me."

B-4 smiled and grabbed Lore's hand, dragging him over to the Turbo lift.