LESSONS ACROSS TIMELINES ^{© 2003-2007}

By Lessa Soong

The Edge

What is it that draws me to you?

I really don’t know. Maybe I never will. I have read just about everything I can find to read about you. But it never seems to be enough.

I have written my own line about you and still it is not enough.

I cannot seem to get my fill of you.

I have your image around me most of the time and gaze at you often.

I dream of you.

Oddly, in the last week, every night. But this was never so before.

I cannot always retain what I saw, but that it was of you, I am certain.

I wonder if I teeter on the edge of sanity.

If I fall, will you be there to catch me?

It seems only fitting, as you are the one that pushed me over that edge.

Have you ever experience obsession?

I think I live it.

You are the first and last image in my mind each day and I have never even been in the same room with you...and I never will.

I would imagine that this can’t last...but so far it has.

I am growing old thinking of you.

But I am not growing cold.

I want you.

I have for years.

But what draws me to you?

I still do not know.  

Chapter One - From the page to my living room

She had been a fan for years. As a child her father, who had thought that watching cartoons was a waste of time, had introduced her to Star Trek.

“Why would you watch this garbage when Star Trek is on?” he had said once, and changed the channel. That had been all it took. She was hooked in that instant.

First Star Trek, then Isaac Asimov, Heinlein and all the rest of the sci-fi writers. As a teenager she had gone on to introduce Star Trek to her best friend, Lori. They went to conventions together and talked about the show endlessly. Her favorite character had been Spock and Lori’s had been Chekov. In 1987, when the Next Generation had premiered, she was married and had one child. In a friend’s living room she crowded in front of the TV with ten others, including her husband and daughter, to watch “Encounter at Farpoint”.

It was awesome!

What followed was a whole new world. Each of the new characters was so fresh and interesting that she had trouble deciding on a favorite. At times she felt that her favorite was whichever character had been featured in that week’s episode. She and the whole family immersed themselves in the new chapter of the Trek universe and all were happy.

That continued through the years until the unthinkable happened. 

It was a simple car accident. Head on and fatal. Her husband most likely never even felt a moment’s pain, but she did. Their daughter, Melody, had been thirteen at the time of her father’s tragic death. The teenager seemed better able to handle the blow than her mother did.

Two jobs were required to keep the family going. There was insurance and a settlement from the accident, but she put that money away for Melody’s college fund. Dating was out of the question. She had no interest in any man she met and no time for them even if one could catch her eye. She had some friends, but most were on-line friends whom she chatted with about her only living passion.

Star Trek.

And at present there was a heck of a lot of Star Trek to chat about!

She eventually discovered fan art and fan fiction. It was just after reading a story about Lore, Lt. Commander Data’s evil brother, that she remembered a little fantasy story that she had made up years ago that involved Data. Deciding that her typing could use the practice, she began to work on pulling the story from her head and putting it on paper...well, disk.

Being a hopeless romantic, her tale was a love story in which Data finally got the girl. As she’d had the story in the back of her head for years it was by now quite involved, but 252 pages in, she got stuck on a technical detail that she could not resolve herself. In frustration she pushed this story aside and wondered what would result if she changed some of the details of her first story and started again. All the characters that she had created as well as the love interest for Data where brought back but the situation was different. Same music, different dance... Where as in her first story they had met on the girl’s home world, this time they met on the Enterprise. It was amazing how differently the story unfolded.

This caused her to think of another situation. What about the future? Data could live for centuries! What would his next love be like? Twenty-five pages into story two, she began story three with a second heroine. But parts of it also had problems...

Story four only got to page five before she wondered if her premise was unseemly. Introducing Data to someone who was at the beginning of the story only four years old, but would grow to be a love interest many, many years later might upset some people.

Story five took place in the future, but involved Data never meeting the girl for story one and two.

This one she finished. And she liked a lot!

By this time, her daughter was 18 and in college. She still worked two jobs but any free time she had was taken up by her full-blown obsession with Data. Pictures of him made up her screen saver. Her desktop was also him. She had changed the sound to lines for the show that she had downloaded. Now when she turned her computer on, Data’s voice could be heard to say, “Honey, I’m home!” When she turned it off, he said, “Data out!” She found new sound waves after a while and created a folder labeled “Data” to store them in so that rotating them would be easier.

All and all, she had a full life...it was just filled with a being who did not exist!

Melody worried, but it wasn’t as though this would cause her to jump off a bridge or rob a bank, so who was she hurting? She still went to conventions and had hoped, one day to meet the actor who played Data, but she had decided that one obsession was enough and she was sticking with the one who was not real.

The year was 2002 and a friend of hers was editing story five, as she knew it was lousy with run on sentences. She was again working on story two and had completed over 100 pages.

It was Saturday, late fall, 12:53 PM. She had taken the day off from her second job and was busy typing with cold coffee on her desk and music that she had downloaded flowing from the speakers of her computer. She was now up to over 400 of her favorite tunes.

She was dressed in jeans and a black and white horizontal striped collared shirt. She was typing furiously. Lore was about to make an appearance in this story and the girl and Lore always had interesting arguments. Unable to decide on Lore’s opening jab, she got up from her chair and heading for the kitchen. Making lunch would allow her a few moments away from the words on the screen and help her to see Lore’s face and hear what he wanted to say.

Her vacating the chair and the room was fortuitous. Had she remained, the flash of light that filled her living room may have temporarily blinded her. The odd pop the accompanied the white flash did, however, cause her to come running. What she saw when she got there caused her to believe that she must be asleep and dreaming. Either that or someone had paid Brent Spiner a hell of a lot of money to play a joke on her. Except how did they get him into her living room?

When she’d run back into the room, he had been looking around, with a blank look in his face. At her entrance, he turned to face her.

If this was an actor, or a fake, he was a damn good one!   

He had a tricorder in his left hand and a phaser at his side. He moved to touch the phaser, but she threw up her hands in submission.

“Unless you find kitchen towels threatening, I don’t think you’ll need the phaser,” she gasped. With the tricorder still in his hand, he made use of the device and scanned her.

“Human,” he noted.

“100%,” she agreed.

“May I ask where I am, please?” Always polite...but still?

“Earth.” She told him. He frowned. He didn’t believe her.

“That is highly unlikely. We were on-- Where on earth, please?” he asked, kindly.

“About an hour outside of Atlanta, Georgia. Don’t you want to know the year?” This was her first question, but it had quite an affect. His composure could not have been more shattered if she had stripped naked right there.

“Yes, please,” he asked weakly.

“2002, old earth calendar.”

He opened his mouth, but closed it again before saying anything. How familiar that looked, she thought. She wondered how far this dream would progress before she woke up.

“Why have you brought me here?” he finally asked. Now it was her turn to look shocked.

“Unless wishful thinking has given me a new ability, I don’t think I had anything to do with your arrival here. I take it you were not trying to get to 2002?”

His expression became speculative. “Why did you use the year in that question and not the location?”

“Isn’t it easier to travel from one location to another than it is from one time to another?” she asked innocently.

He looked very unsure as to how to answer. Of course! The Prime Directive!

“Maybe we should start with something simple. Hi, I’m Harper Talenger.” She extended a hand and he returned his tricorder to his belt and took her hand for a precise shake.

“I am called Data,” he said smoothly. From behind him, Harper noticed that her screen saver had just popped on.

Oh, God! She thought. Reaching past him, she lunged for the off switch to the monitor. But she suspected he probably saw. Turning back to face him, she folded her arms behind her and tried to grin innocently at him. She knew that she was failing miserably and a blush was rising to her cheeks.

“Sorry, but that’s going to take some explaining...” She tilted her head toward the computer screen and sighed. He looked very suspicious. 

“Perhaps now would be a good time to start the explanation, Miss Talenger.” He looked very alert now. He had definitely seen the picture of himself standing in front of the turbo lift, holding the hand of the little girl from ‘Pen Pals”. Harper sighed again. What would he have concluded from that? That she was lying and that she had indeed brought him here?

“This is going to take a while. Why don’t we sit, because I think about now, I need to.” She was feeling a bit light headed and woozy. This could not be happening! She had read, “Visit to a weird planet, revisited.” And even an unfinished TNG version of this story, but this was...happening in her living room, damn it!

She made it to a chair and collapsed, he followed cautiously behind. He sat on the center cushion of her couch. God but was he handsome! In story five, one of the first things that the woman noticed about Data was the way he moved. The female character had found him attractive in the way he moved from day one to the end of the story; at this moment Harper realized just how accurate that sentiment truly was.

She sighed and gave this some thought. How was she going to explain this to him? He was not going to believe her. She opened her mouth to speak but noticed that his attention had been drawn to her fireplace mantel.

“Oh, hell!” she muttered. He was back on his feet and in a second was picking up a box that contained a Barbie sized version of himself. Her sister had given it to her as a birthday gift three years ago. Harper had forgotten it was there.

“Is this a...toy?” he asked, curiosity clear in his tone. Better than anger.

“Yes. Please don’t open it or destroy it.”

“Why is there the image of a...Do you know what this is?” He was pointing to the image of the Borg on the lower left-hand side of the box. The doll was from the movie ‘First Contact’.

~ Not an experience I bet he wants to remember. ~

“It’s a picture of a Borg. Please, Commander. This is going to be very hard to explain as it is. Please sit back down before you find more to cause you to question me.” Harper glanced around the room to see if there was anything else that she needed to throw out a window. Fortunately, her DVD box sets of TNG were behind something else and he could not see the symbol that would have given him pause.

He returned to his seat.

“As I said, you are on Earth in the year 2002. I don’t think you’re in the same timeline that you were in before you...left.” What if this really was an actor? She slowly got to her feet. Coming across the room, she reached out to his face. He looked confused and wary, but did not pull away as she ran a finger across his cheek. Warm and soft. Just like his hand. She glanced at her fingers. No make-up. She felt weak in the knees again, but she was not a fainter!

She returned to her chair.

“Why did you touch me in that manner? And why is it your belief that I have changed timelines?” he asked, doing his little thinking twitch.

“Because in my timeline you’re a character in a television entertainment show. As fictitious as a character in a Shakespearean play.” This apparently convinced him she might be truly lying or just out of her mind. He jumped to his feet and raced to the monitor. Turning it back on, he was treated to the sight of picture after picture of himself flashing briefly before his eyes. In some he was alone, in others he was pictured with others. There was a very nice one of him and his mother, Juliana. There was even one of him and Spot, his cat.

“How is it you have images of so much of my life? My family, my friends? How have you done this?” He was growing upset...and then the picture of him standing with the Borg Queen flashed by.

He gasped and staggered backwards as though jolted by electricity. 

“Commander Data, please let me turn that off, otherwise you’re going to be convinced you should shoot me before I get the chance to explain this properly!” She sat down at the desk and shut the computer down. She turned the speaker off before he could hear his own voice saying, “end program”.

At least he hadn’t seen the one where he was about to kiss the Queen!

Standing again, Harper faced him. He obviously had his emotion chip with him, and he was very angry!

“I ask you again, Miss Talenger, why have you brought me here?”

Yep, he sounded pissy now.

This was quickly going from bad to worse. Funny, for years now, she would have given everything she owned to spend two minutes in his arms. Now she had been in the same room with him for less than ten minutes and he hated her already! That song by Alanis Morissette suddenly came to mind.

“Come over here. The only way you are going to believe me is if you see it for yourself.” She went to the TV and pulled season one of Star Trek: The Next Generation out from behind the other DVDs she had stacked up there. She turned on the TV and the disc player. Popping disk one in the unit, she went back to her chair and motioned for him to take a seat. Before setting the player to start, she switched to a show that was currently on regular TV so he would have something to compare it to.

“Okay this is a soap opera. It’s just about the most pitiful form of entertainment known to man. The only thing worse is kids shows like Barney.” Two people were throwing things at each other and screaming on one channel. She switched to another soap and this one had two people having sex. “Oh, sorry. Let’s see if Barney is on.” He was.

“He is purple. Is he intended to accurately represent an creature from the Jurassic period?” Data asked looking like he hoped that her people were not all crazy.

Harper laughed. “Not really. He’s just something that’s used to help kids learn the alphabet and numbers and such. Okay now here’s an educational channels for adults.” She switched to the Discovery Channel and then the History Channel. He found both interesting and was disappointed when she turned them off to activate the disc player.

“You can watch it later if you want. Right now, I still need to convince you that I’m not Kivas Fajo. Oops, sorry. Oh, just watch.” She began the disc. The opening sequence ran and the characters were scrolled through one at a time. When they got to his face, towards the end of the sequence he looked at her.

“In what order were our images shown. It was not by rank.” He looked slightly offended to be shown right before Wesley. She tried not to grin.

“Alphabetically, by the names of the actors who play the characters. Except for the first two. They’re considered the lead roles so they come first.” He digested this.

“That is an actor who plays...me? What is his name?” He looked very disconcerted.

“Wait and see.” She hit the button to play “Encounter at Farpoint”. The story began and his eyes went wide.

“The Farpoint Mission” he mumbled.

“Yes, the one that started it all. Well, started it all again.” The first scenes concluded and the opening credits rolled. He looked like he would laugh as Patrick Stewart spoke dramatically of new life and all...

“I believe the proper term for this would be....corny.” Then his name and Brent Spiner’s rolled by. He looked at her in disbelief. His own name seemed to make it all the more real...or unreal.

“It’s all here. Well, not all of it. I only have season one, two and four. I was hoping to get three and five soon, but I can’t afford them right now.” Deciding that he could figure out how to use the remote control faster then she could blink, Harper handed it to him. Not surprisingly, he fast-forwarded through most of the rest. He paused at the first clip with Tasha Yar.

“I’ll leave you two alone.” Harper rose and went to the kitchen. She was still hungry, and his appearance meant that she was shaking enough to burn a whole hell of a lot of calories. After nuking some left over beef stew, she sat down at her dinette table alone.

This was just too weird, and she still didn’t feel like she was dreaming. Just to test she patted her cheek sharply to see if she would wake up. She didn’t accomplish anything other then causing a red mark to appear on her face. She finished eating and was tending to the dishes when Data appeared from around the corner. She gasped and dropped the plate she had been about to place in the dishwasher.

“I apologize for startling you. Are you all right?” he asked studying her. She nodded her head slowly. She inhaled and exhaled deeply and bent to retrieve the plate. It had not broken.

He continued to watch her as she finished her clean up of her kitchen. She was 1.76 meters in height. Data calculated her weight to 66 kilos. Her hair was a shoulder length dark brown, but when she passed by her window the sun’s light revealed red highlights. Her eyes were gray with only the barest hint of blue. Her figure was a classic hourglass shape with only the slightest hint of a paunch in her abdominal area. He had taken note of various pictures that she had scattered around the part of her house that he had seen thus far. In several, there was a child in various stages of development. This child was often pictured with Harper, but was also picture alone or with Harper and a dark haired man that Data concluded must be Harper’s husband. The android hoped this man was of the understanding variety. Coming home to find a male android alone with your wife could cause many human males to experience mistrust and jealousy.

He looked her over once more. He noted that she wore no jewelry. No rings, no earrings, not even a watch. Had the marriage ended? In this era, women were no longer considered possessions, but most North American women wore a ring if they were married. But the man’s picture was still displayed. He doubted she would keep his picture up if the marriage had been devolved.

Data recalled that his own mother did not have pictures of his father in her home that she now shared with Pran Tainer. Data concluded that Harper’s husband was possibly deceased or that she simply did not wear a ring. Either way, it could lead to an uncomfortable situation if he were not careful. This was all contingent on this not being some holodeck fantasy or a trick. He knew he was not dreaming. All of his diagnostics reported that his cognitive functions were on-line and functioning within normal parameters.

“Miss Talenger, does one of these discs contain the events that occurred on stardate 41601.6?” he asked her. She looked him in the eyes and was silent for several seconds.

“I was never one to memorize the stardates, but after the way you looked when you saw Tasha, I think I can guess what you are asking for. It’s entitled ‘Skin of Evil”, Commander,” Harper told him and looked away. Data nodded and returned to the living room, commenting that this title made sense.

Harper finished her cleaning and returned to the living room in time to see Data watching the recorded events just prior to Tasha’s death. The mistress of the house gently pulled the remote from the golden hand that held it to pause the scene.

“Why are you watching this? You remember all of it perfectly. Why would you want to torture yourself with these images?” Her tone was gentle, her eyes, compassionate.

“My memory did not include the moments that Armus spoke with the counselor. I was not there to witness the moments shown there or the efforts being made on the bridge. The angle is different and offers a different perspective...” His voice trailed off.

“The point was not to mourn, Commander. The point was for you to believe that what I am telling you is true. I realize that this may sound heartless, but we don’t know what the window of opportunity is for getting you back. Shouldn’t you be looking for it?”

She was right of course, but Data had not truly accepted that this was not a trick of some sort. This kind of trick had been played by Q and...Well, it was a long list. He was not convinced that this woman would not turn out to be someone whom he could add to that list. As he could not see how doing as she had suggested could back fire, he pulled out his tricorder and rescanned the area where he had appeared.

“Find anything?” She asked this after a few moments of watching him point the scanner all around the room and even over himself.

“One moment,” he said and came over to direct the tricorder at her a second time. She just stood still and waited.

“Am I still human?” she asked with amused impatience. He looked up as though he’d been so deep in thought that he had forgotten she was still there.

~ Great, been here not even an hour and already I bore him. If I was going to wish someone into existence, shouldn’t they at least find me fascinating? ~      

“Yes, you are still human. During my initial scan I found-“

“Commander, please remember that while I watch and love Star Trek, I may not understand a truly detailed analysis. Try and keep it simple. Imagine you’re explaining this to Counselor Troi.”

“Ah” he said, nodding his understanding. Harper couldn’t decide whether she should laugh or not.

“I did find evidence of a minute temporal rift. Simple enough?” He asked this in a patient and non-condescending tone.

“Yes. I take it the rift is gone?” she asked. He nodded. “Can you recreate it? Is there evidence it will reappear?” This time he did not nod. She sighed heavily.

“I do not know how it was possible for this to happen originally. While it is theoretically possible for a temporal rift to develop on a planet, the conditions necessary for this result would require...unnatural intervention.” He studied her face to see if she understood.

“You were on a planet?” she asked, sounding like she was gathering puzzle pieces. He nodded. “Did you beam down alone?” Data shook his head this time. “Do you think that your other party members were also pulled back in time? Were they near you? What was the last thing you saw?”

Data nodded his approval of her questions. “The other members of the away team, Commander Riker and Dr. Crusher, were ten point three meters and seven point two meters in front of me, respectively. Their backs and the walls of the cave we had entered were the last images I saw. Did you see or notice any disturbances when I arrived?” Data asked, turning the questions on Harper.

“I had just left the room, but I heard a ‘pop’. It was a loud pop, almost like a gunshot but the sound was...higher pitched.” It seemed to him that she was running the scene through her memory to dig up more detail. “There was also a light. I was facing away, but it lit up the whole side of the house. It lasted only a second and a half, I would guess...I couldn’t time it exactly of course.” She shrugged helplessly at him. Data smiled.

“Can you think of anyone who would be capable of bringing me here?” Data knew this was a long, long shot, but it had to ask. It was her turn to shake her head.

“Are you going to be able to get back?” she asked.

“At this point, I see no way in which I can.” He sounded suddenly downcast. Turning from her, he went back to sit on the couch to study the readings he had taken on the tricorder.

Harper’s mind was racing. No Star Trek episode had ever left the character without an escape. Even when it had looked like Data was meant to die in the past...that was it!

“Wait! That’s it! That’s it! Damn, I don’t have that one on disc! Commander, what about Guinan? She was there when you were thrown back to 1890. Could she be here now?”

He looked like he was considering this for a moment, but sadly shook his head after a moment. “It is possible, but as this is not MY timeline, it is probable that it is also not Guinan’s timeline. I will make an effort to contact her despite that fact. Thank you for the suggestion.” He smiled, but only halfheartedly.

Data felt like he could almost sink into the couch. He let his shoulders slump and he buried his hands between his knees. He was stuck here for at least a while and he was none too happy about it. Harper heaved a sigh and sat down next to him, but he did not look at her. He wished that Counselor Troi had been pulled here with him. At least then he would have someone to talk to. The emotions that this was invoking all at once were devastating. It felt as though something were squeezing his chest and causing him to lose the ability to breath.

Geordi, Deanna, Beverly, Will...The Captain. Data still could not just think of the man by his first name. Captain Picard had been his commanding officer for so long that to refer to him informally would feel disrespectful. How could it be the captain did not exist...and may never exist in this timeline except as a character in an entertainment? Data knew that in his timeline, history included what was called science fiction. Isaac Asimov had written about with positronic brains centuries before Data’s father had brought that fiction to life. With this in mind, the android turned to look at Harper.

“Does the name Isaac Asimov mean anything to you?” he asked her.

“I, Robot, The Foundation series, Harry and his psychohistory and Susan Calvin. Asimov was one of my favorite authors. I even read one of his wife’s books because I loved his so much. I know he wrote about the positronic brain. Is that why you’re asking?”

At least the idea of his brain existed here. “Yes,” was all he could say.

They sat in silence for several moments before she rose from the couch. “You want to be alone and I have some errands to run. I’m only planning on going to the grocery store, but is there anything I can get you while I’m out?” She looked as defeated as he felt.

“For what purpose? Data asked. 

“I have no idea.” She admitted with a shrug and a smile. “Just thought I’d be polite and ask. I know this is very hard on you, Commander, but having a sentient android from hundreds of years into the future suddenly appear in my living room is disconcerting for me as well. I am willing to do anything I am capable of to help you get back or at least to make life tolerable for you here until you come up with a plan to get yourself back.”

Somehow the fact that she, too, was affected by this impossible turn of events helped Data to feel slightly less alone. Harper was right, he was allowing his emotions to overrule his logic. Somewhere there was an answer and he just had to find it. With renewed enthusiasm, Data got to his feet. The logical course of action was to learn about where he was and try to discover if there was any technology that existed in this time and timeline that could assist him in his quest.

“May I use your computer while you are away?” he asked. Oddly she paled.

“I guess I should have guessed that you would ask that. Okay you sit there and let me reconfigure some things on it and turn on the DSL, as I’m sure you’ll need the Internet. But please, promise me you won’t peek at what I’m doing...please.” She looked very nervous.

“I promise,” he assured her, confused about what she was trying to hide and suspicious as to the reason. With a nod, she headed for her computer. Data retook his seat, so the back of the chair to his right would block his view of her and the computer desk.

Click, beep, click. She was typing furiously, but he kept his word and did not lean to his right to see what she was doing.

Harper could not believe she had to do this. All her screen savers were Star Trek based. She would be forced to use the standard Windows wallpaper and screen saver. She had to change all the sound waves as well. But she was not deleting her stories! She copied them all to disc and decided to hide the hard copies in her room. Data’s ethical subroutines should prevent him from searching in there...she hoped. Still, she could label them to sound uninteresting even to a curious android who was the second officer of a starship...that no longer existed anywhere outside Hollywood.

Damn, that had to be upsetting him. To have your whole life wiped out of time. Had she had something to do with it? Could you wish someone from their world into yours? If you were Q you could do it, she thought. But why the hell would the Q of Data’s universe give a damn about what a lonely woman from another universe wanted? Q only cared about manipulating people and things in order to create entertainment for himself.

Would this situation be amusing to Q?

Maybe...

But the omnipotent being preferred playing with the captain. Data had saved Q’s life once and Harper always thought that it had caused Q to have a sort of soft spot for the android. But who could really guess how far Q would go?

Harper had finished her work. She had even renamed her ‘Data’ folder. Now she would have to go over the rest of the house since he couldn’t even leave the house without causing a stir-- Crap! He couldn’t leave! This was a big mess!

She called him over. Once he was standing behind her she gave him a brief run down on how this antiquated computer worked. The Internet was not the Federation database and never would be, but it would be his best source of information in this time period.

“Please, do not go into this application. Word is just a program that allows you to write letters or make notes...stuff like that. You have no need of it with you memory and I have private, personal things in there that I would be very upset and embarrassed if you saw.” Especially the sex scenes, she thought.

She almost laughed at the memory of the first time she had attempted to write a sex scene... Her hands had been shaking with embarrassment over typing the word ‘erection’. She had laughed at herself for over five minutes because she had spelled it wrong...

Harper tried not to grin since she did not want to explain to Data why she was!

“I will not require the use of ‘Word’,” the android assured her. “I shall honor your request and avoid it,” he promised. She nodded and surrendered the chair to him. She headed for her room, discs in hand, to hide them and retrieve her shoes.

She passed by her dresser, and caught sight of herself in the mirror. She stopped to examine her reflection. Not bad for a 36-year old, she decided. She went to the bathroom and ran a brush through her hair, but did not bother with make-up. It was her day off and she was not going to try to impress this man, who was not really here...could not be here, with cosmetics. Her skin had always been clear even in her teenage years, but now she suffered a slight case of rosacea that caused her cheeks to had a mottled redness to them if she wore too much make-up or drank caffeine.

Oh, well...she was not going to give up her morning coffee!

Still, the redness was not bad today it just caused her to look a little flushed. She brushed her teeth and left the bedroom.

When Harper returned to the living room the computer was fully under Data’s control. Words and images sped by as fast as he could cause them to scroll. His long fingers dance over the keyboard. She doubted he could go his full speed as her computer could not keep up with him, but he showed no signs of frustration. But then, it hadn’t locked up on him yet. 

“I bet you’d give just about anything for five minutes access of the Enterprise computer,” she commented as she approached him.

“Ironic, as if I had access, I would not need access...to solve this dilemma.” She laughed at this. He looked up at her and smiled briefly, but the smile looked forced.

He still did not believe her!

Harper could see it in his amber eyes. For some reason she was suddenly angry. She prided herself on her honesty and to have him question it, even silently, made her furious!

“What would convince you that I was not faking this all somehow, Commander?” To her surprise, Data came to his feet.

“Allow me to accompany you when you leave,” he replied, standing tall before her.

“That is not possible. You may have been able to convince holograms from the Dixon Hill program that you were from South America, but that is not going to work here! It’s cold but it’s a sunny day out there. The first ray of sun that reflects off your golden skin is either going to have people running or calling the police. You need to stay here until you find some way back to where you belong.” How could he not know that? Simple, he still believed this was some holographic trick.

“Then I am to be a prisoner here.” It was not a question.

She sighed, exasperated.

“Fine, if that’s what it takes to convince you, then come. But please, leave the phaser here,” she pleaded. He did not like that suggestion. “Fine, bring it, but you are going to have to stay in the car. I have a van with tinted back windows. You’ll be able to see out, but others won’t be able to see in unless they’re right next to the car. Will you agree to the logic of this suggestion or are you going to fight with me on that too?”

“It is not wise to leave technology behind when dealing with a prewarp culture. The danger of exposure is too prevalent.” He was referring to her suggestion to leave the phaser.

“And what you didn’t say is you don’t know that I would not instruct someone to sneak back to retrieve that very technology. But if I have the power to pull you here, would I not also be able to use it to take myself there? And if I could, then I could have just stolen the stuff I wanted without the witnesses. What possible use could I have for you?” She hoped she had cornered him, but she had forgotten something.

“Perhaps I am the technology you wished,” Data replied stoically. 

“What? Oh, right. I forgot for a moment.”

“What did you forget?” he asked, confused.

“To consider you technology. I forgot about you being an android.” He looked like he found this very hard to believe. She huffed at him. “Consider for just a moment that I am telling the truth, Commander. The character that I see on Star Trek is a human male who pretends to be an android. He is not neural nets and processors and subroutines covered by bioplast sheeting. He’s just a man with gold make up and yellow contacts.”

He processed this, his eyes going back and forth like she had seen him to so many times on TV. After a moment he focused on her again.

“That is why you touched my face earlier. You doubt me as I doubt you?” She nodded. Data’s expression changed to one of determination. He touched a spot on his forehead and applied a slight amount of pressure. An area approximately three inches across and two inches long popped open. Harper thought of a Christmas tree whenever she saw under his ‘skin’ on TV. All the pretty lights of his neural nets were much nicer than blood and guts, but he wouldn’t think so. She couldn’t resist. Reaching up, she gently closed the access panel.

“Okay so now it’s my turn.” She moved to the console to her right and picked up her purse and keys. “Damn,” she muttered. Hanging from her key ring was a miniature metal copy of a Borg cube. “My daughter’s right, I have no life...” she clutched the keys in her hand and led the way to the stairs that would take them to the garage. She yanked the cube off the ring as she descended the stairs and slipped it into her pocket, out of sight.

She opened the sliding back door for him and closed it again once Data sat safely in the back. The trip to the store was short, but maybe it was enough to convince him that he was not in a holodeck. Harper knew he could detect the walls of a holodeck. She parked the car back away from the other cars and turned to look at him.

“You will stay on the car, won’t you? I really don’t want to be in jail tonight for harboring a dangerous alien.”

“If I am just a character is a story...how can I hurt anyone?” he replied, sardonically.

“I know this is all a bit much to take or believe, Commander. I think I’m going to need a night’s sleep and maybe several glasses of wine before I’m truly able to deal with this. You can’t believe that jumping out of the car and waving your phaser at these people is not...against the Prime Directive!”

Data was taken aback. “I have no intention of waving my phaser at anyone unless they threaten me first. Do you truly intend to consume alcohol in an attempt to better acclimate to our situation?” he asked, dubiously.

“You bet your sweet positronic brain, I do.” And with that she got out of the car. No need to lock it. If he wanted out, he could get out. He could punch through the door if he wanted, so a lock was pointless. 

Harper bought the things she needed as fast as she could and returned to the van. She opened the hatch and released her breath when she saw that Data was staring back at her.

“Hi,” she said.

“Greetings,” he answered.

Trying not to grin, she loaded her purchases and closed the hatch. Back in the driver’s seat, a moment later, she started the car.

“Is there an establishment where one may acquire electronic equipment locally?” he asked sitting forward.

“Data, sit back and get your seat belt back on!” she found herself exclaiming. She was never going to get used to this... “Sorry, forgot again. Please keep you seat belt on for my peace of mind. It goes against my programming to drive if anyone in the car is without one.” In her mirror she could see him nod and comply.

“There is a small electronics store nearby, but if you need something, I think the best thing would be for you to find it on-line and then find the closest place where we can buy it. You will have to keep one thing in mind though.”

“Yes?”

“I’m a poor woman with a daughter in college. I work two jobs and have a mortgage and a car payment along with all the other normal household expenses.” Harper sighed.

Data decided it was time to find out about the man in that picture. “Is there no one else to contribute to your financial support? I assume that your daughter was brought into this world with assistance from a human male.”

She laughed. “I’ve never heard it put quite that way. Yes, she had a father. He was killed in a car accident five years ago. That’s why I am not going to drive with anyone who is not wearing a seat belt.” She stated firmly.

He had hoped that she had just separated from that man. Still this would mean that Data would not have to explain his appearance in her home to an angry husband.

“I am sorry for your loss, Miss Talenger,” he offered.

“Thank you, Commander,” she whispered back. 

She pulled into the garage and closed the door before she got out. He assisted in bringing the items that she had purchased to the kitchen. “I’ll put these away. Why don’t you go back to the computer and see if you can find some of the things you will need and where we can find them. What are you going to build?” she asked as he slipped into the chair.

“At this time, I wish only to know what is available. Your planet’s level of advancement will limit my ability to proceed.”

“Oh, come now...you didn’t seem too limited in 1890. The device you created took up your whole bed, but it worked! Surely you can work another miracle with twenty-first century technology.”

“I remind you, Miss Talenger, that I would need to either attempt a transmission not only through time but dimensions. I know of no way of accomplish this without knowing the location of a dimensional rift. With that knowledge I could possibly construct a beacon to send a message. Otherwise, I will need a ship. I know that your people have vessels that are capable of escaping earth’s gravitation, however I do not believe that they will be willing to let me borrow one.”

Data heard Harper laugh from the kitchen. “I imagine that you’re correct. So what is our plan?” she asked.

“At this moment, I am looking for...inspiration.”

“Good luck, sweetie,” she called.

He smiled and yet was confused by this.  ~ Sweetie? ~

She entered the room and brought with her a chair. She put it next to his and went back to the kitchen. She returned with two wineglasses in her hand. Both were filled with a medium red color liquid, which he assumed was indeed wine.

“Thought we could drink together. I know that it won’t effect you, but it will calm me.” She set his glass on the desk before him and held hers. “I saw an episode where Lore poisoned you with Champaign once. Do you want me to drink some from yours to prove that it’s not poisoned?” She offered this with a completely straight face. He considered her offer for only .48 seconds before deciding to reject it.

“I thank you, but I believe I will trust you until you give me cause to reconsider.”

“Then we need a toast. Pick up your glass. I really will taste some if you want me to...ok then, here’s to TV shows, technology and timelines. May you find a way to beat them all.” They clinked glasses and she sat as she sipped from hers. He took a small sip from his and after identifying all the ingredients; he decided that he liked the flavor. It was sweet and fruity.

Data worked with blinding speed and Harper sat beside him, periodically asking questions and suggesting an idea or two. He worked for nearly two hours before she rose to prepare her dinner. He continued to work as the house filled with the wonderful aroma of a freshly prepared meal. He declined her invitation to join her for dinner, so she ate in front of the TV with her plate resting on a pillow in her lap. Data knew this because he joined her to watch the news. He sat on the couch and watched the events of the day unfold.

The state of affairs on Earth in the early fall of 2002 was not promising. There were many wars brewing and some ongoing. Murders, rapes, robberies. It was all very depressing.

“Do you watch this every day?” Data asked, during something called a commercial.

“No, only about once a month or less. It never change and sometimes it just gets worse. I worry that we aren’t going to make it anywhere near the twenty fourth century if this keeps up. Terrorism is on the rise and no one feels safe anymore. It’s hard to sleep at night if you have to worry that you could be killed in your bed before morning.”    

While he did not sleep as such, Data could relate to the sentiment. He took notice that even some of the commercials showed violent scenes or just ones of questionable taste. He decided to get up and return to the computer. Harper watched him as he walked by her.

She changed the channel to the educational stations she had shown him earlier. He could hear her grumble that she had already seen all of the selections. With a groan of disgust, she got up and headed for the kitchen. He heard sounds that indicated cleaning in progress. He did like that she was neat. Her house was a bit dusty in some places, there were stacks of cases that contained more discs on the wooded frame that held the TV, but everything else in her house was orderly and clean.

She stayed in the kitchen for just under half an hour and then asked if he needed anything from her at the moment. He considered saying ‘Yes, a way home’ but reconsidered.

“Are you retiring for the evening?” he asked.

“No, I’m gonna take a bath. Should take about forty-five minutes to an hour. I like to soak. If the phone rings, just ignore it. Gee, I’m gonna have to wear a robe...that’s going to be a little strange.” She sounded like she was talking to herself.

“You do not usually wear clothing in the evening?” He tried not to sound too distressed.

Harper turned about to look at him, as she had been walking down the hall towards her room. “Yes, I wear clothes. I just meant that.... after my bath I put on my bedclothes and I live alone so I don’t have need of a robe. The only visitor I ever have is my daughter and I don’t wear a robe in front of her.” Data nodded his understanding and turned back to his work.

The hour past and Harper did not return. Even in Data’s time, there were terrible stories about people falling asleep in the bath and drowning. This thought caused him concern, even though he was uncertain as to how much his could trust this woman.

Data had not even walked down this hall in the hours he had been here. Four doors lined the hall, two on the left, one at the end and one on the right. Only the one on the right was closed. The two on the left were bedrooms. The first was plain but adequately appointed. The second was decorated in rather a feminine style. He assumed that this had been her daughter’s room. The small room on the end was a bathroom, but not the one Harper was using.

Data could not hear any water running, but neither could he hear any movement. Listening carefully, he believed he could detect the sound of breathing, but there was music playing and he was not certain. He did not wish to invade her privacy, but surely just a knock to ensure that she was well...

He knocked...and heard a gasp from the other side of the door.

“Miss Harper?” he called, nervously. He could hear hurried footfalls.

“Yes, is something wrong, Commander?” she called back.

“I was just concerned that you had not returned. It is a known fact that an annual average of 189 deaths are attributed to drowning in...bathtubs in your time.” He could now hear a soft laugh.

“I didn’t drown. I just made a disturbing discovery.” She told him through the closed door.

“What, if I may ask?” he called back to her.

“I no longer own a robe.”

Data’s eyes went wide, briefly. “Is you bedtime apparel...inappropriate?” he asked, not at all certain that his question was appropriate.

“No, it’s cool at night, so I was planning on wearing this fluffy gray jumpsuit thing I have. It covers everything, but I’m tall for a woman and the legs are too short.”

“I see. Then perhaps a robe will be unnecessary. The fabric is opaque?” he asked, just to make sure.

“Yes, unless you have x-ray vision and that was never mentioned.”

Data smiled. “No. I do not.”

The door opened slightly. “Well then I hope I don’t shock you.” She peeked her head around the door and looked him in the eyes. “Keep in mind, I didn’t expect you and I don’t typically have men...here.” She came out from behind the door and to his relief, she had described her attire well. It was gray in color; fluffy looking and the legs came to halfway down her calves. The part of her legs that were revealed, were well defined and showed no evidence of extra...flesh. Her waist all but disappeared in this outfit, as it was not contoured to fit her snuggly. However, it was buttoned up the front and was missing just one button. The top one.

“Unsuitable?” she asked. The opening at the neck only revealed a modicum of cleavage. He had seen a great deal more in Counselor Troi’s daily wear. He could not say that this was unsuitable.

“No. I apologize if I startled you before.” Data looked her in the eyes and tried to keep his eyes there. Harper smiled, nervously.

“That’s ok. I guess I just got lost in thought. It’s not everyday that...” That the man of your dreams pops into you living room, she thought. ”You meet someone who you always thought was just a story.”  

“Nor is it every day that you find out that you are fictitious. May I ask you, do you know anything about the actor who plays...me?”

“You didn’t look him up?”

Data shook his head. “There were too many other things to research, but at this moment I find myself curious,” he admitted.

“I know some. He was born is Texas, he’s left-handed; I’ve heard that he is very funny. What do you want to know?”

“What does he look like, when he does not look like me?” he asked, point to his chest.

She grinned. “I have one very nice picture of him, but it’s on my screen saver and I don’t really want you to see the pictures that you didn’t see already.”

He narrowed his eyes at her slightly and tilted his head to one side. “Other than this picture, are they all pictures of me?” This caused her to blush.

“No, one is of Spiner, there are two of Lore, one of the symbol on your communicator, one of some of the ships and a few are shots taken from the Hubble telescope in space.”

“And the rest are of me?” he asked, leading her. She sighed.

“Data, if I had known that you were going to pop into my house today, I would have deleted the picture from the computer, changed the sound, put the box on the mantel away and hidden the discs. I didn’t know!” She threw up her hands, helplessly.

“Pardon me, but did you say the sound? The sound of what?” he asked.

She covered her face with her hands. “I really need to get out more...” she moaned. She lowered her hands and smiled weakly at him. “Okay you have just got to understand...I work two jobs so I can keep my house and all and put my daughter through college. I don’t have enough time for a social life. If I did, I wouldn’t have the energy or the money. I stay home and write short stories and get involved with all things Trek. Most of those Trek things revolve around you. I guess you could say that it’s become a bit of an obsession, but I did not think you existed so I didn’t see any harm!” She stalked off down the hall towards the main part of the house and he followed, trying to process all of this.

She was obsessed with him? Data did not know how to react to this. He was truly beginning to believe that she had nothing to do with bringing him here, but if she were mentally unbalanced... He would have to be very careful.

Harper sat before her computer and clicked an icon on the desktop. This brought up the pictures from the screen saver that she had mentioned. She located the picture she was looking for, and pulled it to desktop. When she exited back to the desktop, the image of a sitting man with one knee pulled up to his chest was revealed. The picture was in black and white. The man was wearing a black jacket and jeans. His hair appeared gray. His eyes were piercing.

Data looked back at her and saw that she too was studying the man’s image. Her facial expression was blank, but there was something in her eyes that Data could not identify.

“Do you find him to be...do you think he is...attractive?” he asked, not sure why he was asking. She looked up at him. Her expression remained unreadable.

“In this picture, I think he’s very attractive. But he’s had the same girlfriend for something like ten years now, so I don’t think I stand a chance, even if I did meet him.” She gave a humorous sniff, but her tone had held quite an edge to it. She looked back at the screen.

“Do you think I am attractive?” He did not truly understand some of what was involved in attraction between the sexes yet. His experience with the Borg Queen had left him very hesitant to ever think about this area of emotions. It even caused him some anxiety to ask her this question.

She looked back at him, her expression was readable now. It was pained.

“I think I already answered that question, Commander.” She came to her feet and stared at him as though she could not believe what she had just heard.

“I do not-“

“Please, Commander! Do you really believe, for one minute, that someone would become obsessed with a man they did not find attractive? Well, I think I have been humiliated and forced to bare my soul enough for one day. If you discover that this is just a big joke that Q planned, can you please have him pull you back out of here before I get up in the morning? I have to work tomorrow and I don’t think I can handle much more of this!” With that she walked decisively from the room and after entering her room she closed and locked the door. 

Left alone, he stared at the door she had just disappeared behind. He needed to conclusively determine whether or not she was responsible for bring him here. Her suggestion that Q was involved was at least feasible. He went back to her computer and noted that the picture of Mr. Spiner was still on the screen, staring back at him.

“How would you handle this situation?” he asked the image of the man who had existed in this realm for longer than a day.

Chapter Two - Is it Data or is it Memorex?

Data heard movement from Harper’s room again at 9:02 the next morning. She had watched TV in her room until 12:05 last night, but had not returned to the living room. Harper came out still in her nightclothes, looking rumpled and headed for the kitchen. Data watched her put something brown and crumbled looking into a device and then pour water into a hole in the same device. She then touched a button and turned to face him.

“Good morning,” he said hopefully. Her expression did not lend credence to that hope.

“Good morning. At the risk of stating the incredibly obvious, I notice that you are still here. I take it you had no luck in contacting Q last night.” Harper’s tone was not pleasing.

“He did not seem inclined to answer my calls. If you wish, I will find another place to stay until I-“

“Pardon me, but are you out of your mind? I wish you gone, not dead! If you leave like that you’re going to be in trouble the first time you’re seen by another person. Perhaps whoever sent you here was doing you a favor by sending you to me. At least I won’t turn you in.” Data looked unsure as to whether he should thank her for that.

“I regret having upset you last evening,” he told her.

Harper blushed, but looked sad. “I’m sorry I blew up. I think the unreality of this is just difficult to accept. This is very much like something out of the movies.” Data smiled his agreement after a few seconds of accessing. Harper thought of the boy in Insurrection, and his reaction to Data. “At least I’m not afraid of you like that Ba’ku boy was,” she noted, encouragingly. Data looked confused.

“What Ba’ku boy?” he asked. Now she looked confused.

“The Ba’ku kid. They didn’t like technology, but didn’t need it since the radiation...I think it was metaphysic radiation or something like that...was keeping them all young. You didn’t lose more memory engrams from that incident did you?” Data still looked totally clueless as to what Harper was talking about. He smiled apologetically.

“I am afraid I do not know of the Ba’ku. Is this part of the television show that did not cross over to my timeline?” he asked. She looked stunned.

“I guess that could be, but you did go back in time and encountered...the Borg...Queen?” He was not happy about this question, but she had not expected him to be.

“How much do you know about that?” he asked, nervously. She grimaced and looked away.

“More than enough...but then I...” She paused and seemed lost in thought. He turned from her, not wishing to think of the events they had just been referring to. “Data, how long ago did that happen?” she asked, eagerness in her voice. He did not turn back to her.

“For me, it has been eight months, two weeks and three days since she was destroyed,” he told her in a matter of fact tone.

Harper stared at his back. She was not a counselor, but she did not need a degree in psychology to know that he was still hurting. Eight and a half months ago! Why had he been plucked out of that time? She touched his back. He stiffened at the contact.

“I imagine that you saw Counselor Troi to help you deal with what happened.” She tried to sound as sympathetic as she could.

“I do not wish to discuss this.”

“Do you still see her?” Data turned around quickly and looked sharply at her. “Counselor Troi, I mean.”

“Once a week or if I have a...nightmare.” His expression lost some of the edge that it had gained in that last moment.

“Always helps to talk about nightmares. Seems to loosen the hold that they can have on you. I saw a counselor of sorts for a while after my husband was killed. Not the same trauma that you had to deal with, but a trauma. I imagine it’s been...difficult.” She turned slightly away from him now and he felt sure she was thinking of her loss and not his trauma. It was understandable. Deanna had likened his experience to emotional and physical rape, but he had been able to attack back at his tormentor. He did not know the details of the accident in which took her husband from her; he doubted that she had been able to come to terms with his killer.    

Harper looked back at Data after several seconds of inward reflection. “Not exactly what we wanted to think about this morning, huh?” Data shook his head. She smiled gently. “I have to get ready for work. Have to be there by ten. Sorry I upset you.” She turned slowly and headed back to her bedroom.

He realized that she had still not told him who the Ba’ku were.

She returned, dressed in black formfitting pants and a short-sleeved white shirt. A black apron and hat were in her hand. She tossed them on the back of a chair and went into the kitchen for what Data now knew was coffee. He recognized the aroma. He was back at the computer, wishing again for the speed of the Enterprise’s computer. He would have finished hours ago if this one had voice recognition.

“How long will you be gone?” he called to her.

“Until five o’clock. I would have called in but I do a cooking demonstration on the weekends and I had already arranged to have yesterday off. I really can’t beg off for today,” she called back. She came into the room, holding large steaming cup of coffee.

“I wish I could come. It would be interesting to observe your culture,” he mused. She looked down at him, seemingly lost in thought again.

“You’d need a disguise...or maybe just some make-up. I don’t use it much, but I do have some. It may not be you’re...color, but if you are very careful it should allow you to come with me if you want.” His expression left no doubt that it was indeed what he wanted. “I see, you’re going stir crazy from cabin fever already.” It took his several seconds to decipher the meaning behind her words and he came up empty on cabin fever. She explained with a laugh.

He got his first look at her bedroom and bathroom as she thought it would be the best place to apply the make-up. Everything was neat and orderly here as well. There was not much evidence of Star Trek or him in these rooms except for a collection of books labeled Star Trek on her bookshelves.

She pulled a peach colored bag from a cabinet, and opened the zipper to peek inside. She removed a small bottle from the bag, hopped up on the counter, and motioned for him to come closer. With her fingers she applied the make-up to his skin. Her complexion was very fair in sharp contrast to her almost black hair, so the make-up was not a huge contrast for him. After a moment, she handed him the bottle and told him to work on his face and she would get the back of his neck and ears.

He studied the results moments later. He did not think that he looked like the actor who portrayed him in the TV show. Well, maybe a little.

“Do you believe that my eyes will draw attention to me?” he asked.

She frowned. “Probably. But I don’t wear contacts or ever glasses so I have nothing to offer you but sunglasses. I think I have some gloves packed away that will fit your hands so you don’t have to put make-up there. Be right back.” She dashed away and he could hear her running down the stairs seconds later. Harper returned five minutes and twelve seconds later. A pair of men’s driving gloves were in her hand.

“They belonged to Robin, my husband. They stretch, so they should fit. Try them on.”

He did. They fit.

“Now you just need clothes. Robin was a bit taller then you, but I think you should be able to find something in his old clothes. They’re in boxes downstairs. Why don’t you go look and I’ll call work to warn them that I had unexpected company last night and will be a bit late. Okay?” Data nodded and headed for the stairs.

“If he wants to go out more, I’m gonna have to buy a lot more make-up,” Harper mumbled. She called work and gave them an update. Her friend there asked who had come to visit, but Harper just said it was an old friend that needed a place to stay for a while.

As she hung up, it occurred to her that Data was going to need a different name to go by while he was here. His call brought her out of her musings about a new name.

He was in the hall in a pair of blue jeans and a chambray oxford shirt. He still had his black boots on. He would need some new shoes. A new robe, new shoes for him and make-up...and colored contacts too. He was going to cost her a small fortune! But he did look handsome in Robin’s old clothes. They were slightly long on him, but still...

She walked over and told him to turn around. He did. The jeans fit too nicely in the back. She forced her eyes up and noticed that his collar was not straight. She fixed it and told him to come back to the bathroom so she could touch up his make-up, as this collar was just slightly lower then the one on his uniform.

“You are going to need some new shoes and contacts for your eyes. You look nice though. My store is in a large mall. Can you find shoes and socks without having to try them on?” Harper asked as she completed the touch up.

“Yes. I assume you intend to send me for supplies?” Data asked.

“It’ll give you something to do. I hope you have a grasp of our monetary system from your reading,” she said hoping she did not have to explain.

“I do,” he assured her.

“Good. Please, remember that I’m a poor working-class woman and I was not expecting to have you pop in. I have some cash for you to shop with, but try to find a sale. Think cheaply!” She came to stand back in front of him, appearing to study his make-up. She nodded with approval and placed the almost empty bottle on the counter. She sighed.

“If you have any money left after buying shoes and socks, see about more make-up. I need a robe too, but maybe I can find one and charge it during my lunch break.”

“Perhaps I can locate a sale and inform you of the location. How long is your lunch break?”

“Thirty minutes.”

“That is not much time.”

“Nope. Oh, one more thing before we go. You need a name...other than the one you have. A full name. First and last at least. I told my friends at work that I had an old friend here who was in need of a place to stay. They’ll ask your name and I can’t say Data.” He considered this.

“Soong would be the most logical surname,” he offered.

“Agreed. I have a suggestion for a first name, if you don’t mind. I don’t think you will remember this one either, but there was an episode of Trek where you are ah...damaged and forget who you are. You’re found and taken in by a man and his daughter. The daughter gave you the name Jayden.”

“Jayden Soong. It has a nice ring to it,” he agreed, smiling. She too grinned.

“Then I dub you Jayden Soong during your stay in my humble abode and in my timeline. Now, let’s go!”

The car ride was even shorter this time. Harper worked very close to home. With make-up, gloves and sunglasses, Data followed her to her place of part-time employment. She had explained that she had an ‘office’ job during the week, and only worked here Thursday through Sunday. The store she entered was busy with people and full of a large variety of foods and items used in food preparation. Data had until five o’clock so he decided to look around her store for a while first.

Her co-workers, all of whom were female, greeted Harper very warmly. She introduced him to an older blonde named Betty, a younger and shorter brunette named Susan and a gray haired woman named Linda. They all greeted him kindly, but no one hugged him as they had hugged Harper. She was obviously well thought of here.

“We missed you yesterday, Chef. The pancakes that Susan made were...less then stellar.” This comment came for Linda, who received a glare from Susan.

“I didn’t see you offering to do better!” shot back Susan.

“Stop it, children!” ordered Betty shaking her head at her friends. “So, what are you making us today, Chef Harpsichord?” the woman asked, flashing a bright smile at Harper

“Who me? I don’t know what you’re talking about, I just came to fix the sink...” Harper answered shrugging and feigning confusion.

“You tell her, Tooltime,” Linda teased, playing along.

“Tooltime? Harpsichord?” Data questioned.

“I forgot to warn you that nicknames abound here. We call Betty Lips since she’s the only one who wears lipstick. Linda is called Sunshine, but since she’s a mean old hag, I assume it’s an attempt at irony. Susan is called Little Bit and I think that one is obvious as she needs a lift to reach the top shelves here.” Both Susan and Linda stuck out their tongues at Harper, who just laughed. “And where I was once teased that I didn’t have a nickname at all, now I have more than anyone else. Harpsichord and Chef, which is of course due to the cooking that they expect me to do today. There there’s Tooltime, because I’m considered...mechanically inclined.” She blushed and held up her hands to fend off any questions he might ask her about this. “Of course, I’m no Commander Geordi La Forge...”

“Oh God! Here she goes on her Star Trek kick. Please, just go cook.” Betty pleaded, rolling her eyes. Harper laughed at this and gave a confused looking Data a pat on the back. She headed for the storage room, turning back, she called for Data to come with her.

Digging into her purse, she handed him eighty dollars. “Remember, sales! Okay?” she reiterated, Data nodded and assured her he would. Linda, who was also heading for the backroom, eyed this transaction, suspiciously.

“Remember your disguise, don’t touch your face and don’t allow anyone else to either,” she cautioned. He nodded.

“I cannot think of a reason one would have for touching my face.”

Harper smiled slowly, her eyes drifting down to his lips. “I can,” she mused, but turned quickly away and headed for a door marked ‘Stop, employees only!’ 

Data remained in the store, observing, for a while longer. He watched Harper set up for her cooking demo and watched as the customers flocked around her. She cooked marinated chicken on an indoor grill and had bottles of the marinade to sell. Even in the short time that he watched her, the bottles practically flew off her display. She was very good at her job.

One by one each of her co-works came to sample her handwork and each walked away with a nod of approval. Data decided he too would take a sample, as not doing so may appear out of the ordinary. Harper grinned and handed him a small piece of the meat on a toothpick. He unaccustomed to consuming real animal meat, but when in Rome... It did have a pleasing flavor.  

He left soon after and went to complete his mission for shoes, socks and whatever else he could purchase from their list with the funds that Harper had provided. He was able to find the first two for a good price and had enough left for her robe. Data knew she had instructed him to also buy additional makeup, but he had an alternate idea with regards to that and he had found a store that had a ‘sale’ on robes. He made note of the location, as he did not know what color she would favor.

Packages in hand, he returned to her store to tell Harper of the location of the ‘sale’ and return her ‘change’. She gave him the car keys, asking him to put his bags in the van. When Data returned, Harper was ready to accompany him to the robe sale. She picked out the dark blue one, and after buying it asked him to take it to the car so she could go back to work. Less break time meant more money and he was an expensive houseguest, she told him.

Once the packages were in the car, Data was without a mission. He decided to simply sit on the bench outside her store and wait until five o’clock. He could observe people and think about what he should do next. At 2:17 PM, Linda came out of the store and after spying him on the bench, came to talk to him.

“So, how long are you going to be visiting?” she asked casually, puffing on a cigarette. Data suspected that while Linda’s tone was casual, her question was not.

“Unknown at this time,” he told her vaguely.

“I know that it may be none of my business, but I saw Harper giving you money earlier.” Her tone now hinted at accusation.

“I needed some new shoes and socks,” he told her.

“And you don’t have any money of your own, I suppose.”

“No,” he agreed, reluctantly.

“And no job?” she asked with obvious contempt.

“No,” he admitted, confused at her sudden animosity.

“Listen friend. I don’t know how you know Harper or what kind of friendship you have with her, but she has a kid in school and lots of bills. She is not a free ride or a meal ticket. So unless you find a job real damn quick, I would suggest you find someone else to leech off of. We’re all tight here and if we find out you’re trying to take her for a ride; we’ll be on you so fast your head will spin. You got me, friend?” she asked, tersely.

Data did not understand half of what she had said specifically, but he believed that he understood her intended message. He would have to repeat what she had said to Harper later to be certain. For now, he nodded at Linda, silently.

Get a job. He would have to look into this. If Harper’s funds were truly that limited, he could be placing her in hardship. And he had not even purchased the first item towards the plan he had for building a devise that could detect multidimensional time rifts. This angry woman was correct. He was going to have to find a way to earn funds. In 1890 he had played poker to win money. He doubted that he would be able to employ that strategy here and now.

“What is the most efficient way in which to secure lucrative employment?” he asked Linda.

“What can you do?” she asked, skeptically.

He wondered if she would believe his answer. “Almost anything,” he replied.

“Are you better at mental or physical labor?” she asked, looking for a clue.

“Either. I am stronger than I appear. And I learn very quickly.” These were both understatements, but she need not know that.

“They always need help around this mall, but the pay is very low. If you have any special skills you should probably just check the want ads. I hope you’re serious, Jayden. Remember what I said.” She gave him an intense look and then walked away from the store.

Once her shift was over, Data drove Harper to pick up dinner for her and then they headed home. He did the driving as Harper was very tired. Data assured her that he would follow all the driving rules and would not attract the attention of local law enforcement. Once home, Harper told him that he could store his possessions in the guest bedroom and consider it his for the duration of his stay. Data thanked her and later, eagerly modeled his new shoes and socks for her.

 He convinced her into allowing him to clean up after her dinner so that she could take her evening bath. Harper thanked him and promised not to drown. Harper returned thirty minutes later sporting her new robe and wet hair.

“I love baths...and while I love the people I work with, I hate work. It’s good to be home.” She reclined on the couch and closed her eyes with a sigh. “So, what do you think of my backwards culture, Data?” she asked without opening her eyes.

“Intriguing.”

She giggled. “I should have guessed.”

“I do have several questions.” He retold the events of his conversation with Linda and she sat up quickly. She expression was grim.

“Sorry about that. It’s a trend in our time for men to prey upon lonely women and offer them companionship and the illusion of love in order to con the women into financially supporting them. I wouldn’t be a good choice for that though. I don’t have the money. What else did she say?” Harper asked, trying to change the subject, slightly.

“Linda suggested, rather firmly, that I get a job. From my research yesterday, I am already aware that a social security number and some form of picture identification would be required. I have neither of these items.” Data sounded as though he was unsure how to feel about that fact.

“We could claim you’re an alien!” she joked. “You know, from another country,” she grinned brightly at him.

“South America!” he replied grinning too.

“Now you’ve got it!” She was laughing even harder. When they stopped laughing, she sighed. She got up and came to stand in front of him. He had taken a seat in the chair. “It would help if you could get a job, but it would also increase your risk of exposure. The first thing we have to do is find some way of making you look human...and I have a crazy idea.” She said smiling.

“So do I,” he informed her.

“You first. You’re smarter,” she conceded.

“If we use a latex based paint rather than make-up, it would be harder to remove.” She looked startled.

“Paint. I never would have thought of that. You’re going to think I’m nuts, but I just would have assumed that it would have bothered you skin. I keep forgetting that you are an android. You’re just too real...” She reached out and brushed his cheek with the back of her hand. He had washed off the make-up in the other bathroom during her bath time, so he was his usual golden color again.

Data wondered how she could say that while looking at him with his android skin color showing, that she forgot what he was?

Still, it was…flattering.

“What is your crazy idea?” he prodded.

“You’ll laugh.”

“Should I?” he inquired.

“I hope not, but you probably will. Now, while I know the function of the items that you brought with you, I don’t have any idea how they work or what components go into them. But I was thinking about this problem while I was at work and let my imagination run wild. And I came up with this. There is a cartoon about genetically mutated humans. They all have special abilities like telepathy, telekinesis and so on. Anyway, they’re all young and still going to high school, so they have to fit in. One boy is so mutated, he’s blue and had a tail and I think only two or three fingers. Well, for him to appear human, this man, a father figure, gave him this special watch that’s not a watch. It’s a device that creates a holographic image of a human that covers the kid’s body. With this he can go anywhere.” Harper wondered if she had explained this properly, but hoped Data got the idea.

By his intrigued expression, she decided that he had.

His eyes were moving back and forth at an alarming rate. It almost made her dizzy to watch him. A huge grin slowly crept across his charming face.

“Is it a crazy idea?” she asked, hoping against hope.

“No, in fact it is an ingenious idea. While this time period has limited holographic capabilities, I believe I can supplement what your world cannot supply with components for my communicator and tricorder, just as you suggested.” Data finally focused on her again to see the proud grin on her face. “Why did I not think of that?” he asked, almost to himself.

“Because the old saying is true, Data. Two heads are better than one!” He grinned and nodded his complete agreement.

“Then we should focus on the next dilemma. How to go about securing employment for me.”

“You’re not going to like what that involves, my dear Data...or rather you ethical subroutines are not going to like it. We’ll have to lie, cheat and most likely hack into computer files to create a false history for you,” Harper told him, hesitantly.

“You are correct, I do not like that.”

But he found after some checking that he would have little choice.

“Look at it this way, Data. The only thing you are lying about is who you are and where you came from. You have to lie in order to comply with the Prime Directive.”

“Yes, I have been forced to do something similar to this on other occasions. I just do not have to like it,” he recalled. Harper laughed.

Data found that he would be able to create his false back history, but he would need another computer so that his forgery could not be traced back to Harper, if it were discovered. It took some planning and money, but he created a device, that when activated, would help him along in his efforts. It would allow him to infiltrate the computer systems of key government areas and all he had to do was have it near, but not connected to, another computer with Internet access.

Wednesday evening, after Harper had returned home from her full time job as an office manager at a computer components manufacturing company, the pair headed back out. Their destination was the downtown library. It took a long time in weekday traffic, but Data had estimated that it should not take him longer than twenty minutes to accomplish his task, if all went well.

Harper left him alone at the library and went to the closest restaurant to have some dinner. Data joined her not quite forty minutes later.

“I was getting worried that I would hear sirens and see flashing blue lights soon. How did it go?” she whispered as Data sat down across from her.

“The connection from the library was very slow. Each command took longer to execute then expected, but I was successful. I should have a new social security card sent to the post office box we set up for me within two weeks. I will then be able to apply for a driver’s license and finally a job.” He looked very pleased with himself.

“Watch, you’ll get all that done and on your first day of this new job, we’ll come home to find three of your fellow officers in my living room demanding that you return...and I end up in the poorhouse.”

Data knew that Harper was very concerned about all the money that he had been forced to spend of hers in order to accomplish this first task. And the holo-disguise was next.

He reached his gloved hand across the table and patted hers. “I will do my best to ensure that I do not cause you to end up in the poor house, Miss Harper.”  

As he drove them home, Data decided that it would be best to begin work on the holo-disguise the following day, while Harper was at work. When they returned home just after eight o’clock, Harper took her bath and came out in a red nightgown and her blue robe almost an hour later.

“I’m beat, Data. I’m going to bed.” Harper had come to the kitchen table where he was dismantling the device he had used hours ago, but would no longer need. Placing a hand on each of Data’s shoulders, Harper gave them a squeeze and said good night.

“I am sorry that our efforts this evening required so much time. I know you prefer quiet evenings. I will endeavor to complete the next outing during your work hours.” Data turned slowly to look back at her, as she remained silent. Harper was still standing with her hands resting on his shoulders. Data noted that her robe had not truly been necessary this evening as her gown was made of a thick knit material that came to half way down her calves. Her feet were bare again. Absently, he wondered if they were cold. Did she need a pair of house slippers? Had he been spending so much of her money that she could not afford a pair?

Suddenly he found himself on his feet and before her. He was only three and half inches taller then her, but as he was wearing shoes and she was bare foot, he felt as though he towered above her. He took hold of her shoulder and looked her in the eyes.

“I would like to ask you for your forgiveness, Miss Harper. I no longer believe that you had anything to do with my arrival here. Will you forgive me for doubting you?” Harper smiled for only the third time this evening. Her mood had not been good this day, and Data knew that it had been due to their late night activities.

“Yes Commander Data, I will forgive you, but I really didn’t blame you for your uncertainty. I would have felt the same way had I been in your shoes. Oh, and speaking of shoes, you’re going to need another pair. Most businesses require proper attire, just like Star Fleet...and your new athletic shoes are not going to fit the bill.”

Data looked down at his shoes. “I promise you that I will reimburse you for everything that you have purchased for me. I have no intention of ‘leeching off of you’, as your friend Linda suggested.” Harper laughed and shook her head.

“Linda is a good person, really she is. She’s just not someone who waits to find out the worst in people; she hunts for it.” Harper began to blush even more. “You know...she’s even given you a nickname now, but you won’t like it.” Data raised an eyebrow and waited. “Bad company.”

Harper would work her full-time and in addition, her part-time job today. As soon as he heard her alarm go off, Data made her coffee, readied her lunch, and then went to apply his make-up. She appeared behind him in the smaller bathroom to help apply the make-up to the back of his neck and ears. Her soft fingers on his neck, gently rubbing the liquid into his pores felt...nice. He had also thought that her hands on his shoulders last evening had been pleasant.

Data pushed this train of thought out of his mind and focused on the events that he must look forward to.

“I think you should reconsider and allow me to drive you to your evening job tonight. I will wait for you to finish there, walk you to the car and drive you home. I am concerned with the reports of a violent attacker in the area. I do not like the thought that this attacker could be-“

“Data, there is security all over that mall at night.” Harper interrupted. “One guard sits by the bank drop-off and a police car is always patrolling the parking lot at closing. I’m probably safer there than I am at home.” He turned around and gave her an indignant and wide eyes stare. “I mean...oh, you know I’m not awake yet and that’s why you’re picking on me. I think you like driving.” She forced him to turn back around so that she could finish his makeup.

“I feel it is my responsibility to keep you safe.”

“I’m a big girl, Data. I’ve been keeping myself safe for five years now. I don’t need any help. You just concentrate on getting home and paying your debts...sorry, I’m just nervous about the bills we’re going to incur today. Can you tell?” She tried to grin and laugh, but he sensed she was even more nervous about this than she let on.

“I will try to find all the sales I can,” Data promised, trying to relieve some of her anxiety.

Harper sighed. “Thanks, Data. The credit card I’m going to give you has a ten thousand dollar limit and is empty. Try not to max it out,” she pleaded.

Data tried. The components he needed were not inexpensive, though. He had been able to find all he needed however and felt certain that he would be able to construct the holo-disguise. When his identification cards were in hand he would be ready to find gainful employment.

He picked Harper up that afternoon and drove her to the cooking store for her evening there. She ate the dinner that he had bought for her while he drove. She looked tired and drawn. She did not seem to be sleeping well and it was catching up to her. He had to get this plan into action before he caused her to lose one of her jobs!

The disguise took a full week to build, test and modify. He had other tasks to see to during that week as well, so he could not devote he full attention to it. He had taken to preparing her evening meal on the nights when she only worked the one job. He also did her laundry, or at least some of it. She refused to allow him to wash certain articles of her clothing and he reluctantly abided by these limitation. Still, Data wanted to help out as much as he could. After all, Harper was tired when she came home from work and he was never tired.

“Data, I’m home,” Harper called to him as she pulled her key out of the lock and closed the front door. It was nine thirty on Friday evening and she could not see him in the kitchen. He was always at that table working or on the computer. Where was he? She looked out on the back porch...empty. She went back into the house and headed down the hall. The door to his bedroom was closed. Was he sleeping?

She had gotten on to him about not taking the time to activate his dream program. As a sentient and emotional being, he needed to dream, she had reminded him.

“I’m sure that Counselor Troi has spoken to you about that,” She had said. Data had admitted that Troi, indeed, had. “Then go to sleep once in a while! It’s not going to kill you to stop working for a few hours. And as dreaming keeps us mentally healthy, I don’t want a crazy android running around my house!” He’d opened his mouth to assure her that he was not going crazy, but she had just pointed to his bedroom.

That had been four days ago. Was he actually listening and sleeping again? Harper knew that he was missing his family and had hoped that he would dream about them and feel a little better. But dreams would not replace the real thing.

Harper stood outside Data’s bedroom door and listened for a moment.

Silence... 

He was home, wasn’t he? Suddenly she felt a cold wave of panic enveloped her. Had his tampering with the social security computer been discovered? No, the house had been locked and nothing looked out of place.

Had he been pulled back to his timeline?

“Data, are you sleeping?” What a dumb question. If he had been and answered, then he wasn’t any more...

“No, Harper. I am not sleeping. Come in, please.” She was so relieved to hear his voice, but she still felt strange going into his room. His being in there helped, but...he sounded odd.

She slowly turned the knob and pushed the door open. Her jaw dropped when she looked inside. Standing in the middle of the room was...Brent Spiner! Well, it looked like Brent Spiner.

“Data?” she asked, nervously.

“Yes, Harper. It is I. Do you like the holo-disguise?” he asked eagerly. He was pleased at having surprised her. Weak-kneed, Harper moved to sit on Data’s bed and studied ‘Brent’s’ image.

“Turn around,” she told him. He complied. She started to giggle. The hologram he had created caused him to look just like the picture of Spiner in the picture that she had shown him on his first day here. He was in color though, with white pants a black shirt and a leather jacket in brown. His eyes were sparkling blue. “Okay, you know you can’t go around looking like him...Data. And why would you have given yourself gray hair?” She tilted her head to the side and looked at him expectantly. “But your reproduction is perfect, of course,” she conceded, graciously.

“You said the he was attractive in that picture. And he did have gray hair in that picture.” He reminded her. She was grinning at him.

“Yes, but you are not him. He just plays you on TV and thinking about this could give me a headache. Why don't you try to look like your father? Not when you saw him but a young version of Noonien, or just you with human skin tone and blue or brown eyes. Glad to see that you got it working though. Congratulations!”  

‘Brent Spinner’ looked slightly disappointed and then he shimmered...and disappeared.

“I will have to make some minor adjustments,” said the familiar gold toned man.

Harper got up from his bed and came over to him. He had popped open a place on his forearm to reveal the holo-imager. She had intended to pat him on the other arm, consolingly, but something caught her attention.

“You have hair on your arm,” she exclaimed, stunned. He looked at her, confused.

“Yes, is there something wrong in that? I have observed that most human males do have a fine layer of hair over most of their body. I am able to grow hair on most of my body. The major exceptions being my palms and the bottom of my feet.” He studied her expression looking for clues as to her opinion of this information and her reaction to what she was still staring at. “Is my arm hair aesthetically disagreeable?” Data asked, disconcerted.

“No,” Harper said, jerking her head up to look at him. She was blushing.

“May I ask what you are thinking?” he asked. She still looked distant even when she looked him in the eye. Was she lying to him?

“I’m not sure you really want to know.”

“I do,” he affirmed. Her cheeks grew even redder.

“Your comment about being able to grow hair just about everywhere...made me curious as to where you chose to grow it. Never would have thought of that, if you hadn’t mentioned it. Sorry, not trying to invade you privacy...I was just surprised to see the hair and-“ she stopped herself here.

“I did not intend to embarrass you. I have chosen to grow varying amounts of hair on my arms, legs, the tops of my feet-“

“Data! I don’t think it’s really any of my business where you have hair.” She had her hand up as though she were fending off his words. “I was just surprised to see it. They never showed you with any body hair in the television show.” She looked helplessly lost for a way to get out of this situation.

“While I am aware that most humans are hesitant to speak about certain areas of their physical anatomy. I have not always fully understood the reasoning behind this. As I have been exposed to cultures that have vastly different opinions on related subjects, it is at time difficult to determine the proper behavior. I do believe, however, that I understand why you are blushing.”

She looked shocked and very nervous suddenly. “I guess I asked for this. Why do you believe I’m blushing? And I am not blushing, I think I have a fever!” Her expression caused Data to doubt she even believed this last claim. He reached out and touched her cheek. Her temperature was not elevated her pulse, however was another thing. He shook his head, but noticed that at his touch, she had gasped slightly.

“Your temperature is not elevated sufficiently to be considered a fever,” Data informed her, with an amused grin.

“Then all of the blood vessels in my cheeks must have suddenly decided to burst,” This comment was so ridiculous that Data found himself chuckling softly.

“If you keep trying, you may contrive an explanation that I will believe,” he said with a laugh. “I believe that you are blushing, Miss Harper, because our conversations could be seen as having sexual connotations. As you are an unmarried female who is now living with an unmarried male, as I hope to be perceived, this could cause assumptions about our involvement to flourish. Any action on your part that could be perceived as even minutely sexual could cause you embarrassment in this case. But as no one else is here and I have no intention of repeating our conversations to outsiders, you need not worry.” He hoped his statement would relax her. It did.

She smiled up at him and now reached out to give his the arm squeeze that she had wanted to give him earlier. “I don’t care what others say as long as it doesn’t go too far. People talk. It’s the nature of the beast. But speaking of those people, you’re going to have to look like Jayden. My friends at my second job have seen you, so you can’t look too different or they’ll think I have two men living with me. Then I will have rumors!”

He considered and nodded. Data had thought of this, but had truly wanted to see what her reaction would be to the Spiner hologram. Harper told him a great deal about some aspects of her feelings about Star Trek, but her ‘obsession’ with him, she had only mentioned and would not explain.

Why would she be obsessed with me, he wondered.

As Data modified his holo-emitter to project the image that he had originally programmed, he considered her and her professed obsession. Harper’s behavior towards him since his arrival had not seemed particularly...flirtatious. She rarely touched him and usually did so with a specific intent. Perhaps the imaginary bore little similarity to the reality and she simply had lost her obsession when confronted with the real thing.

It was most likely a good thing if Harper had changed her mind. The wounds from his encounter with the Queen were still too fresh and he did not believe that he was ready to begin a romantic relationship at this time. Not that he had ever felt particularly ready for one.

Footsteps behind him alerted him to her reappearance. She had fixed her dinner and after eating quickly had retreated for her nightly bath. She always seemed so much more relaxed and in brighter spirits after her nightly trip to the tub. It made Data wonder what could be so enjoyable about sitting in a hole full of water.

“Still working?” she asked, looking over his shoulder.

“Fine-tuning. I have incorporated enough memory so the emitter can store more than one image. I take it that you would not approve of the one I created of Mr. Spiner?” he asked, conversationally. She laid a hand on his shoulder.

“I think Mr. Spiner would object to that one. You’re fine just the way you are, but you can’t go out that way here. If you want to play and look different, then look different. Pick features that you admire off of others like Riker has nice eyes, Worf has good height, and Geordi has a great smile. Pick and put together someone new.”

“I will consider it,” he affirmed with a nod.

“Glad you got it working. We were running out of makeup again,” Harper noted.

“Then the timing is fortuitous in that respect as well as a...relief for me.”

“What do you mean, Data?” Harper asked, moving to stand by the side of the table so she could see his face. He looked reluctant to explain.

“While I understand the necessity of my former disguise and I have...appreciated your assistance in it’s application, I have not enjoyed the maintenance nor the endurance of that need.” Harper did not seem to understand, so he tried again. “I do not like wearing makeup. I do not care for how it feels on my skin,” he admitted.

Harper grinned at first, but her grin progressed to a giggle and then a full laugh. Data’s expression changed one of confusion.   

“Sorry Data, it’s just kind of ironic. You don’t like the makeup required to look like Brent Spiner and he doesn’t like the makeup required to play you.”

Data grinned too. “Then it would seem he and I have something more in common.”

“So it would seem!” Harper agreed, reaching over and patting his arm. “Now, If you’re gonna be in here for a while, I’d like to steal back my computer for a while.”

“Steal back?” Data repeated.

“Well, you have kind of taken possession of it since you got here. I miss my computer.”

“I will then allow you to steal it back from me for the remainder of the evening,” He looked sideways up at her and grinned, teasingly.

“You have to be the kindest, most giving man I have ever met. Thank you so very much!” she replied, her words dripping with saccharine sarcasm. Chuckling, she headed for the living room.

Harper could not bring herself to work on any of her stories with Data just yards away, but reading someone else’s should be okay. She clicked into the Star Trek archive and looked for a story that struck her fancy. She found a run of parodies and began to read. She was stifling sidesplitting laughter in seconds.

She was scanning for a new selection when Data entered the room. Harper sighed.

“Is this acceptable, Harper?” he asked, and activated the holo-disguise. The only things that changed were his skin color and eye color. His hair and clothes remained the same.

“That’s perfect. You going to work up one for play or stick with this one?” she asked, curious.

“I have that option. But I think I will refrain from the exploration of that kind of play at this time. May I ask what you are looking up?” He could see the titles to five different stories and their rating, but nothing that was on the screen pertained specifically to him alone.

“I am just feeding my Star Trek fixation. It has been starving lately. Which is odd since you’re here, but that’s a whole different ball of wax. This is a fan fiction site. It had stories written by fans about anything relating to Trek. You can sort the stories according to what you want to read and even comment to the authors if you want.”

“Amateur stories?” he asked, turning off the holo-disguise.

“Yes. Written for fun.”

“What does P/C indicate?”

“This story mostly revolves around Picard and Dr. Crusher. It also usually means the story had them romantically involved. It’s just for fun and most are not something that you would find...upsetting, but some you would. Some I find upsetting and I try to avoid those. I was just reading the ones that are intended to be funny.”

“What do you find upsetting about some of the stories? And what does NC-17 indicate?” She’d hoped he wouldn’t ask about the first, but expected the second.

“I don’t like it when they have anyone behaving contrary to how they have been established as behaving. It bothers me when they have someone behaving violent who never has before, or acting sexually aggressive towards someone that they would not normally even find attractive in the show. Stuff like that. NC-17 means that it has enough violence and/or sexual content to be unsuitable for children to read.”

“Why would the captain behave violently towards Dr. Crusher?” he asked appalled at the concept.

“I’m sure he never would in your timeline, sweetie, and I tend to doubt that he is in this story either, I would hazard to guess that it had that rating for sexual content.”

“You have not read this story?” Data asked and Harper shook her head. “You just read the humorous stories?” She sighed again and just looked up at him like he was missing the obvious. He had seen this expression on enough faces over his years to now recognize it. “There are stories about me included in this archive?” he asked. Harper nodded, but covered the mouse and the up and down keys with her hands, so Data did not have access.

“Yes, but you are not going to read them!” Her tone was more commanding then he had ever heard from her previously...even more than when she had pushed for him to use his dream program.

“Why? Surely you can understand why I would be curious.”

“Oh, yes. I can easily understand, but some of these fall into that ‘doing what they would not normally do’ category. With your abilities there is a great deal of temptation to create a situation where you would actually use them...and not necessarily for the greater good.” She stood up and in doing so, forced him to step back away from the computer. She took hold of his arms and looked sternly into his disturbed eyes.

“Please, Data. I beg of you. Do not read them,” Harper pleaded. 

“But you have read them? You think I would be capable of-“

“No! And I have not read most of them. I like the happy ending stories. There are some that feature you making a new friend or meeting and becoming involved with a female.” She released his arms and put her hands on her hips.

“Sexually involved?” Data asked, stunned, but not yet disturbed.

“Well, yes. I know that you may not believe this, but the commonly held opinion about you is that it’s difficult for the female fan base to believe that you haven’t had more than one girlfriend. Jenna was nice and I understood her reasons for breaking up with you, but with your chip it’s hard to believe that you would not be fighting the women off with a stick.” His expression went back to one of worry and surprise.

“I would never do that either!” he defended and Harper started to laugh.

“Oh, Data. I know that. It’s just a silly expression. It means that...well...it’s a compliment. The female fans think you are cute enough that the girls should be beating down your door and in order to fend them off you would need a stick. It’s a joke and a compliment.” Understanding gleamed in his eyes and his shoulders relaxed.

“Compliment though it may be, it is nonetheless untrue,” he commented, with a hint of regret. She tilted her head in an attempt to recapture his eyes.

“Then maybe the women of your time are not as discerning as they have led us to believe. In my timeline, you’re gonna need the stick. I’ll make you a bet. Once you do get a job, I bet within a week you have at least one woman flirting with you. At least one, more likely more than one.” He looked intrigued.

“In a bet, there has to be an amount wagered. What is the wager?”

“Dinner. Loser pays. You’ll have a job then so you could pay. Deal?”

“Deal!” he agreed and they shook on it. “However, if I win I would like a different prize.”

“Okay, I guess that’s fair. You don’t need the food even though I know that you enjoy tasting new foods. What do you want for a prize?”

“I would like to attend a Star Trek convention. I have read about them and I understand that some of the actors from the show attend as guests.” He looked at her, hoping for conformation.

“Yes, but you just missed the big one here in Atlanta. It was last month.”

“Did you attend,” he asked.

“Yep. It was fun. Saw the guy who played Mr. Homm and two people from Voyager.”

“Mr. Spiner was not a guest?” he asked, and she laughed.

“I don’t think he ever comes here and I doubt he ever would. We’re on the wrong side of the USA for him. Actually most of the Next Generation actors don’t come this far, though they may all show up for the ones in California. We can look, but even if you win the bet, and you ain’t, it would take time, money, or some traveling. We are shy on most of those things. The traveling would require both of the other two. We can still look, but it may have to be a small Con.”

“Mr. Spiner does not come to this area at all? I will have to research the areas that he does visit. Perhaps I can find a location closer than California.”

“What are you up to? You thinking about going up to him and telling him how to play you better? You can’t be thinking about telling him who you are?” Harper saw in those golden eyes that this was exactly what he was thinking about. “Data, you can’t do that. He’ll freak! He’s not going to believe you are who you say you are!” She was almost shouting, but there was no malevolence in her voice and she was grinning.

“You believe me.” He reminded her.

“I have to believe you! I’ve seen you open your head for God sakes! Are you going to let me talk you out of this, or should I give up now?” she asked him. She could be very reasonable when she wanted to be.

“You should give up now...and I am not so sure you will win this bet.” She narrowed her eyes at him, suspiciously.

“You planning on cheating? I qualify this by saying that if you are your normal sweet, charming self that you’re going to have a trail of women after you. I warn you though, that you’re not to bring any of these hot dates home with you. You’ll have to conduct you dating at their house. If you come home, you come home alone.” She waved a finger at him as though she were lecturing to a child.

He just sighed at her. “I believe your warnings are premature as I am not ready to date, Harper,” he said firmly.

“What do you mean you’re not ready to date? You’re free, gold and over twenty-one. Why would you think you aren’t ready?” She decided that she was tired of standing next to her computer and since this conversation showed no signs of slowing, she tugged on his arm and pointed towards the couch and chair. They sat while Data formulated his answer.

“I was still seeing the counselor once a week. She did not consider me...healed.” He hoped she would understand. Her eyes held much compassion.

“I know I’m no Deanna Troi...by any stretch of the imagination, but I know how to listen.” Data did not know what to say to this. He had been working with Deanna for over just over seven months. Troi had not been able to convince him into relaying what had happened to him, initially. He did not know if he could retell it to Harper...or did she already know? She had commented that she already knew more than enough. How much was enough? Data was not sure he knew how much would have been enough had he been able to choose when the Queen had stopped her attempts at seduction. Her attempts had proven successful in more ways then he wanted to admit.

“This was covered in an episode?” he asked. “My encounter with the Borg?” His voice was so close to a whisper, that she sat forward in her chair to hear him.

“No, it was a motion picture for the theater. Sort of like a-“

“A movie,” he stated, there by letting her know his was aware of them.

“Yes, it was a movie.”

“May I see it?” He would not meet her eyes. She couldn’t blame him.

“No,” she said softly. “You know what happened and I remember what I saw of it. No need for anyone here to see it again.” Her tone was certain, but kind.

“I simply wish to know what you saw. In the episodes I saw, there were omissions of certain events. They did not show Tasha and I engaging in...I assume that was deleted for the unsuitability for children?” He looked at Harper and she nodded, a slight red glow was in her cheeks.

“Was the comparable items of my encounter with the Queen also omitted?” Again she nodded.

“Hinted at, but not shown. The same as with Tasha. Although they did show the...well they showed where she gave you the skin, activated your chip and blew on the new skin. They showed you escaping, getting hurt and then her cornering you. It cut away once you were...kissing her and pulling her closer.” Oddly, her voice seemed to be breaking as she spoke of these events that had happened to him. She was shifting in her seat and the expression in her eyes looked...haunted!

She was upset that he had committed those acts with the Queen. Was it jealousy or revulsion? Was she repulsed that he had...done what he had felt he had to do?

“I had to make her believe that her attempts to seduce me were proceeding as she wanted.” Data informed her tersely.

“I am aware of that,” she conceded.

“Your expression is not one of understanding,” he informed her. She got to her feet and walked across the room. At her mantel she picked up a figurine of a female child, holding the number six. She stared at it as she spoke.

“I felt like what she did to you stole your innocence from you. Even after the chip, you still had a childlike quality about you...from what I could glean from the movies.” She put the figurine back and turned to look at him. “You are no longer as trusting. I still think you don’t entirely trust me. I think you’re wise to have at least a reservation, but I know why you have one.” She was not done, he sensed. She sat back in her chair and looked at him.

“You liked the kiss, didn’t you?” Harper asked. He almost gasped. Deanna had asked him this too, but not quite so flatly. 

“I...did. I tried to turn off the chip. But she had taken control of it. The Queen would not allow me to deactivate it. She kept coming closer. She told me that I should have ripped the flesh from my arm. But she knew I could not. She was coming closer. I could not allow her to gain control of the ship. I would not allow her access to the encryption codes. She was too close. I could no longer back away. She asked me how long it had been since I...since Tasha...she said it have been too long. I could not control my emotions!” Data’s ramblings had caused him to go from shame to panic. He experienced a moment of shocked fright as a hand touched his. He pulled his hand away, but focused and saw that somehow Harper was now at his side.

“It was compelling,” Harper said, pushing him to continue. He did not want to continue. He had been terrified, but...

“Yes, it was...compelling. But she was not human. She was Borg! She wanted to use me and manipulate me!” There was venom in his voice.

“But you were not angry then, Data. I wonder why she didn’t replace the skin on you lips. You would have found a kiss with that skin even more compelling. True?” Did Harper know what she was doing? Did she know what she was saying and how it was affecting him? Data could not help himself. He answered her query.

“Yes,” he hissed. “I asked her to,” he admitted. He hated to admit this. How could Harper know this? How could she have guessed? Had she guessed? Was this in the movie? He grabbed her arm. His grip was firm, but he knew he was not hurting her. “How do you know this? Was my asking her in the movie?” he demanded.

“No, it was not in the movie.”

“Then how did you know?” He pulled her just two centimeters closer, his gaze was penetrating. She did not show the slightest fear.

“Because, had I been you, it would have been the first thing I would have asked for. And if she was going to manipulate you, why couldn’t you manipulate her right back?” Her reply stunned him. He stood up, and as he was still gripping her arm, she was forced to her feet.

“You were not there, Harper! You cannot empathize with me. You are not even an empath! Counselor Troi cannot identify with what I experienced, how can you?” His biting tone caused her to flinch finally. He could not believe that this was happening. He hated talking about this! Harper knew more than she should and more than he wanted her to know. This experience had practically ripped him in two. And this woman that he barely knew...he had only known her for...she could not understand...Data wanted to shake her, but he would hurt her if he did. He took hold of her other arm and demanded her answer.

“No other person who cared about you was there. But that does not mean that no one can understand. Temptation is not always easy to resist.” She was speaking clearly and slowly, in a soft and gentle voice, but her words ripped at him like the Borg drone had.

“You believe that I allowed her to win? No, you believe that she did win and I succumbed to her seduction?” Data was furious! He pulled Harper up on her toes.

“Yes, you were tempted. You even admitted that to the captain! You did do whatever she wanted you to do! Why? You could have told her no. You could have turned from her kiss. You could have rejected her advances. But you didn’t. Why?” Venom entered Harper’s voice and it shocked him for a second, but Data was too enraged to stop.

“I have not had the women knocking down my door as you said, Harper.” he seethed. “I have always been capable of the act, but not always the emotion. Now I am capable of both, but it had still not been offered to me. What she offered...was closer to it than anything I have ever before had. You cannot understand this. You were married, Harper. You had love. You were loved and as you have a daughter so I know that you had the act and the emotion.” How could she think that she understood!

“Exactly right, Data. So I know how wonderful it is to have a lover touch me. Have him kiss me and tell me, he loves me and loves my touch. And five years ago I had my heart torn from my chest. He’s dead, Data. You just miss what you’ve never had, but I know what its like and I pray you never have to feel your life slip from your fingers in the blink of an eye. One moment...and I went from wife to widow. We went from a happy family to victims of a tragic accident.

“What you suffered had purpose. You where torn between the emotions she stirred in you and your duty to your timeline, but you triumphed! I gained nothing but a hole in my chest! You had a goal and it was a personal struggle to attain it, but you did! Now, are you going to rip my arms out of their sockets or are you going to let my circulation return to normal?”    

“I...” He released his hold on her. Her steely gaze softened only slightly. “Do you believe that it is wise to invoke the anger of an android?” he asked her, feeling the waves of fury subsiding.

“If you were Lore, no. But you are not Lore. You may have wanted to rip her arms out, but I am not the Queen. She hurt you and confused you, Data. As I said before, I’m not Deanna, but I can still listen.” With just a finger, Harper reached up to his face and brushed Data’s cheek. She pulled her hand away again, as though it had not been what she meant to do. She withdrew from him and sat back down in her chair. Harper’s expression was forlorn. Her eyes, once again, looked haunted.

“I believe that you have listened and spoke enough for one evening. You are tired and need your rest. Perhaps we will speak of this another time.” Data remained where he was as he spoke.

“You sound like a mother hen. I need my rest, do I?” she repeated, coming back to her feet. “Well, I think you need your...dream program.” She turned away and headed for her computer. Sitting down, she exited the archive and shut the computer down. Rising, she turned to look at Data again. He had moved to follow her, still thinking about their ‘talk’.

“I’m going to check the locks and turn off the light. You can go on to bed, Data. I’ll be going to bed after I’m done,” she told him. He wished the vacant expression would leave her face.

“I believe that is the customary duty of the male of the household,” he noted.

“Only if he owns the house. This house is mine, remember? I’m not going to stay up, now you go on to bed. I-“ He was not moving and she was too weary to fight him. “Fine. You’re gonna go to bed?” she asked, making sure. He nodded. She turned and headed for the hall.

Data checked the door locks as he had seen her do each night. He usually knew if they were locked even before she checked, but he had been in his room when she had come in from work tonight. He needed to talk to her about working less, but he doubted that she would listen at this point in time. He turned the lights out and headed for the hall...only to find her waiting by her door. She was leaning against the wall, staring off into nothingness.

“Why are you waiting for me, Harper?” he asked. There was still a slight edge in his voice.

“I don’t know. Just wanted to make sure you were all right, I guess.” He stood before her and she was staring at his right hand. “Well... not all right...but, not angry with me for pushing you into that. Actually, maybe it’s all right even if you are angry with me, just not angry with you. You should-“

“Harper, you are babbling. I do this at times, so I recognize it. I am not exactly sure how I feel at this moment. Perhaps we should both activate our dream programs and see how we feel in the morning.” He had hoped that before she parted from him she would look him once more in the eyes.

She did.

She tilted her head to the side, grinned and looked up at him.

“Sweet dreams, Data,” she said and reached out to just touch his right hand. He took her hand gently in his. He had touched her so harshly earlier. He hoped she would forgive him if she were upset over that. He gave her hand a light squeeze.

“May your dreams be pleasant as well, Harper. Good night.” He let his hand fall back to his side. She smiled again and with a final nod turned to enter her bedroom and close the door.    

Harper walked away from the door that cut her off from Data. She listened and did hear his door close.

She let the tears flow.

She did not sob. No sound escaped her lips, but the streams of saltwater fell as if unending down her cheeks. But who were her tears for Data or herself?

Harper had wanted to do more that just touch his cheek or hand. She had wanted to take him in her arms and tell him that one day he would be all right and the wounds would heal. It was the caretaker in her. She had always been the caretaker. And now her desire to make Data feel better about the crimes that had been committed against him overran her own strong feelings for him.

She knew that her methods were likely vastly different the Deanna Troi’s but she had learned the sometimes it wasn’t good to pull your punches. Robin had always been a hard shell to creak when something was bothering him. She had learned how to determine if she needed to chip away at his veneer or break it with a sledgehammer.

Melody had grown up to emulate her father in this area. Whenever Harper needed to be sure that she got a hard message across to the girl, she knew that she had to bring the girl to tears with powerful and meaningful words. She could not pull her punches with Melody either!

And Harper had felt that she had needed to punch hard with Data tonight. Her statement about the kiss had almost been like a blow. He had even grabbed at her in an initial desire to vehemently deny her accusation. But Harper had been through that scene in her mind over and over again. Harper was fairly sure she knew of the conflicting emotions Data had experienced in those hours.

But reaching a long awaited goal in the arms of evil...at the risk of all of humanity...the very people who had created and tended to him. The temptation had been strong, but in the end he had to have realized that the very emotions that he craved were not within the being that professed a need for an equal.

The android who had believed himself a stranger to emotions was already far superior in his assimilation of them than all of the Borg.

He would have eventually come to that conclusion and as he could think at warp speed compared to Harper’s sub-light, she suspected that he found this resolution with much greater speed than she could even imagine. 

Harper went to her bathroom and looked in the mirror. Her reflection did not penetrate her thoughts. She still saw Data’s face...one amber eye, one blue...half his hair neat as always, half waving out of control and brushing his forehead, the Queen at his side. 

“He will make an excellent drone.”

The words had been spoken of Jean-Luc. The captain had been shocked. Certain in that moment that he had lost one of his closest and most trusted friends. But Data had fooled them all. And in fooling them had saved some and destroyed others.

But part of him had been sorry she was dead, because he had wanted the feelings she had forced him to feel. Harper understood how easy it was to drown...to want so desperately to completely immerse yourself in those feelings and sensations.

“But we all eventually have to breathe. Even you, Data.”

Her own face slowly came into focus and she could see the unnatural expression there. No wonder Data had thought she needed rest. She was busy trying to help him and he stops her in order to take care of her. But Harper was not used to being tended to...and she was resisting.

Resistance is futile...

She smiled. Maybe it really was in this case.

Data sat on the edge of his single bed. The images that Harper had invoked and the emotions that came with them...still tormented him.

He hated the memory! Had pushed it away only to have it return to his consciousness and attempt to overtake it.

The Borg Queen.

He hated her! He wanted to hate her... but he could not cause the emotion to be linked to her in his mind. The Queen invoked strong emotions in him. Fear, terror and a desire in him that he desperately wished to deny.

“Do you really want to forget that feeling, Data?” Deanna Troi’s voice echoed from his memory. “Is the feeling so horrible?” She had asked...

“She was using me! Just trying to gain the codes.”

“Yes, but I was not asking about her. I was asking about the feeling. What do you think about the emotions you experienced?” She had crossed her legs and leaned forward, studying him.

“It was the wrong thing to feel.”

“Was it?”

“My friends were in danger, I-“

“I want you to forget about anything else, Data. I want you to push the dangers and stakes aside for just a moment. Close your eyes and tell me about the feelings you experienced. She is in your arms and you are kissing her...what do you feel?”

“No! I do not wish to remember her in my arms!” Data had almost shouted at the counselor.

“Then just remember the emotions, Data. The emotions. I can feel them in you. Why are you trying to deny them?”

“Because it was she who invoked them,” he admitted, in defeat.

“And that invalidates your right to feel them?”

Data compared the things that Deanna had said to what Harper had said...and what she had caused him to say.

He had wanted that kiss! But not with the bitch that had offered it! He wanted the feelings...but why was she the first to force them out of him?

For months following this event, all of Data’s friends had been on pins and needles around him. Deanna had been anxious and Geordi had just seemed at a loss for what to say. Most did not know the details of what had taken place, but they knew it had been traumatic for Data. 

All had tried to offer their love and support in their own way, even the Captain, but Data had felt worthy of none of it.

He missed his friends on the Enterprise. They were the only family he had ever really known. He had not failed them...but it felt like he had.

Because he had been tempted.

‘Temptation is not always easy to resist...’

‘Resistance is futile...’

It had not been futile, but it had been hard to muster.

Data got to his feet and went across to the bureau. He opened the drawer and drew out his pajamas. Harper had brought them home one day last week for him. It was part of her argument that he needed to activate his dream program. He held them up and stared at them.

Black as pitch.

Black and as empty as her heart...No, the Queen did not even have a heart...but then neither do I.

Here I am agonizing about heartfelt emotions with no heart with which to feel them...but the heart does not truly have anything to do with emotions. That was just an ancient misconception originated by humans even before the time I am in now.

Data returned to the bed and pulled off his shoes. He put them carefully by the corner of the bed. His sock and the rest of his clothes went into the hamper, he would wash them tomorrow. Or maybe he would wait until Sunday. His clothes were in dark colors and the work clothes Harper wore for her second job were also dark. It would be a full load of clothing if he waited.

He sighed.

It was much easier to think about washing clothes than the topic he and Harper had been discussing...

He got into his pajamas, suddenly realizing that he was standing there naked!

Curiously, the comment Harper had made about him having hair on his body came back to him. She had seemed so surprise by the sight of his arm. He found himself smiling... She had studied him for years, but she had not known this simple fact.  

Pulling back the covers, he got into bed. He switched off the light and lay down. He listened and could still hear Harper moving about. She was in her bathroom. She was walking back and forth. Was she as troubled by the evening’s revelations as he had been? Or was she still worried about her financial situation?

Yes, that made sense. She had been worried about that for a while now, but she would have relief from that soon. Come Monday morning, Jayden Soong was going to find a job!

Saturday morning Harper woke early. She never woke up earlier then Data did, though. She could smell coffee, and...cinnamon? She came out of her bedroom in her pj’s and robe, belting the latter as she came into the kitchen. Data was bent down in front of the oven, staring into it through the window. He looked like a little boy waiting eagerly for cookies to bake.

She didn’t try to stifle the giggles.

“My hero! You made coffee!” she said, turning to pull a cup from the cupboard. Data looked up and grinned at her, but did not come out of his squat.

Two seconds of that position and my knees would be screaming! Big turkey, he’s never going to have to listen to his joints make noises that they shouldn’t make, she mused.

She went to put sweetener and milk into her cup before getting coffee.

“Okay you got me...why are you staring into the oven, Data?” Harper looked down and sipped the wonderful caffeine laced warmth.

“I am making certain that your cinnamon rolls do not burn,” Data told her, looking up and seemingly asking for approval. She laughed again.

God, but he was precious!

She bent down next to him and peered into the oven. She couldn’t smell them strongly yet and usually if she could, it meant they were done. But she could smell him....

Harper always tried to stay far enough away from Data so she couldn’t catch even a hint of his distinctive scent. She would have had difficulty describing it if pressed, but his decisively male, slightly sweet scent was unmistakable. The house had already become permeated with it, except for her room. Harper half wished she could think of a reason to swap a bed pillow with him so that she could have his scent in her room too.

“I’d say we have another five minutes,” she said coming out of her squat. “Unless you keep watching them, then it will take forever.” Data looked up, confused.

“Why would my watching...are you equating this with the same reasoning that causes humans to believe that a watched pot never boils?” he asked. She grinned and nodded. Data came to an instant  stand. “Then I will refrain. May I ask a favor of you, Harper?” he asked, looking down at her contented expression. Coffee made her way too happy...

“You made me coffee and breakfast, for that I am your willing slave...at least until I wake up enough to come to my senses...What can I do for you, Data?”

He chuckled at her very odd statement before pointing over to the computer. Harper looked confused, but moved with him into the room where the device resided.

“You told me last night that there were stories that you had not found objectionable that revolved around me. Will you allow me to read some of those, please?”

His features took on that familiar childlike expression and Harper noted that didn’t see this as much as she would have expected...influence from the chip?

“I should have known...You promise to only read the ones I pick for you?” she asked, suspiciously.

“I will not lie to you, Harper. I find myself very curious about the opinions of the people in your world with regard to the people in mine. Can you not understand this?”

“Of course I can, Data, but you’re setting yourself up for a fall. There’s stories in there that gave me nightmares and I’m not the one in them!”

His expression intensified. “Why did they give you nightmares, or are you exaggerating?” he asked, eyeing her.

“One was frightening and cruel. I can’t even think about it without...shuttering,” she whispered, and did indeed shudder.

“What happened in this story?” he asked, insistently.

“No, don’t even think I would tell you.” She shook a finger as him. “I hate thinking about it, but I can forget. You can’t and you’ll want to, believe me.” Data didn’t look convinced, but he was breaking. “It involved pain and torture and years of suffering. And you were the one doing the suffering.” Harper took hold of one of Data’s hands, wrapping it in both of hers. “I can still see the image of you backing away from people how love you, in pain and afraid. I hate that image, Data. I don’t want to give it to you. I care about you. When you go home I want you to remember me as a friend, not as someone who showed you great ugliness. Please, don’t read it if I ask you not to.” She was begging him.

“You are trying to protect me.”

“Is that wrong? It is part of friendship, isn’t it?” she questioned.

Data wondered at her, thinking about the story she had partly described and pondering her reference to his feeling pain, physical pain. He put his free hand over hers. She turned her head and looked towards the kitchen.

“Data,” she said, suddenly grinning.

“Yes?”

“The rolls are done.”

“How do you know?”

“I can smell them,” she said with confidence. He released her hands and moved swiftly to the kitchen, sniffing. She was right. Cinnamon filled the air. He opened the oven, grabbed an oven mitt (she hated it when he did not use one) and pulled the perfectly baked rolls from the oven. He presented her with a freshly iced roll and napkin minutes later.

“You’re an angel, Data. Thank you.” She gave him a pleasant smile and pointed to the chair she had pulled up next to hers. He sat as she took a bite of her roll and made happy yummy noises. “Okay I approve of this story, it cute, funny and unfinished. So keep that in mind.” Harper brought the story up, and with her cursor on the scroll bar, pulled it down, fast. She looked back at him and watched as he processed what he had just read. To bad that he could read so fast that she couldn’t see his facial expressions in reactions to some of her favorite parts of this story.

“Do you believe this story is possible?” he asked. It was a rather cut and dry love story. No missions, no bad guys, just Data, a girl and lots of laughs.

“Sure, why not. Assuming that you make it back, that is. Why? Don’t you?” Harper asked, confused.

“I...the humor was enjoyable. The female portrayed seemed friendly, interesting, and funny...” Data looked uncertain and uncomfortable

“But? Gee, the first one and you’re upset already. What bothered you about it?” Harper prodded him.

Data looked at her, making a face. He was not eager to say whatever was on his mind. “I...am not capable of...something that occurred in that story,” he admitted hesitantly.

Harper thought over that story briefly. She had only read it once, but had liked it well enough that she was fairly certain she would remember if there were...Oh! The spontaneous...physical response. She had forgotten about that part...well not really.

“You mean when the Data in the story...reacted to her flirting?” he nodded with a sheepish grin on his face. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” She said flatly.

He raised his eyebrows. “I am not. I can activate the appropriate programs, but it is not an automatic response.” He informed her emphatically.

“It should be!” she assured him. “Can you rewrite it? You’re always saying you want to seem more human, well human men react like that. Now, I think most men with a personality similar to your, if there are any, wouldn’t have reacted as quickly or with as little provocation as the Data in the story did. She didn’t even kiss him! But a kiss usually does produce that kind of reaction in a man. Especially a first kiss.”

“Why? The first kiss in a session or between a new pairing? Why would subsequent kisses not produce the same effect?”

Harper smiled. He really was curious about everything.

“A first kiss between new pairings. Those are the most exciting, because its new. Kissing girl “A” is not like kissing girl “B”. Each will kiss differently and the fun is in finding out what the differences are and what you like about each. As you become used to someone’s kisses, it may not invoke the same reaction since the mystery is gone.” He absorbed this.

“I can alter my program to react in this manner, but is it not inappropriate?”

She shrugged. “I guess you do have a point there, but maybe the best thing to do is to wait until you have a girlfriend and then you may want to talk to her, or Counselor Troi for consultation.” Data accepted this and put the matter aside for the time being.

Harper showed Data several more stories, including one that she thought was ‘iffy’ but most of the iffy stuff involved Lore and not him. They discussed the pros and cons of each until it was time for her to leave for work. He talked her into letting him come with her so he could use his disguise and further interact with the people of her time. She was not hard to convince.

Chapter Three - Help Wanted: One Computer Geek Android Needed to Fill Position

Harper worked and Data wandered around the mall. He was given her credit card in order to buy ‘work’ shoes and anything that he would need to complete his ‘professional’ look. Her friend Linda eyed him and she observed the transfer of the little plastic card. The older woman did not look impressed.

“She supporting you in a manner that you would like to become accustomed to, Bad Company?” Linda asked Data later, as he sat in the same bench where he had encountered her before. Linda made no effort to disguise her contempt.

“I regret that Harper has had to support me financially to any degree. But I hope that it will come to an end very soon. I intend to look for a job on Monday morning.” Data found that he did not like being called ‘bad company’. His first nickname, and it was a demeaning one.

“Is that right? What was your hurry? It’s been over two weeks hasn’t it?” He nodded. “She running out of beer money?”

“I do not drink beer. Harper drinks wine and I occasionally have a glass if she offers one. She is concerned about the money I have been forced to spend, but I did not have the proper clothing. I intend to reimburse her fully for all she has done for me. I never intended to be a hardship for her.”

Linda narrowed her eyes at him and puffed on her cigarette.

“Get a good job, and treat her right, Bad Company. She deserves a good man to take care of her, not one who will try to suck her dry. And by the way, a gentleman opens doors for ladies.” She turned, put out her cigarette and went back into the store.

He had tried to open doors for Harper, but she seemed to balk at his attempts. He would have to redouble his efforts. Obviously her friends still believed he was mistreating and using Harper. Data strongly disliked having this perception of him flourish.

Data waited for Harper to clock out and when she came out from the backroom, he took her apron and keys from her. She gave him a quizzical look.

“I will drive you home. You are tired, Harper.” Data waited as she said good-bye to all her co-workers and he waved himself. They did not wave as enthusiastically to him as to her. But Data did manage to get the door for her.

“Okay spill it, you’re acting weird, Jayden.” Harper said his assumed name since they were in public.

“Your friend Linda is of the opinion that I do not treat you properly.”

“She thinks Bad Company needs to hit the road and never come back, but she has no idea what is really happening. Mr. D.” She tried to assure him that she did not feel the same, but he decided to insist on opening the doors for her anyway.

Data worked at the computer on Sunday while Harper was at her second job. He made a mental list of all the places that he would visit Monday morning after he dropped her off at her full-time job. He still did not have his identification cards, but Harper told him that as long as he knew the number, and he did, then he should not need it until he was hired.

Sunday evening, he washed their clothes and talked with Harper while she ate the dinner he had prepared for her. He was a bit nervous about the morning, but he was excited too. He fudged somewhat on a resume, and had to cover his tracks by hacking into other computer systems. However, his work should hold until discovered and it was possible that it never would be. A briefcase that had once belonged to Robin held Data’s printed resumes, but nothing else. He had practiced some interview scenarios with Harper in the living room until she was laughing so hard that she could not continue.

“I’m sorry, I would hire you!” she said, trying to defend her having said that he was hired as soon as her “interviewer” character had shaken Jayden Soong’s hand. She laughed again and tears were filling her eyes. “I know how smart you are and you are certainly easy on the eyes, even with your disguise on. I’d hire you.”

“You are supposed to be pretending not to know me! What do you mean ‘even with the disguise on’? Is there a flaw in the projection?” he asked, looking at his hands and turning them over.

“No, it’s just not...Data. But I guess it has to be Jayden. Okay, okay I’ll try harder this time. I promise.”

He should not have let her have that second glass of wine... He got back up and pretended to come in for an interview. As he walked across the room, her eyes followed him. He shook her hand and turned to take his seat on the couch.

“I guess this would be a bad time to say ‘Nice ass,’ huh?” she asked and dissolved into giggles once again. Data turned back and gave her an indignant glare.

“Yes, it would be the exact wrong time!” he replied, astonished. “If I do not succeed in this endeavor, it will be due to a lack of preparation.” He looked at her accusingly, but she did not stop laughing.

“Make sure you have female interviewers, and you’ll get a job. And I’ll win our bet all in one fell swoop.” She gave him an evil grin and leaned to her right, making an exaggerated attempt to get another look at his derriere. He gasped and quickly sat down.

“You know, this may not prepare you for job hunting, but is important to know how to handle sexual harassment. And with that ass, you are going to need the knowledge.” She was still grinning, but had stopped laughing.” Data rose from the couch and came over to her chair, looking down at her.

“You are behaving an a manner I deem inappropriate. If you fail to desist I will take this matter to your superior,” he told her firmly. Recognizing that this was still role-play, Harper came slowly to her feet looking him intensely in the eyes. Her whole manner seemed to have changed. The way she moved, the look in her eyes, all seemed...dangerous. 

“I will just claim that it was you who made advances towards me, but if you just come across we can keep this between us. I am friendly with the supervisor...I can put in a good word for you. Come over to my place tonight and don’t bother to bring any pajamas, you won’t need them.” Harper's tone and manner was not like any he had ever seen from her before, and she was not laughing.

“Are you role-playing now, Harper?” Data asked, wide eyed.

“Yes,” she said, still eyeing him with sultry gaze.

“You are much more convincing with this one,” he noted, nervously.

“More interesting role...” She took a single step towards him, but they had not been far apart. She ended up with her body pressing against his. His eyes went wider as he wondered how far she was going to take this. He could feel her warmth penetrating his clothing. She grabbed hold of his arms and with her face an inch from his she spoke, her voice was as suggestive as her words.

“It’s quiet here and no one can see, got any ideas on what we can do, lover?”

“This is unacceptable behavior. I insist that you desist.” He told her, shock clearly written all over his face.

“You have to do better than that, Data. If I were truly intent on having you, I would have kissed you already. This is not eight months ago, but you need to react. Now and decisively.” Her words pulled him out of his shock.

“I am married and my wife is very jealous. I would not wish her to injure you. She has a very acute sense of smell and if she detects your scent on my person I cannot be held responsible for her reactions.” Harper took a step back and looked up at him in amazement.

“Very good! But you’re never gonna get a date if you start telling people you’re married. I give you full marks for originality, though.” She yawned and put a hand on his chest. “Sorry I didn’t help, more, hon. I’m tired. I’m going to bed. See you in the morning, Data.” She patted his chest and turned away.

“Good night, Harper,” he called after her. He could still feel the warmth from her hand and body in his chest. He sighed heavily, but felt oddly let down.

Monday went well, but Tuesday was even more promising. Data had been able to work out only two interviews Monday, but he had five on Tuesday. When he drove Harper home, he told her about all of them excitedly. He told her he did feel more confident regarding what to say and what not to say, but when they asked him his biggest fault the only thing that ever came to mind was that he was not human. This, of course, he could not say.

“Tell them that you’re too demanding of yourself. Say you strive for perfection.”

“You make me sound like the Borg, Harper,” he complained.

“Good point. Say you’re nervous in certain social situations. Like when you housemate stands too close to you. Makes you get all scared and tense.” She had sunk down in her seat and had closed her eyes. If it had not been for what she had just said, Data would have though her angelic.

“Perhaps my housemate should stick to playing the interviewer,” he suggested.

“Nice ass,” she said with a yawn.

He just could not win!   

Data went to get the mail from his post office box while Harper waited in the car. He came back very excited. His new social security card was here!

He got back into the car and handed the envelope to Harper. “Will you open it for me, please?”

Harper ripped it carefully and pulled the official card free of the envelope as Data pulled back into traffic and headed home.    

“Jayden Lee Soong. Sounds nice. Why Lee, Data?” she asked, looking from the card to the man driving beside her.

“I needed a middle name.” He said simply.

“You know my middle name is Leigh, don’t you?” she asked.

He gave her a meaningful smile. “Yes, I know.”

“My mother had a thing for the book ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’. You named yourself Lee because of me? I think I like that.” She grinned at him and looked back at the card.

“Can you take your lunch hour to drive me to the department of motor vehicles tomorrow?” he asked. He needed his driver’s license.

“Sure, Lee. But how are you going to get back? I’ll have to go back to work before you’re done.” Data didn’t seem worried.

 “I will walk back. It is only five point three miles and I do not tire as you do.”

“Just don’t pull a six-million dollar man routine and run back.”

“Six million dollar man?”

Thursday evening, Data was at home watching the news and working on updating his list of employment prospects. At exactly seven twenty three and seven seconds the phone rang.

“Good evening,” he answered politely.

“May I speak to Mr. Jayden Soong, please?”

Data smiled. “Speaking.”

After hanging up the phone, twenty-minutes later, Data put on his casual shoes and headed for the door. Harper would be home in just over an hour, but he wanted to tell her now. He could have called her, but he wanted to see her expression. After locking the door as she had cautioned him, Data put his keys in the pocket of his jeans and began to...jog.

It was very slow at the mall this evening and Harper and Betty were sitting out front on the bench just outside of the store. No customers had been about for over ten minutes, so they had retired to the “veranda” as this bench was affectionately called. Betty was telling Harper about her ‘significant other’ and how he had been suffering with the flu so severely that he had even slept in their recliner for two days.

“The bedroom is very quiet at night without any snoring.” Betty confided, with a grin. “Love the boy, hope he gets better, but I do so sleep well in that bed alone,” she said as though she were bragging. Harper rolled her eyes.

“And I use a white-noise maker so I don’t have the silence,” Harper commented with a groan.

“What? You still haven’t enticed Mr. Jayden into your bed? If he’s expecting you to put him up, the least he can do is put out for the lonely old widow woman...” Betty teased and poked her with an elbow. The older woman giggled and after a short glare, Harper joined in the giggle.

“I should be so lucky...No, I’ve been a good girl and have stayed away from his bedroom at night, not that I haven’t been sorely tempted. God, you saw him in those jeans last week. I guess I should fess up to teasing him about his nice set of buns...” Harper admitted, with a sigh.

“You’re kidding? Out loud?” Betty joked.

“Yes, out loud.” Harper said, giving Betty’s leg a playful smack. “You would’ve loved it, he got really green around the gills that night.” Harper grinned at the memory.

“Just better hope he doesn’t decide to go back to his wife.” Betty warned. Harper had needed a reason for Jayden to be staying with her and so down-and-out. Being thrown out by a wife was the only thing she could think of at the time. Harper had added that it had been because Jayden had lost his job and that this had been in Kentucky. The divorce was in the works, but not final yet. No kids and no pets. The perfect houseguest, except that in reality he may as well have shown up naked for all the good his uniform had done him.

~ Stop thinking like that! ~ Harper warned herself.  ~ Don’t think about him naked! ~

“I don’t think he’ll ever go back to his wife. She doesn’t want him and he doesn’t want her anymore. It’s awful not to stand by your man when he’s down on his luck.” I should have been an actor... I could have played Deanna...Ha! Harper tried not to laugh out loud at her foolish thoughts.

“Well, then I guess the road’s clear and you should-“

“Harper?” came a call from their right, cutting off Betty’s words. Harper stood, she knew that voice. What was he doing here? He was running, but of course not out of breath. She would have to mention that to him. If you run, you breathe hard!

 “Jayden, have you been practicing your ‘Six Million Dollar Man’ imitation again? What are you doing here?” Harper walked to meet him just in front of the door to the store. He looked ecstatic about something. He grabbed her upper arms and beaming from ear to ear, told her that he had just gotten a job. Harper’s eyes went wide. Jayden had been watching an old movie earlier and he had seen this man pick up his female friend and swing her around. It had looked like fun, so Jayden picked Harper up from just under her arms and swung her around.

“I have a new job and I start Monday morning!” he said loudly, but not shouting. Harper gave a delighted laugh as he swung her. He brought her back to the ground and she threw her arms around his neck. Jayden concluded, not for the first time, that he very much liked hugs.

“This calls for a celebration, but we’re too broke to celebrate!” she said with a happy laugh. Betty came over and shook Jayden’s hand, adding her congratulations.

“We will not be broke when I receive my paycheck. I will need a bank account, will I not? We will celebrate on that day. I will receive my wages at the end of this month. It will not be a full check as I will be short four days, but I believe you will be pleased.” Both women nodded at this mouthful.

“I take it you found a decent job with a decent wage?” Betty asked.

“I believe that if Harper agrees to allow me to make restitution in equal payments every two weeks I shall have my debt repaid by the end of my third pay period.” Betty did not know how much Jayden owed Harper, but she knew that it had Harper up at night worrying.

“A month and a half?” Harper exclaimed, “It would take me years to pay off what you owe me and you say it’s going to take you a month and a half? What kind of a job is this?”

“A damn good one, if you ask me,” commented Betty. Jayden smiled.

“Yes, I believe so. It is a damn good job. It may take less time, but I will have to see how my department does with their productivity at the end of the month. Bonuses are based on this and other factors, but productivity is 72.3% of the equation.” Jayden was very enthusiastic. He seemed like a kid in a candy store.

A customer finally came into the store, so they all went back inside with Jayden still talking a mile a minute about his responsibilities, goals and the opportunities for advancement within the company from which he had accepted employment.

“Wait one second,” Harper said, after the customer had been helped and had left the store. “Are you saying that this was not the first offer you received?” Jayden shook his head.

“The first two were inadequate for our needs,” he stated succinctly.

“Our needs?” Betty repeated, glancing at Harper.

“I am sorry, Miss Betty, but I was referring to Harper and me. If I mislead you to-“

“Jayden! What she means is...what do you mean by ‘our’?” Harper snapped.

He seemed confused by her question. “I must repay my debt to you, but I do not believe that my responsibility ends there. As I am living in your home, I am partially responsible for it’s upkeep. You have a need for repairs on the side of the house were there is damage to the siding. The garage door is bent. I may be able to fix it without assistance, but if it is required, I will contribute to its replacement. There is a leak in the basement. The couch has a tear-“

“Okay I get it. The place is getting run down. I’ve been broke for a long time.” Jayden smiled and put a reassuring hand on Harper’s shoulder.

“Then it is past time to fix you.”