Data

Early Life:

Data was Doctor Noonien Soong's sixth known attempt at a fully functioning humanoid android. He was constructed circa 2336 on the planet Omicron Theta. In his early existence, he struggled with motor skills and sensory input. In these days, Data had a disregard for social etiquettes, such as saying "please" and "thank you," and certain undesirable qualities, such as not wearing clothes (he found them useless do to the fact that he "did not suffer from the elements.) Soong was able to correct these problems by writing a modesty subroutine into Data's systems, after he recieve many complaints about his anatomically correct android being nude.

He was deactivated circa 2338 so that a complete log of Omicron Theta's colonist's journals could be downloaded into his positronic matrix. Though the download was successful, Soong had to evacuate the planet to escape the attack by the crystalline entity set up by an earlier android, and Data was left on a rock face as the crystalline entity devoured every organic on Omicron Theta. Data's abandonment was due to Juliana, Soong's wife. She had come to love Data as a son, but also feared he would die like the androids before him, or become evil, like the android that started this attack. This fear prompted her to lie to Soong about Data's demise.

The Academy:

On February 2nd, 2338, Data was discovered by the crew of the USS Tripoli, a Federation ship that responded to a distress call sent from Omicron Theta. They reactivated Data, and Data attempted to join Starfleet as a show of gratitude. He was admitted into the Academy in 2341. Data graduated the Academy in 2345 with honors in Exobiology and probability mechanics.

One of Data's first assignments was on the USS Trieste. He served three years as an ensign before being promoted to a lieutenant in 2348. He then became a Lieutenant Commander in 2360 and was assigned to the USS Enterprise as the second officer four years later.

The Enterprise:

The Farpoint Encounter:

Data was assigned to room 3653 on Deck three of the Enterprise. Data was first ever seen on the bridge along with Tasha Yar, Worf, and Counselor Troi. When Captain Picard makes an offhand remark that they are to "snoop" around Farpoint station. Data inquires on what "snoop" means, and Captain Picard wonders how such an advanced Android does not know what "snoop" means. He tells Data that it means "to spy, to sneak." Data then responds "Ah, to seek covertly, to go stealthily, to slink, slither, creep, skull, pussyfoot, gum..." but he is stopped by Captain Picard. He then finishes his rant with "...shoe" before they set off to Farpoint.

After the appearance of Q, Captain Picard asks Data if it is possible to do a saucer separation at warp speed. Data tells Captain Picard that, though it is not advisable, it is possible, though there is no margin for error. When they are pursued by Q, Data says that it is possible to match Q warp 9.8, it though it is very risky. Picard sees no other solution, and warp 9.8 is engaged. When Captain Picard orders the Saucer Separation, Data goes with Captain Picard to the Battle Bridge. On the Battle Bridge, Data counts down to Saucer Separation and the Enterprise separates at warp. The Battle Bridge Confronts Q, but they are transported to a World War III type court room. Q appears as a judge and Charges humanity with savagery. When Captain Picard pleads not guilty, two soldiers aim their weapons at Data and Troi, and are told to fire if Picard says anything other than guilty. Captain Picard says that Q can test them to see if they truly are savage, and Q takes the bait, saying that Farpoint will be the ultimate testing ground.

After the trial, Data escorts Admiral McCoy to a shuttlecraft, and Data says that at McCoy's age, he should be transporting, instead of using a shuttlecraft. McCoy asks Data how old he thinks he is, and Data responds that he is 137 years old. Data says that he is able to remember everything he experiences. McCoy sarcastically remarks that, though Data does not have any pointed ears, he sounds like a Vulcan. When Data says he is an android, McCoy says that it's almost as bad.

Data was later found in the holodeck, a room in which Holographic images can make it look like any setting, and in which force fields allow for you to feel the objects. He was in a forest setting and was attempting to whistle. Commander Riker found him as he was whistling "Pop Goes the Weasel," but he could not get the last line. When Commander Riker whistled the tune, Data referred to Riker as "Marvelous." Data then introduces himself to the Commander and the two begin talking of his abilities. Though Data tells his abilities as greater than that of a human's, he does tell that he would gladly give it up to be human. Riker affectionately calls Data Pinocchio. As they were returning, Wesley Crusher, the ship's doctor’s son, runs into the Holodeck, but falls of a loose rock into a holographic river. Data jumps down the bank and grabs Wesley Crusher by the collar and effortlessly lifts him over his head.

Data is then a part of Riker's away team to the surface of the planet. There, Counselor Troi senses strong emotions of sadness and fear that overwhelm her. Then, an alien ship begins to attack the Old Bandi City. Riker's team beams up to the attacking ship, where they find Zorn, the leader of the Farpoint Station. Riker frees him, and they beam back to the ship. Q appears and tells the captain to destroy the Ship, but the Captain realizes it is a test, and discovers the ship to be an alien life form whose mate had been captured and turned into the Farpoint station. The Enterprise helps the life form escape, and Q leaves, though he hints that he will be back.

The Tsiokovsky Incident

Some time later, The Enterprise arrives to answer a distress call sent out by the USS Tsiokovsky. After opening communications, a female responds, saying "Well, hello, Enterprise, welcome. I hope you have a lot of pretty boys on board, because I'm willing and waiting. In fact, we're going to have a real blowout here." Data, confused by the message, asks the voice to repeat. Suddenly, there is a huge explosion on the Tsiokovsky, and Data informs the Captain that an emergency hatch had been opened. Commander Riker stands up, and is followed by Data, LaForge, and Tasha Yar follow. The four take the turbolift down to the transporters and ask to be transported to the main bridge of the Tsiokovsky. The Transporter chief informs them that there is no life support systems active on the Tsiokovsky's bridge. The four then decide to beam to the main, corridor, and the Chief complies. When arriving on the ship, the away team separates. The corridors are littered with trash, and there are burn marks on the corridor walls. During the traveling, a woman still clothed falls dead out of a shower and lands on LaForge. Commander Riker contacts the Enterprise and informs him that all eighty members of the ship were dead. The away team was beamed back to the Enterprise after a full decontamination in the transporter.

Later that day, the away team was being examined in sickbay, and, while scanning Data, the Dr. Crusher made a comment about Data's amazing physical condition, and that she could right him up in a medical textbook. Data responds into this comment with the fact that he has already been written up in multiple texts. He then leaves after this is stated, and his placed is replaced with Geordi Laforge.

Soon after his examination, Commander Riker comes to enlist the help of Data, telling him that he vaguely remembered reading somewhere about a person taking a shower with their clothes on, the same as the person who fell on Geordi Laforge. Data agrees, and quickly brought up an extensive list of recent texts that may be what Commander Riker is looking for. He makes a comment similar to what he had told Dr. Crusher, and inquires if he was boasting. Commander Riker tells him it was possible, and then continues to ask Data how long the search will take. Data informs him that it will take some time, and continues to ask about his boasting, also telling Commander Riker that Dr. Crusher could look him up in the texts he mentioned.

The search for someone wearing clothes in a shower, the search continues to become more hopeless. Commander Riker tries to narrow down the search by looking for the incident on any ships called Enterprise. As Data begins to search, Captain Picard arrives on the bridge, and as he reaches where Commander Riker and Data sit, Data finds information on a similar instance aboard the NCC-1701, the first ship to bear the USS Enterprise title. The event was the result of a collision of planets sending out complex water molecules that had acquired carbon during the breakup. They work their way into a victim’s brain and creating the general effects of intoxication. Captain Picard orders Data to send the information to Dr. Crusher. When Dr. Crusher asks for confirmation, Captain Picard responds with "Absolutely!" which is impressively out of character for him. This occurrence makes Data curious.

Later, on the bridge, Captain Picard, after hearing that Tasha Yar was infected, called her snootful but when Data did not understand the term, he told Data to forget it, instead of helping him understand it.

Data continues to download the information from the Tsiokovsky, and informs the Captain Picard that the download will take another forty-one minutes. When Captain Picard inquires on why the download is taking so long, Data responds that they are downloading eight months worth of information. Captain Picard then looks at a view screen, where the two colliding stars which the Tsiokovsky was studying, and asks Data what would happen in a worst-case scenario. Data informs the Captain Picard that they could easily outrun any debris from the colliding stars at half impulse. Captain Picard looks out the window one last time, as multiple flares are seen on the surface.

Later, Data and the rest of the crew hear the voice of Captain Picard voice handing control of the Enterprise over to Wesley Crusher. Picard orders for engineering, where the announcement was made from, to be secured, for he had not said it. As the Engineering Captain leaves, Worf discovers many abnormal behavior on board all decks of the ship, including all Officers ordered by the ship's training division to attend a class in metaphysics. Data confirms, and goes on saying that a limerick has appeared, which he quotes as going "There once was a lady from Venus, who's body was shaped like a..." before Captain Picard interrupts him by calling for security. Data then turns to Worf, who assures Data that he does not understand Humans either. Captain Picard, meanwhile, is greeted by a security officer, who speaks to him informally and rudely. When Captain Picard inquires about the location of Tasha Yar, she responds, saying that she is in her quarters and that she is "busy". Captain Picard tells her to stay put, and sends Data to retrieve her.

As Data arrives at [[Tasha:26772]]'s room, he discovers her provocatively dressed. The two have a conversation, going:

"Lieutenant Yar?"

"Here, Data. You wanted me?"

"Captain Picard ordered me to escort you to sickbay, Lieutenant."

"Did he say when?"

"I'm sure he meant now. So, you should get into uniform."

"But I got out of my uniform for you, Data. Do you know how old I was when I was abandoned?"

"Chronological age, no. I'm afraid I'm not familiar with..."

"Five, five years old. I survived, I learned how to stay alive, how to avoid the rape gangs. I was fifteen before I escaped."

"I am sorry, I did not know."

"What I want now is gentleness, and joy, and love from you, Data. You are fully functional aren't you?"

"Of course, but..."

"How fully?"

"In every way, of course. I am programmed in multiple techniques. A broad variety of pleasuring."

"Oh, you jewel! That's exactly what I hoped."

She then drew him to the bedroom, and he gives a programmed smile.

At this time, one of the infected crewmates had taken out all of the isolinear chips, disabling the ships engines, leaving the ship in danger from the colliding planets.

When Data is next seen, he is, to the dismay of Captain Picard, intoxicated by the polywaters. Data leans on the Captain Picard's shoulder, and when he tells Data that he's and android, and shouldn't be able to be infected, Data tells him "We are more alike than unlike, my dear captain. I have pores. Humans have pores. I have fingerprints. Humans have fingerprints. My chemical nutrients are like your blood. If you prick me, do I not... leak?" At this point, Dr. Crusher enters the bridge and asks to speak to Captain Picard privately. He leaves, and Data just lets himself fall to the ground.

After much work, the crew of the Enterprise is able to get into engineering, previously blocked off by a force field created by Wesley Crusher. When in, they find that the isolinear chips are out of place, and a piece of debris is coming towards them. Wesley Crusher suggests Data, and the crew brings down the intoxicated android. He is told by Captain Picard to put away the isolinear chips. He moved amazingly quick, but he estimates that at his rate, they will by a few seconds late. Wesley Crusher is then able to send the Tsiokovsky at the debris, slowing down enough for Data to finish his work. Dr. Crusher, who had discovered a cure, begins administering the antidote to the crew, and soon the entire ship is back to normal.

Later, after the crew is healed, Data is confronted by Tasha Yar, who tells him the events of the previous day "never happened", leaving Data confused.

The Ligonian Incident

Tasha Yar would later be kidnapped by the Ligonians, a species whose leader finds Tasha Yar strength and fighting abilities very appealing. When Captain Picard ordered for a mass of Photon Torpedoes to be fired and detonated above the planet when the Ligonian's refused to answer a communications signal. Data intervened, giving the suggestion that they wait, due to the Ligonian's value in patience.

Data later gives a briefing of Ligonian culture to Captain Picard, telling him of their honor code. The abduction of Yar, the most fighting and risqué of the crew, is seen among there culture as heroic, and will look good for Lutan, the abducter.

It is discovered that Lutan, in kidnapping Tasha Yar, has tried to make him his wife, but his "first one," in other words, his first wife, does not take kindly to this idea, and challenges Yar a battle to the death.

Data visits Geordi Laforge in his quarters, and Geordi attempt to tell Data a joke, but it falls on deaf ears, as Data is still not able to understand humor. Data informs his friend that they are to beam down to the planet, and when they arrive, the Captain Picard tells the two to examine the weapons to be used in the death match, as the weapons are on a display until they are to be used in the battle. They discover that the weapons are very sharp, and covered with poison.

Tasha Yar is given a glavin (a spiked glove) as a weapon. Captain Picard, coming up with an idea, sends Data back to the Enterprise to inform Commander Riker and Dr. Crusher of his plan.

When Yar bests Yareena in battle, the two are beamed aboard the ship, and Yareena is revived. Due to her survival, Tasha Yar is able to leave.

Contact with the Ferengi

Later, on Stardate 41386.4, The Enterprise is sent to capture a Ferengi vessel that is accused of stealing a T-9 energy converter from the M-class planet Gamma Tauri IV. At the time, the Ferengi had never made visual contact with the Federation, and the mission was also seen as a chance to get to study the species more thoroughly. As the pursued Ferengi vessel passes a Planet located in the Delphi Ardu Solar system, they slow to sub-warp speed, possibly caused by a power surge onboard. The Ferengi fire upon the Enterprise, but the Enterprise does not react to the assault. A few seconds later, The Enterprise experiences a similar power failure. Data and many more of the higher ranking officers are called into the briefing room.

In the briefing room, Data gives a summary on all the knowledge presently held by the Federation on the Ferengi, in which he tells of their highly economic outlook on life, and how they value profit above even their own lives. Data draws a comparison between the Ferengi and the Yankee traders of Ancient North America (more specifically, the eighteenth and nineteenth century traders.) Commander Riker and Commander LaForge come up with a possible course of action, in which they will jump to warp speed, hoping to out-maneuver the force field holding them. The plan fails, and Counselor Troi points out that, though the Enterprise has been so concerned with the Ferengi that they have forgotten that the Planet is still a factor, and may in fact be the cause of their power loss.

In another meeting of the Chief Officers, the Enterprise attempts to hail the Ferengi , and are astonished to hear that the Ferengi are prepared to give themselves in and will give up the Energy converter and the life of the ships Second Officer. Their belief that the Federation has done this to them is the final proof that the power loss is resulting from the planet, and not either ship.

The Chief Officers meet for a third time that day in the observation Lounge, and Data becomes caught in a Chinese finger trap left by two children. Captain Picard helps Data out of the toy, and Data proceeds to explain that the planet that has trapped them may be one of the farthest Outposts of the Tkon Empire, an empire that fell over 600,000 years ago after the star of their home system went super nova.

After the crew returns to the bridge, they launch a probe telling of their information, and of the fact that both ships have been trapped by the force field. Data is sent, along with Commander Riker, LaForge, Worf, and Tasha Yar.

When the team is on the planet, they are separated due to the problem of the planet's fluctuating energy. Data and the rest of the away team are attacked by the Ferengi, and rendered unconscious (or in the case of Data, deactivated.) While the Ferengi begin looking at Riker's combadge, the away team regains consciousness, and a fight ensues. The fight is cut short by Yar and her phaser. The Ferengi, seeing Yar, are astounded that humans not only work with women in harmony, but even keep them clothed.

Suddenly, a mysterious figure materializes in front of the two feuding sides. It introduces itself as Portal 63, assigned to guard the Tkon Empire from Foreign invasion. The portal asks the two crews if they wish to enter the empire, and is shocked to hear that the empire no longer exists, and has not existed in thousands of years. The Portal is a telepath, and probes the parties' minds, but the Ferengi, who are immune to telepathy, attempt to trick the portal into giving them their ship by telling lies of the humans. The Enterprise, though openly accept to be tested, and Riker is chosen as the test subject.

The Portal creates a Halberd out of thin air, and it is sent hurling at Riker, who does not flinch at the incoming weapon. The Portal is impressed by this composure, stopping the Halberd and releasing the Enterprise. The Portal goes on to tell Riker that he had planned on destroying the two ships because they were fighting, but had instead decided the spare them when he saw the two attempting to work together. Riker also asks the Portal to release the Ferengi, and the crew of the Enterprise is beamed back aboard.

Later Events

On Stardate 41263.1, The Enterprise was asked to be used as a test subject for a new warp propulsion system, headed by Kosini, a member of Starfleet. Data and Commander Riker run a controlled simulation of the test, and discover that it seems to have no effect on the warp systems, even though two other hips have reported increased warp drive. When the two of them present this information to Captain Picard they are told that there will be no harm in letting Kosini attempt the test, and the two leave.

The test of the engines is commenced as scheduled, and too many people's astonishment, the ship begins accelerating unbelievably. Data informs the Captain that their speed is off of the scale. Kosini is the brought to the bridge and exclaims happily that he has "made a mistake, a wonderful mistake" believing that his name his name will go down in history.

The ship attempts another warp in hopes of returning home, but they are only pushed further away from the Milky Way Galaxy, and Data concludes that they have gone "Where none have gone before".

It is then discovered that their increasing warp is not the byproduct of Kosini's experiments, but instead a result of his experiment, revealed as The Traveler, a cosmic being. Data asks the Captain that "While we are here, should we not investigate?" To which, the idea is denied due to the fact that the humans can not control their thought, which become reality in this area. The Traveler attempts to return them home, and he is successful, but at a price. The Traveler is discovered to have "phased" out of the ship. Later that day, Wesley Crusher, the one who discovered who The Traveler really was, was promoted to Acting Ensign for his work.

The Enterprise is later contacted by a Ferengi Vessel, relaying the message "Stand by, Enterprise."

Three days after the message, The Enterprise is hailed by The Ferengi Captain DaiMon Bok. The Ferengi Captain seems to know Captain Picard, though he does not know the DaiMon. The DaiMon requests to be beamed aboard, and his request is (reluctantly) granted.

At this time, a ship on far-range sensors is detected, and will not respond to hails. The Ferengi are beamed aboard, telling the crew that the ship is under their control. The ship is discovered to be the Stargazer, a former ship of Captain Picard. The Stargazer had in fact been lost in battle with a Ferengi ship, and DaiMon Bok offers the ship to Picard, free of charge.

Data, LaForge, Worf, and Tasha Yar are then beamed aboard the Stargazer to inspect it. The Away Team finds the ship satisfactory, and Picard is beamed over.

When going through the files, Data discovers an entry log supposedly made by the Captain saying that he attacked the Ferengi vessel without need. Data shows this to Riker, who then shows it to the Captain, who denies the entry, but tells Riker that it must be sent to Starfleet none the less.

Data begins to examine the entry, and discovers many inconsistencies, proving it a forgery. He reports to Riker on the matter, just as Captain Picard walks in.

It is discovered that the Captain, who has recently been having horrible headaches, is actually being manipulated by the Ferengi through a forbidden device known as the Thought-Maker. Picard was beamed aboard the Stargazer, and is reliving the battle, believing the Enterprise to be the Ferengi ship he destroyed. Riker realizes that he is going to use the Picard Maneuver, a maneuver in which a ship warps from one spot to another in front of an enemy ship, stopping at point-blank range and firing its phasers. Riker orders Data to find a way to stop the Picard Maneuver, and Data comes up with the idea of catching the enemy ship in a tractor beam, stopping it from being able to use its phasers. The idea is successful, and Riker hails Picard, convincing him to destroy the Thought-Maker, after which Captain Picard is returned to normal and beams back to the Enterprise.

The Return of Q

Th4e Enterprise is hailed by Federation Colony where an explosion during a mining operation has caused the disappearance of 504 colonists. As the ship travels to their destination, they are stopped by the barrier of Q, the cosmic entity from The Farpoint Incident. Q then materializes on the bridge, informing the Bridge crew that after some study, much of the Q continuum is impressed by their actions. Q then tells Picard of how they could realize their untold dreams, but he is staunchly refused by Picard, and has no more luck when he asks Riker. Q, unhindered, transports Data, Riker, LaForge, Worf, and Tasha Yar to a planetoid, and appears before the five crew members in garb reminiscent of the Napoleonic Era of earth. Q then tells them that they have to stay alive, and that the game is completely unfair. Yar rejects his comment, and Q transports her to the Enterprise, or what he calls the penalty box. He then informs the crew of the Enterprise that if they get into the Penalty Box, the Tasha will no longer exist.

Data, LaForge, and Riker locate many humanoid life forms in ancient French Garb. They appear to be armed with muskets, which are far inferior to present day phasers. The Away team discovers that the Muskets are actually similar to phasers, and are just as dangerous. Q appears to Riker as Data, and tells him he has been given the power of the Q. Riker uses this power to return everyone to the ship, but Q teleports them back after Riker attempts to reject their powers. Wesley is also teleported to the planetoid, and watches as Worf is killed. He runs to Worf, and is stabbed in the back with a bayonet. Riker returns all of them to the Ship, with Wesley and Worf restored to life.

The ship arrives at the mining colony and begins excavating the area. They discover a young girl, dead, and everyone expects Riker to return her to life. Riker reluctantly refuses, due to a promise that he made to Captain Picard

When the away team is beamed aboard, Riker confronts Picard, saying that he could do some good. Upon his request, the senior staff, including Wesley, is summoned to the bridge. Riker then bestows upon Wesley an older body, and turns to Data. He offers Data the chance to be human, but Data refuses, telling Riker that it would never feel right. Riker attempts to give the crew what they wish, but all of them refuse, and Riker relinquishes his gift. Q is then summoned back to the continuum, and he leaves screaming.

Malfunction on the Holodeck

Later that year, the Enterprise was sent to lead a diplomatic meeting, with the Jarada of Torona IV. The Jarada are insect-like life forms with a very strict way of speech. Any mispronunciation of there language is automatically taken as an insult. Captain Picard has been assigned to greet them in their language, and if he is to mispronounce, then the mission is a failure. He then decides to take a break by trying out the new Holodeck, and enjoys such an experience very much.

After his experiences on the Holodeck, Picard calls a meeting of the Enterprise chief crew members. He invites both Dr. Crusher and a historian named Whalen to join him in his next trip. The subject is quickly changed back to their mission, though, and Data reminds, to the Captain’s annoyance, how important the mission is to Starfleet.

After the meeting, Data and LaForge discuss Dixon Hill, the story in which Captain Picard is acting out on the Holodeck. Geordi compares Dixon Hill to Sherlock Holmes, and Data, who is an advent Sherlock Holmes, looks up Dixon Hill. By use of the computer, he reads every book made of Dixon Hill. After his study, he asks the Captain if he may join him, and he is allowed to by Picard.

Data, Captain Picard , and Whalen all enter the Holodeck, being told by Dr. Crusher that she will join them later. Data’s appearance almost automatically draws attention to him. Picard quickly comes up with an excuse, saying that Data is from South America. Though this is met with some skepticism, (one of the people there shouts “Yeah, he sure has a nice tan.”) it is accepted without much worry. Captain Picard then begins to read a newspaper, and reads about a murder of Jessica Bradley. He notes how he wishes he could have saved her, before being reminded by Whalen that it is just a fake story. Just then, two police officers come up from behind Captain Picard (who is playing the role of Dixon Hill) and is accused of the murder of the girl he was just reading about.

Dr. Crusher then arrives in the Holodeck, getting to the jail in which Captain Picard is being held. There, she is met by Data, who has a newly acquired accent from the days of Dixon Hill. Their conversation goes like this:

"Hiya Doc. What's cookin'?"

"Y'know, I had some trouble getting through. Where's Captain Picard ?"

"He's on ice."

"Pardon?"

"He's being grilled."

"What is he, a fish?"

After finally deciphering Data’s meaning, she expresses a wish to be interrogated because of the fun involved (since the police aren’t real.)

At the same time, LaForge discovered that the sensors would not pick up the captain or any of the other crewmen in the holodeck.

After the Captain is released from the interrogation, the crew heads back to Dixon Hill’s office. When they arrive, they discover a tiny man named Leech has been waiting for them with a gun. Leech asks what Captain Picard has done with the object he was hired to find. Whalen acts tough in front of Leech, and is shot. The fact that a Holodeck bullet could shoot someone proves that the Holodeck computer safety system is off. When they attempt to get off of the Holodeck, they discover that it will not respond, and that they are trapped on the Holodeck with a gun-happy gangster.

Dr. Crusher attempts to keep Whalen alive, while Captain Picard and Data attempt to think of a way out. Just then, Leech’s boss, Cyrus Redblock, appears and begins to look for the object. When he tries to get Whalen removed, though, Captain Picard gets in the way, and Leech hits him with his gun, drawing blood.

Around this time, a Lieutenant from the police station comes to Dixon Hill’s office. He is surprised by Cyrus Redblock being in the office, and is quickly disarmed. Redblock then sees Data for the first time, and asks where he came from. Captain Picard then decides to reveal it all, telling him that he does not exist, and is only a hologram. Leech becomes enraged, but Redblock then decides to test this theory, and tells Leech to shoot Dr. Crusher. Picard, at the last minute, tells Leech and Redblock that he has the item, and Redblock calls off Leech. Picard then uses this chance to get Whalen to a place where they can treat him. Picard then tries to tell Redblock and Leech who they really are, but there is a difference in vocabulary between the two. Leech then becomes amazingly edgy and asks to shoot Data, but before he can be shot, the office suddenly changes to a snowy area, and then returns to the office, shocking all of the holodeck characters. Then, the Holodeck doors opened, and Leech and Redblock attempt to enter the enterprise, but they dematerialize. Data then lifts up Whalen and takes him to sickbay before returning to the bridge. Captain Picard then does a perfect greeting, and LaForge asked Data what he thought the Holodeck was like. Data responded in an old Gangster voice:

“It was raining in the city by the Bay-- a hard rain. Hard enough to wash the slime...”

The Captain then cut off Data before he could finish his humorous monologue.

Omicron Theta

On Star Date 41242.4, Data and the rest of the Enterprise crew take a trip to Omicron Theta, the place in which Data was created. Data, to the surprise of his crewmembers, asks to be alone, and Captain Picard theorizes that it is a bigger moment then had been expected. Wesley then goes down to Data’s room, trying to get his android friend up to the bridge so that he may see his home planet. When Wesley enters Data’s room, he is met by Data saying “Chooooo.”

Wesley then asks Data “What are you doing?”

“Sneezing” was the simple response in which Data gave.

Wesley then asks Data “Have you got a cold?”

Data then responds with his own question, “A cold what?”

“It’s a disease my mom says people used to get.”

“Ah, but humans still sneeze for other reasons,” before he shook his head and continued, “and I can not seem to do it right.”

Data then proceeded to sneeze again, but was interrupted by Wesley’s question of “How can you be practicing something like sneezing when we’re arriving at your home planet for the first time? Aren’t you interested in that?”

Data then responded with “More then interested, fascinated, one might say agog, but I also find sneezing interesting.” Before attempting to complete the sneeze in which he was cut off from previously, again, with only the strained statement of “Choooo.” Wesley then tells Data that Captain Picard wants him on the bridge.

Data enters onto the bridge, and is asked by Commander Riker if he wishes to take the ship into orbit, to which he responds with a no. He proceeds to walk over next to the captain and Riker, before walking towards the view screen as his planet appears upon it. Data’s face then seems to show shock (though this would be impossible, as he is not yet able to express any emotions) and he returns to the captains side as he tells LaForge to take the ship into orbit.

“I could say home sweet home sir, if I knew how the word sweet applies.” Data says to the Captain, in response to his home.

“It usually refers to memories,” is the captain’s reply.

Riker then follows up this statement with “It usually refers to one’s own memories captain.” He then asks “Do you remember farms, Data?”

“Affirmative, sir” was Data’s response, before following up with “but the colonies principle interest was science.”

Tasha Yar then joined in the conversation, asking “Data, I don’t understand how you can hold the memories of four-hundred and eleven people. If that means every experience, every day of their life…”

Data the cuts of Tasha, stating: “It does not, unfortunately. It means only the knowledge they had accumulated.” Data then directs his statements towards Captain Picard and continued with “Actually, I am quite deficient in some basic human information, Sneezing, for example.”

Captain Picard responded with a questioning “Sneezing?”

At this point, they are informed by LaForge that they are entering a close parking orbit, and Commander Riker is told to assemble an away team. Picard then talks top Data, stating how excited he must be, and how he would actually have led the away team, if his first officer hadn’t objected. Data then follows Riker and his away team to the transporter room, and the away team is beamed down to Omicron Theta.

On Omicron Theta, the away team discovers the planet to be bare and dead, without even microscopic organisms surviving. Data and the others begin looking at the dead remains of the planet, and Data confirms that this is the same area in which he was beamed up, even though when he was beamed up, it was recorded as having great farmlands. LaForge then informs the rest of the away team that the soil most likely was farmland 20 to thirty years ago (Data was discovered 26 years earlier) and that everything was dying when Data left. Data then leads the away team to where he was found. They walk down 12 stone carved steps into what appears to be an outcropping of stone, creating a thin barrier. As they walk down the steps, Tasha asks Data if he has ever wondered why he was given the colonist’s memories and he responds that he had always thought that the job was done hurriedly.

Data shows the away team where he was found lying, a small outcropping of stone that seemed to have been chiseled down to create a makeshift table. Tasha, after seeing just how open the area where Data was lying was, asks if he was just left there, with no identity records or instructions. He tells her that he only had a layer of dust with him, Riker then asks him what the first thing he remembers is, to which data tells him that the first thing he remembers is opening his eyes, seeing the party of the USS Tripoli (the ship which discovered him) and he then tells them that it was believed that he had been activated by the signal device which had led the crew of the USS Tripoli to him. Tasha then points out that what Data was saying was that the very spot they were presently at was his birth place.

LaForge then sees with his VISOR that the hollow in which Data was discovered appeared to have been man-made to hide something, and that it seemed to have been made in a hurry. Data then realizes that Geordi is correct, as Geordi’s realization had awakened a memory in Data of the construction of the hollow. He also remembered that they were afraid of being discovered, and so they stored their memories in Data, and placed him on the rock where he was found in a hope that he would be discovered, and would be able to get them help.

LaForge began looking on the rock face and quickly found a switch, and pressing it, he found that the wall that made up the hollow really was hollow, and opened inwards, the away team entered into the opening, Data entering the structure last. The away team then enters a dark corridor, and Commander Riker finds a light switch, illuminating the long corridor. [[Tasha:26772]] Tells Riker that the corridor is also devoid of life signs, and the team continues further into the structure.

The away team came to a door to their left, and they open it using an ancient computer panel. As the door opened, and the lights automatically turn on, and [[Tasha:26772]] is the first to enter into the room. Data follows her, but he stops at the doorway, and takes in the room he is entering. It is a large room, with multiple technological devices spread throughout, almost like a makeshift lab.

“The colony’s laboratory is extremely well equipped” are Riker’s first words as they enter, quickly followed by the question “Do these stir any memories, Data?”

“Only a vague impression of some of my functions being tested here,” Data responded as he moved towards a billboard with multiple pictures depicting what appeared to be the same event, a crystalline mass in the sky and people running in terror underneath.

“Posted by proud parents?” Riker asked as he saw the drawings.

“It depicts, something familiar, Sir,” was Data’s response as he stared at the images. He then looked at Riker for a brief moment as he added “and dangerous.” Then, turning back to the picture, he shook his head, saying “but I have no idea what it represents, and that is all.” Then suddenly, he added “except,” and began moving towards the center of the room again. He continued with “for an impression of this being a Doctor Soong’s work area.” He stopped in front of one of the machines, and was joined by both Commander Riker and LaForge.

“Who?” Riker asked in response to the mention of Doctor Soong, “You don’t mean Doctor Noonian Soong?”

“He was called that here, but his memories indicate that he traveled here under a different name,” Data responded to the inquiry.

“Doctor Noonian Soong, my friend, happened to have been one of Earth’s foremost leading robotic scientists,” LaForge stated from behind Data.

Tasha joined in at this pointed, adding “until he tried to make Assimov’s dream of a positronic brain come true.”

“A positronic brain. He promised so much, and then when he failed completely, Doctor Soong disappeared.” Riker said, and then began walking away from them, before stopping, turning around, and saying “Now we know he went somewhere else and tried a second time.” He then began assigning different jobs to the away team, telling Geordi and Data to get a closer look at the lab, and told [[Tasha:26772]] and Worf to find out where the corridors led to. Tasha Yar and Worf, then left so they could complete their job.

After Worf and Tasha Yar left, Riker walked over to a machine on the other side of the room, and, opening it, they discovered the mold of what looked like a human body. Data stepped forward, looking back at Riker and Geordi for a second, and then bent down, picking up the mold of the face. Placing it over his face, he discovered the mold to be a perfect, and Data discovered the mold in which he was created from. Geordi and Riker then both expressed a bit of shock at the finding, though they both hid it well.

Data, LaForge, and Riker get pulled out of their reveries by a communication from Tasha. Riker quickly asks what the call is for, and they are informed that the instillation is big enough to hold a vast majority of people, ranging in the hundreds.

Geordi walks over to a tube filled with swirling vapor inside as Tasha is talking, and Theorizes that it is some sort of a storage area. Data carefully puts down the mold, and follows Riker to the tank. They proceed to open up the tank, and the vapor quickly flows into the room, and what the vapor is hiding is quickly exposed. Before them, the three members of the away team discover pieces of what look like Data, disassembled, but seemingly preserved.

“How many more Data’s are there?” Riker asks as he sees the disassembled android.

“It looks like just these two, that one, and the real Data, I mean.” LaForge comments, and Data slowly approaches the other android. He reaches out, and lifts up the other android’s head, bringing it to his direct eye contact.

Data, shocked, can only get out the word “Commander” at first, but h quickly follows up the statement with “can this really be another me? Or possibly my brother?”

“I honestly don’t know, Data,” is all Riker responds, and Data returns to examining the head of his “brother.”

“He needs assembling.” Data states quickly.

“He?” Riker asked at Data’s referring to the head as a he. “Data,” he continued, “we don’t know if this can become alive.”

Data then looks at Riker and states “It is very important for me to know that, Sir,” before returning to examining the head. “I never had dreamed it was possible that I might find some link,” he continued, turning back to face Riker and Geordi, “with a form like my own.”

Riker then nodded sympathetically, saying “Understood. We’ll take it back to the ship with us,” as Data continues to stare in disbelief at his brother’s head.

Lore

Back aboard the Enterprise, the engineering and medical crew all begin to assemble the other Android. Data watches the process from the shadows, wondering what it would be like to have a “brother.” As he is watching, Dr. Crusher walks up to him, and tells him that Captain Picard wanted him in the debriefing room. Before Data leaves though, the Chief Engineer walks up to him, and Data asks to hear his opinion. The Chief Engineer looks over at the body as he tells Data that his and the other android’s body are quite similar, though, he adds that they don’t fully understand Data’s construction either. Dr. Crusher then assures Data that they have all of the top specialists working on it. Data then begins to leave, but the Chief Engineer grabs him by the arm and he asks Data if they could use Data as a model, if needed. Data believes that the idea is within his comfort by a nod of the head, and he then proceeds to the Briefing Room.

Data walks into the Briefing Room, where Picard, Riker, and LaForge are, and is greeted by Captain Picard, who tells him that, “We were just saying Data that if your duplicate functions, it may answer a lot of questions.”

Data then opens his mouth to respond, but then closes it, and simply takes his seat next to Commander Riker.

Riker then begins to speak, asking Data “Does it appear to have, um, all your parts?”

Data nods his head at this statement, saying “Completely sir.”

LaForge then broke in, asking “Will…” before pausing and looking down at his hands, and then looking back up and completing his statement, saying, “Will we know how to turn it back on?”

Data is about to respond to Geordi’s inquiry, but he is cut off by Captain Picard, who says “All right, all right... Legitimate questions about this need not be asked apologetically.” He the turned to Data, and continued with, “You're uncomfortable about aspects of your duplicate, Data... we're uncomfortable, too... and none of it for any logical reason. We know that you're as "alive" as any of the rest of us.” He then returned his attention to Riker and Geordi, and stated, “If you find it awkward to be reminded that Data is a "machine"... you might remember that the rest of you are merely a different variety of machine... in our case, electro-chemical in nature. Let's begin handling this as we would anything else.”

Riker then taps the table approvingly, and Geordi goes further, slapping the table as he says “Agreed! Love that captain!”

The Captain then snapped at Geordi, saying that he did not need applause for any of the comments which he makes, and Geordi quickly apologizes to him. When the captain turns, though, Riker flashed Data a wink over the incident, though this action puzzles Data.

The Captain then turned back to Data, and said “Let's start with you, Data.”

“Well... a good starting point might be, ‘Why was I given human form?’”

Geordi quickly responds to this comment with: “To make it easy for humans to relate to you. Had to be. But your designer may have had something else to prove also.”

The Captain nodded at this comment, and said, “That human-shaped robots need not be clumsy, limited things...” He then turned to Data, continuing with, “You certainly operate as well as we do, Data...”

“In some ways better, sir.” Data cut in.

“Ah... yes! But the important question now may be what happened to the colonists.” Captain Picard then stated.

“Agreed.” Commander Riker then said, pulling out the drawings they had retrieved on the surface of Omicron Theta. “One of several exhibited in the lab, by proud parents, no doubt. This could be simply a child's imagination. But then, several children made similar drawings.”

Construction:

Data is a Soong-type Android constructed of 24.6 kilograms of tripolymer composites, 11.8 kilograms of molybdenum-cobalt, and 1.3 kilograms of bioplast sheeting. His positronic net was capable of processing sixty-trillion operations per seconds and had a storage capacity of eight hundred quadrillion bits, which is approximately one-hundred petabytes. His positronic net is protected by a skull composed of cortenide and duranium. Data's spine is composed of a polyalloy which allows him to withstand extreme stress. Data's positronic net is capable of polywater intoxication, though he is impervious to alcohol.