Path: newserv.ksu.ksu.edu!moe.ksu.ksu.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uwm.edu!caen!batcomputer!munnari.oz.au!ariel.ucs.unimelb.EDU.AU!ucsvc.ucs.unimelb.edu.au!emu.insted.unimelb.edu.au!s345005 Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: DATA AND FRIEND Message-ID: <1993Apr28.172224.1@emu.insted.unimelb.edu.au> From: s345005@emu.insted.unimelb.edu.au (Peter R. Tilton) Date: 28 Apr 93 17:22:24 GMT Organization: University of Melbourne Nntp-Posting-Host: emu.insted.unimelb.edu.au Lines: 256 Wow, I just discovered how to upload files! Now I'll be able to start posting, and not just reading the stories! Here's a rather light-hearted story, in contrast to all the really serious ones like I,Locutus (which was brilliant, but rather exhausting to read!) Read, enjoy, and lots of feed-back please! DATA AND FRIEND By Katharine Shade Data was on his way to engineering when a small object came hurtling around the corner, careering straight into him. He used his super- human strength to stay upright, and the small object untangled itself from him, revealing itself to be a small boy, of approximately eight years of age. "Are you unhurt?" Data inquired. "No...I mean yes," the boy said, rather confused at how Data had phrased his question. He lifted his tear stained face and looked up at Data, suddenly realising that he had just bumped into a Starfleet officer. "I'm sorry...I shouldn't be here, it's just that.." Sounds of shouting came from around the corner, and more small boys came barreling around. But this time Data was prepared, and he stepped aside, watching as the first boy stopped abruptly, realising who he'd just passed. The two boys following were a bit slower to react, and bumped into the first one, resulting in a disordered mass of limbs. The arms and legs resolved themselves into three boys, slightly larger than the one who was now hiding behind Data. A small voice emerged from the general region of Data's back, too soft to be heard by the other boys. "Please don't let them get me!" Data twisted his head around and looked down over his shoulder at the boy, but turned his attention back to the other boys as he realised that they were trying to sneak away. "Is this area of the ship not off limits to you?" Data asked them. One of the boys, bolder than the rest - the one who had been in the lead when they ran past Data - drew himself up to his full height of 140cm and replied "We're on a school assignment." The small boy whispered, "Don't believe him, he's lying." Data considered this. He knew that humans often lied, although most of the time he was still unable to detect when this was the case. One of the boys must be lying, and in this case he decided that the boy hiding behind him was less likely to be the liar. He had observed that those who put up a front, as he suspected the boy in front of him was doing, often did not tell the whole truth. "What is your name?" asked Data. "David," the boy answered. "And your friends?" "Tom and Derek." David answered for them. "I will check with your teacher whether you are on an assignment." David's face fell, as did those of his two companions. Data recalled the manner he had seen Riker assume when he had seen him talk to some misbehaving youngsters. "Go back to where you are supposed to be, and if I hear any stories about your behaviour, you will be in big trouble!" The three boys streaked back the way they had come, fear now showing on their faces, rather than the cocky assuredness of before. Data turned around and crouched down so as to be on the same level as the small boy, who now had a hint of a smile showing through on his tear streaked face. "You were great!" he said. But then his face fell. "Are you going to send me away too?" "No" Data replied. "Not until I determine why you are upset." The boy said nothing, just hung his head. "What is your name?" asked Data. "Gillam," the boy replied in a small voice. "Why were you crying?" "Because David and the others were chasing me and calling me names." Data tilted his head to the side, puzzled. "Why did that cause you to be upset?" Gillam lifted his head, and almost shouted at Data, "Because they're always picking on me because I'm small for my age." Data was still puzzled. "Why would that cause them to 'pick' on you?" A little surprised at his own outburst, Gillam tried to explain as best he could. "David always picks on other people, It's just the way he is. And because I'm short, he picks on me for that." Data was still unable to comprehend this complex bit of behaviour, but did the best he could to comfort the boy. "I do not think his actions are justified. Should you not report him to the teacher?" Gillam was horrified. "Oh no, that would make him even worse! He would find a way to get back at me." A look of alarm suddenly ap- peared on his face. "Oh no, I should be in class now, the teacher's going to be mad at me!" He started off up the corridor, and then turned back to Data as if suddenly remembering his manners when talking to a Starfleet officer. "Good-bye, and thank you for not letting them get me." "My pleasure." replied Data, and then added, although not sure why, "If you need any further assistance, do not hesitate to contact me." Gillam grinned, his confidence rapidly returning, and vanished around the corner. Data stood there for a moment, his brow creased in puzzlement, then continued on his way to engineering. After his shift had ended, Data was still stumped over the behaviour of David and his two friends, and he decided that the best course of action would be to seek out Counsellor Troi. The computer informed him that she was in her quarters, and he made his way there. After requesting admittance, Data entered her quarters and found her sitting in front of her computer screen. She turned as he entered, and a look of surprise crossed her face as she saw who it was. "I hope I am not disturbing you?" "No, of course not," Troi replied. "Can I help you with something?" "I would like some advice." "Well it's not often that an..." Troi's voice trailed off as she realised what she was going to say, and Data finished off the sen- tence. "..an android asks for advice from a human counsellor. Doctor Selar recently told me of one of the Vulcan sayings; 'rejoice in our dif- ferences.' I am not offended at what you were about to say, indeed Selar also told me that it is often said 'there is no offense if none is taken.' Actually, that.." "Data," interrupted Troi, "you are babbling." Data appeared confused. "I have noticed that when people are uncom- fortable about something that has been said, it is often necessary to reassure them a number of times that they have not caused offense." "It is sometimes more effective to say nothing at all about it, as if it was not said." Troi replied. Data considered this. "Hmm. I will file that away as another possi- ble reaction to similar circumstances." He abruptly changed the topic, as though heading this advice. "I came to ask you about behavioural characteristics of young male humans." Troi's eyebrows shot up. "Why is that?" Data briefly explained the events that had occurred. When he had finished, Troi asked, "Why did you not access the child psychology information on the computer?" "I frequently find that information on the computer in regard to human behaviour is not satisfactory when trying to apply it to what I observe, and it usually takes another human to fully comprehend and explain some aspects of human behaviour." Data's voice raised slight- ly in pitch as he went on, full steam ahead. "For example, when you were to be married to Wyatt and Riker appeared to be rather hostile towards you, I needed Geordie to explain to me that even though you were no longer involved with Riker, there were residual..." Data stopped abruptly, as he noticed a severe frown on Troi's face. "Is this one of those occasions where I should not apologise, and pretend nothing was said on the subject?" Troi nodded. "Yes!" she said. "Now will you let me explain?" Data nodded, his mouth now firmly closed. "Right," she said, gathering her thoughts. "It seems to me that this boy - David?" she looked questioningly at Data, who nodded. "Is a fairly typical bully. That usually means that he is deficient in some area, and to cover this up he points out other people's flaws to boost his own ego, which is actually quite fragile. He's probably big for his age," Data nodded again, "which gives him a physical dominance over others, which is pretty important at that age, and he exerts his influence over other children who have little self control, who feel the pull of a leader - good or bad - very strongly. How does that sound, Data?" Data nodded again, unwilling to open his mouth. Troi was amused. "Data!" she laughed. "Say something!" "I was unwilling to say anything, in case I offended or embarrassed you," he said. "Data, you can't go around not saying anything at all, how are you going to learn anything? Everybody runs the risk of offending when they speak, but it's worth the risk rather than saying nothing at all. You just have to think a little more about the results of what you want to say before you speak." Data considered this. "Very well, I will attempt to do so. However, often I am unable to determine in advance whether what I say will offend." "That is something you will learn with time and experience." Data changed tack. "I am confused as to why children like David are allowed to behave in this way." Troi sighed. "I know what you mean Data, human children are now brought up in a peaceful environment which abhors unnecessary vio- lence, yet some children still seem to have to go through these stages in their development." "Can it not be stopped?" "There is disciplinary action which can be taken, however the best thing to do is to find out why they are behaving in that way, to see what it is within themselves that is producing this inferiority com- plex. I will have a talk to their teacher if you like - young chil- dren can be very clever in hiding things from adults, who may not be fully aware of what is going on." "And what about Gillam?" "He is probably a very sensitive young boy who needs someone to talk to, to bolster up his confidence in himself." "Do you think that I could fulfill that role?" Data asked hesitant- ly. "I don't see why not," Troi answered. "Thank you for your help" Data said, leaving the room with a pleased look on his android features. Troi smiled to herself, and turned back to her computer terminal to continued her treatise on why chocolate has such an enormous psycho- logical effect on people. Data went back to his quarters, and was about to access information on the computer when his door entrance chimed. "Come in," he called out. After a slight pause, a rumpled head appeared through the doors. "Mr Data, can I come in?" "Yes" he replied, and Gillam came slowly into the room, taking everything in with wide-eyed amazement. He paused in front of a painting on the wall. "Did you paint that?" he asked. "Yes" said Data, "A friend of mine tried to teach me to paint a little while ago, and that is the only painting that I felt was suc- cessful." Gillam sized it up critically, and closely examined the brushstrokes. "You know, you would probably be better with oils. It seems like here you were unsure about putting each stroke down, and with oils there is more room for correction." Gillam stopped his flow of advice, and turned to Data, unsure of how his criticism would be received. Data looked quite pleased. "That appears to be very sound advice. Do you do a lot of painting?" Encouraged, Gillam went on. "A bit, although I prefer to do sculp- ture. I want to be an artist when I grow up." Data considered what Gillam was saying in the light of what Troi had said about encouraging him. A fair amount of self interest also prompted what he said next. "I believe that the holodeck has programs on all of the famous Earth art galleries. Would you be interested in explaining some of them to me?" Gillam's eyes lit up in excitement. "Oh yes, would you really take me there?!" "Yes, would you like to go now?" A short time later, three Enterprise crew members were surprised to see Data heading towards the holodeck with a small boy hanging onto his hand, both of them engrossed in a serious discussion about the relative merits of different art forms, and both of them looking exceedingly enthralled.