Lost Past; A Star Trek Story

Paramount Global owns the Star Trek franchise. This is a piece of fan fiction based on Star Trek the Next Generation characters. 

The picnic

    He and Sher, ‘Sher, he questioned himself’. Were sitting by the pond under the willow tree having a picnic. “Why is this called a picnic?” He asked.

    “It is an informal meal outside.”

    “Why do you wear different clothing all the time?”

    “You do ask a lot of questions,” she smiled.

    “How else am I to learn?”

    “Point taken,” she paused. “I love clothing. I always have. There was an Earth saying, ‘the clothes make the man.’ I agree with that saying. I feel they make the woman as well. Why do you wear the same clothes all the time?”

    “I do not know.”

    “Why do you think you do?”

    “I never think about what I wear. It is only a covering. Morality says I must wear a covering.”

    “Why that,” she pointed at him. “Why black?”

    “I do not know.”

    “Try this.” She handed him a piece of red stuff. He just stared at it. The juice from it ran down his hand. 

    “Is this blood?”

    “No, that is juice. Eat it.” She shook some white stuff on a piece before she ate one.

    He finally ate it.

    “Well?” She encouraged a response.

    “Well…what?”

    “What does it taste like?”

    “It is citrullus lanatus. A watermelon. 92 % water, lycopene pigment,”

    “Stop,” she interrupted him. “What does it taste like?”

    He looked confused for a moment, “I do not know.”

    “You have the ability to taste.”

    “Yes; however, taste is a sensation. I do not have a similar sensation to compare it with.” He picked up another piece and ate it. “The juice is sticky.” His fingers wanted to stick together. He rubbed his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “It is sweet, though something is missing.”

    “Is that a question or an answer?”

    He picked up another piece and ate it. “An answer.” He said with confidence.

    “So you like watermelon?”

    “No.”

    “No!” She was surprised. “You just ate three pieces.”

    “It is missing something.”

    She sprinkled salt on a piece. “Try this.”

    “That is better. It adds,” he thought for a moment, “flavor.”

    They sat there and ate all of the watermelon. Data thought that since sprinkling a little salt on a piece did a lot to enhance the flavor, he would try more salt. The lid flew off the shaker drowning the piece of melon. He ate it. The look on his face was priceless. She couldn’t stop laughing.