Paramount Global owns the Star Trek franchise. This is a piece of fan fiction based on Star Trek the Next Generation characters.
First meeting
“Come Data,” Juliana encouraged. The sun beat down outside the Omicron Theta science colony, home of the Soong’s. Data squinted at the direct brightness of the sun. This was his first trip outside since being activated. “Let’s go for a walk. There is much to teach you.”
“Why?” He questioned.
“So you can see what you recognize from all the material you have been reading.” They walked around the colony looking at trees, rocks, and everything else near them.
“Oh look Data, a rabbit.”
“Sylvilagus Transitionalis.”
She stared at him, “What?”
“New England Cottontail.”
“Oh,” she chuckled. “No, this is an Eastern Cottontail.”
“Sylvilous Floridanus.”
“Correct.” She exclaimed.
A sparkling in the distance caught his eye. “What is that?”
“I don’t know. Let’s investigate.” She said excitedly. They walked toward the sparkling light. “How far are we from our dwellings?”
“5.324 miles.” His answer was almost instant.
“Inches?”
“337,328.64.”
“Kilometers?”
“8.57164.”
“Good. How far are we from the colony boundary?”
“4.461 miles, 282,648.96 feet, 7.18221 kilometers.”
“Why did you give me those three answers?” She was surprised.
“You requested the same information with the last question.”
“You anticipated I would ask you the same questions again?”
Data stopped walking, “I do not understand….anticipated.”
Juliana had gotten a couple steps in front of him. She turned and smiled, “to anticipate something is to foresee that something is going to occur.”
“Foresee?”
She sighed, “it means to know beforehand.”
He started walking again. “You did not specify units of measure.”
Juliana stopped walking again. “Wow!” She exclaimed. “Data, here is an excellent lesson in human thinking. Because you gave me information that I didn’t ask for, I assumed you anticipated that I might ask you for the same information again. Therefore; giving me unexpected information. Based on my assumptions, I added emotionally charged subtopics to a conversation, where in your mind; they didn’t exist.” She stood silent for a moment, “just for fun how many centimeters are in 4.461 miles?”
“718,221.” He didn’t even blink when he answered.
“You excel at computations.”
The closer they got to the object the more it began to take shape. It was a series of three different sized cylinders standing up right. They were brown, a lighter shade than the ground around them. There were randomly placed squares on them. The sun reflecting from one square was the sparkling they saw from a distance. There were some trees in the back of the freestanding structures. “There are no other trees that look like those.” Data observed.
“No, there are not. What does that mean?”
“They are not indigenous to this planet.”
“Correct.”
“Is that a dwelling?”
“It looks like one; however, I thought the colony was the only place where residents lived?”
“Perhaps this one is not a member of the colony?”
“Very good observation. That is different. Different prospectives are good in solving problems. Though I don’t think that is possible.”
“Why?”
“We would have known about it. We have sensors all over the planet. We would have picked up the seismic activity from this being erected. The seismographs are so sensitive they can pick up someone walking.”
“You mean these things?”
Juliana jumped, gasping. This confused Data. Behind them stood a lady. She didn’t look like anyone from the colony. She had on a white sundress with large multi-colored flowers on it, with a notched hem. White shoes and a white duchess hat finished her attire. She had long flowing red hair. It blew gently in the breeze. She was holding a cylinder casing in her arms. Data took it from her as she handed it to him. “You don’t own this planet.” She had a strange way of talking. A potent smell flowed from her. It captivated him. All he could do was stare at her as she walked away toward the structure. Juliana noticed Data’s reaction. The feathery little plume and ribbon around her hat bounced with each step. She stopped, turning back toward them. “The trees are silver maples.” She continued walking away. For some odd reason, Data wanted to follow her.
“Well now. Wasn’t that interesting?” Juliana spoke.
“How?”
“A puzzle Data.”
“A puzzle?”
“Yes, a puzzle that must be solved.”
“Why did you jump when she spoke?”
“I wasn’t expecting anyone to be behind me. It startled me. That is a reflex action we have.”
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