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.

Data the philosopher 

Data watched over Sher as she slept. 

Q appeared in the room. “How is she?”

“Weak. It is going to take her a while to bounce back from this.” He sighed, “she had too much excitement for one day.”

“I want to kill him.” Q growled.

“Leave that to her parents. They know what is best for her.”

“Showing her memories, was that best for her?”

“It  made everyone aware of what she had been through. It gave everyone a clear picture of what a monster those people were.”

“I don’t see why she was violated in such a manner. I see that as adding insult to injury.”

“She chose to sit there. We left for a little while.”

“Why are they toying with him?”

“You know the answer to that.”

“I know,” Q sighed. “Sher believes that everyone has a right to live.”

“Though the quality of his life isn’t what he wants it to be, he is alive.”

“I don’t understand the full effect of why his family is here?”

“To know the truth. When you read about an event, there are always those that do not understand why John Doe was put to death. So he killed nine people. Maybe those nine people made fun of him. They were bad people, they deserved to die. Poor John. When you show people why someone is being put to death, that image stays with you. There is no disputing that John was a bad person. He killed nine people in cold blood.”

“You are an interesting person Data.” Q smiled. “How does it feel to have emotions? I remember a time I told you you were stupid for wanting to be human.” Q sat on the end of the bed ad Sher’s feet.

“I am still struggling with emotions. It is a struggle that I would not change for anything. Well,” he looked at Sher. “Almost anything? I would trade everything if I knew she was going to be okay.”

“That is a pretty bold statement.”

“I am amazed at how one emotion can change everything you thought you knew.”

“What one emotion would that be?”

“Love.”

“In my experience with humans, I find that love is the most overrated emotion.”

“No, love is the most unused human emotion.”

“Unused.” Q scoffed. “How do you figure that?”

“Love is a wasted emotion. People spend their whole lives in love with someone but cannot gather the strength to tell the person their in love with. Men and women pine over partners they cannot have. The saddest state of human emotion is to have never known love. Not just romantic love, which seems to be the human default. Love for a friend. Love of nature.  Love should be the human’s superpower.”

“Is it not?”

“No, hate is.”

“Data the philosopher. I like this.” Q smiled.

Data closed his eyes, “I do not have a heart Q. None the less it is breaking.”

“Why? She is alive, she is lying before you.”

“It is not over. It will not be over until she has returned to her former state. Anything could happen between now and then. Just the thought of the possibilities makes me sick.”

“She has always loved you you know?”

“I know that now. It makes me sad to think that I had forgotten about her. We were so in love.”

“She has forgiven you. It wasn’t your fault.”

“I am aware of that. I still am finding it hard to forgive myself.”

“If she was well, she would kick your ass.

“I know.” Data started crying. “I know.” He slumped over on the bed.

“Hey,” Q walked over to him. He put his arm around Data’s shoulder. “She is going to be fine.”