empirical_data | To Boldly Go... [RP for haughty

There were adjustments that had to be made initially, that came as no surprise. For one thing, augmentation was illegal in the universe Data was accustomed to. Being revealed as an augment could rob one of well-deserved honors and citations. Here augments were run of the mill. If someone wasn't a Heavy Gravity Worlder (meaning that they were sturdy and dense and could navigate easily in two Gs, and their metabolism was incredible to feed that stocky bulk), then they had their reflexes enhanced, the ability to breathe water, or were tweaked clones. Cybernetic enhancements for more than just keeping the body maintained were common, such as for strength or for data navigation. And there were androids. There were still prejudices against AIs, and they couldn't efficiently navigate slipstream without the intuition of an organic, but there were many of them. Androids, and androids with brains that could link to ships with massive cosmic intellect, and all of them could feel.

It was nice to just... blend in, Data found. He was still unique, his positronic system still wonderfully compatible with other systems and strange in the way that it evolved and altered. His appearance still not modeled to look like that of a human precisely, but markedly different in that he had gold skin. And while they didn't have warp drive (yet another little tidbit that he was sure they could "develop" for interstellar rather than intergalactic ships) he had Avon to help navigate slipstream.

When they found a ship that was, of course.

Tarn-Vedra, or Seefra 1 as it was called by most locals even though the other Seefra planets had long since been destroyed by the impending sun, was still grappling its way out of a terrible state of affairs. Drought, acid-rain, 300 years of technological fear and agricultural strife. People fighting to hold whatever land they could, though the reintroduction of the Systems Commonwealth and the deciphering of Vedran technology had greatly improved the state of the planet. Her native sun had returned and weather regulators were going into effect. What was once dust was now beginning to flourish, water no longer a rarity worthy of fighting battles over, and science and progress once again had a foothold on the planet that had been unceremoniously jammed into the nether-regions of space.

It really had been the best planet for a few determined survivors to begin a new life. Dayna, of course, absolutely loved it and found a place to settle and conduct her own research. Avon he wasn't sure about. Data enjoyed being settled, and actually owning a piece of land. He'd never even been offered his father's properties after they were defined as Noonien's, and even if he'd been given rights by Starfleet they held all of the Soong research, even from generations past, whatever they could find, as their own. Down to his laboratories. Here he had his own lab, his own house, his own spouse, his own cat which was far too smart for his own good and remained constantly barricaded inside for fear of someone stealing it. There was still that little something missing; a ship so that he could travel, as he couldn't abide by staying in one place for too long, and a functional offspring.

Here, artificial intelligence was more reliable. There was a better chance of him creating another Soong-Type android and having someone there to assist in correcting the mistakes. The first step in both getting a ship and that offspring was contacting the Perseids.

Which was how Data ended up with some gray skinned figures roaming around their quaint little cybernetics and engineering laboratory.

"So you say you have the capacity to complete our Tesseract machine? Enough so that structural integrity for organics will no longer be placed at significant risk?"

"Yes. I've known of them as teleporters or transporters, but I would be glad to help."

"For this sort of technological development, a ship seems a meager price to pay, we'll gladly supply you with one," Dr. Roen said. It was a bit unusual, seeing the pharoah-like chin protrusion in accompaniment with a distinctly feminine figure. Though he didn't know whether she would be offended by him likening her to Hapshetsut from Earth's own history... But then again, she was a Perseid. At his worst, he was less socially inept and inadvertently insulting with his observations.

"I am hoping that in exchange for the ship we may also develop agreeable terms for future research interaction."

"Is your skin supposed to be that color," he companion interrupted, another Perseid, though this time male. "Or was it do to insufficient supplies and erroneous design."

"It is supposed to be that particular hue." Data agreed, smiling at the other scientist in his best cordial look, which looked decidedly forced. "I will have to discuss with my husband."

"We would also consider making the exchange for your cat!" Roen recommended anxiously. "With the destruction of Earth even researching extinct creatures is almost an impossibility. Did you genetically engineer her?"

"Yes, I did," he lied. The lie was easier to accept than the truth. "And I am afraid I am extremely attached. The results are unstable, and she's extremely unique."

The Perseid was still smiling even through her very apparent disappointment. "Ah, I see."

Data was thankful she let it drop. "I am certain my husband would also like some equipment to assist in his own research, which I have no doubt would be reasonable to accommodate." He looked over his shoulder, seeking out said husband in hopes he would arrive before the strange scientists sputtered out an even more unusual and accidentally abrasive observation.

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Avon nodded slowly, lower lip held between his teeth. "If it is truly what you want," he said.

"That box of hyper-intelligent fairy lights couldn't hold a candle to Roj," he murmured. "Still, I suppose we might suggest it to him..." it caused him a certain discomfort to think that Orac would almost certainly have the appropriate personality for an exploratory vessel.

He smiled a little, distractedly, at the word 'cretin', offering Data a mostly unapologetic shrug.

Avon received an earnest look, but Data just frowned a bit to himself and decided not to argue. It was evident that Roj had chosen his personality, and while it wasn't as... legitimately dignified, he supposed would be the description, as he would have preferred.

"Then... I suppose I will ready Orac for the next round of testing they do. Excuse me, I should speak with our escort." He sounded resigned, and again forced a supportive grin to Roj before he turned to head back for the door. To inform the waiting Dayna of what was going on.

"Father," Roj said, reaching to grip his arm lightly. He gave Avon an imploring look. "I can tell I've upset him, but... surely you can see the rationale behind my judgments. I sincerely don't feel that I've acted in error."

Avon watched him go, brow creased. They would need to talk, later, when they were alone.

He turned back to Roj. "No, there is no error," he said, "at least, not of yours. Data and I are both scientists. He has seen his share of violence, and I have perpetrated my own share of it - we both hoped that your life might be free of warfare. Do you understand? It is only concern for your wellbeing that prompted his reaction." And Avon's own, though he was doing his best to suppress it.

"I would like to know - if you want to tell me - what appeals to you about being a warship. Aside from the ability to defend yourself, of course. You understand that you must be willing to kill? To destroy other ships, other artificial intelligences like yourself, perhaps, and certainly their organic inhabitants? There may even be occasions when it is impossible to avoid killing innocent people. Are you prepared for that?"

"I have thought about it..." His eyes drifted down, and he sighed.

"Data... I am aware comes from a near utopian world. The Commonwealth here was once like that, but the Nietzcheans are testiment to what it became. It fell apart because of distrust, miscalculation. You come from the worst of the worst, you've fought and lost the hard the fight."

He put his hands on Avon's shoulder, expression pleading, imploring that he believe him. "I want to do the man that I'm modeled after a service. I want to help Data see that world that he was missing. Sometimes... it require a more aggressive tack. And most importantly, if I'm a warship no one will ever consider harassing either of you."

His words were genuine, he truly did feel that way. Even with something pressing at the back of his mind. He wanted that ship. If they were wrong-doers, if they were evil, it was fine to get rid of them.

Avon had to smile at that, a genuine smile this time. "I appreciate the sentiment, Roj. And I do believe that your intentions were good." So had Blake's been. And that, among other things, was what worried Avon. "I have no doubt that you'll excel yourself. Just bear in mind that morality is a more complex issue that simply right and wrong. There's always a middle road, always ambiguity." He glanced over his shoulder, then said more quietly, "make sure that you do what is best for you. Don't allow yourself to be pressed into any situations that put you at unreasonable risk. There are many good lessons to be learned from the Nietzscheans, unpleasant though some of their ideas are."

"I wouldn't have volunteered if it didn't satisfy all of my interests. Imagine, not only having full possession of a ship but being that vessel, the power and the ability to go wherever you'd like without fear of attack." He grinned widely. "And if I ever had a teacher in moral ambiguity..."

He gave Avon a look that was worthy of the man who had just walked out.

Avon had to admit that the idea of being an impenetrable fortress had its appeal. At least he would know that his son was capable of taking care of himself out there.

"Then I wish you luck, Roj. I would tell you to make us proud, but you've already done that." It was true that Roj had exceeded all their expectations. If one of the ways in which he had done so made his fathers nervous, it wasn't his fault. Avon had no desire to discourage the boy.

"I don't blame him for the decision," Dayna said, looking inside to Avon and Blake talking. Odd, seeing the face she only saw once, scarred and battered, but there in perfect condition on an android boy.

Data shook his head. "I am being unreasonable. I believe my objections lie in the fact that I wish for a more positive environment that would require less constructive input based in self-defense... but it should please Avon."

He turned to look inside, expression ever-warmed by the man that he called husband. If Avon could accept the decision, he should as well. Avon had proven his worth more than once, and they'd seen into each other's minds.

Dayna was ignoring his wistful look, though, because the Nietzchean she'd seen earlier (and Avon had scowled at) had seemed to acquire company. And were talking. She forgot how keen their hearing was. They'd probably been listening in on the whole conversation.

Dear Data, how he needed a healthy dose of paranoia.

"Well he's not attached to a ship yet. Are we expected to take him somewhere?"

"I'll go ask Dr. 27Carol," Data said, breaking out of his Avon induced reverie and going to find her. Dayna watched him go before heading into the conference room, over to Avon.

"Your boy I think is developing a fan club... Hello there, Roj." She added as an afterthought.

"You've heard the news, then?" Avon said to Dayna. "You spoke to Data?" Is he all right? was the unasked question, but he hoped she picked up on it.

He grinned at the idea of a fan club for Roj. "Seems perfectly logical to me. I expect his servers will be overloaded with fan mail once he's a ship. All the nice girls love a sailor," he quoted dryly.

To Boldly Go... [RP for haughty_alpha]

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