Star Trek: DATA AND FRIEND

 Subject: AUTOPOST: story/tng/DataAndFriend.zip (part 01/01)

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        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.