Metamorphosis - Jean Lorrah [3]
“Data, that was a landmark decision,” Riker reminded him. “It’s not going to be overturned.”
“Perhaps not overturned, but given the estimates of my life span the probability approaches 100 percent that it will be challenged.
What I am has been debated three times in only twenty-seven years: when I was first activated, at my application to Starfleet Academy, and again when Commander Maddox sought to disassemble me. I did not question the necessity the first two times. Now I realize that there will always be those who are not satisfied. Judge Louvois put it very aptly when she said that the question is whether I have a soul. Even she admits that that is something that cannot be proven.”
“No more for us than for you, Data,” Geordi said. “The difference,” Data explained, “is that if souls exist, you are automatically assumed to have one, and I am not.”
“So you must keep proving yourself,” put in Worf, who had listened in silence to the previous conversation.
“Among Klingons, an unchallenged life is not worth living.”
Data smiled at their security chief. “But I am no more Klingon than I am human.”
“Maybe you’re more than human, Data,” Geordi suggested. “You’re the only person I know with a halo. Only saints have halos.”
What Geordi called his “halo” was nothing more than the aura of electromagnetic energy generated by his nonorganic components. Only the engineer could perceive it, with the VISOR that gave him vision far beyond the spectrum available to human, or even android, senses. Geordi had teased Data about it before-but Dr.
Pulaski evidently didn’t recognize the attempt at levity. “All innocents are saints,” she said.
Almost without volition, Data accessed his memory concerning metaphysics and theology, and realized, “If I am innocent in that sense-incapable of sin-then I do not have free will, and the verdict of today’s hearing was wrong.” There was a moment of stunned silence. Then Riker said, “If you didn’t have free will, there would have been no hearing. You would have accepted the transfer without question.”
As his friends seemed relieved to accept that rationalization, Data didn’t pursue the question further. He stored it for future consideration, though.
Was he capable of wrongdoing? Not mistakes; having to make decisions with insufficient information provided frequent opportunity for those. Not disobeying orders; there were times when any officer did so, in the firm belief that some other factor overrode the force of the order. But deliberate wrongdoing, referred to in a religious context as sin. Had he ever in his life placed his own desire before duty? Was he capable of doing so? He had never been tempted, he realized. I am simply untested in that area of life, he told himself firmly. Still- .iust then Counselor Deanna Troi appeared on the path leading from the woods to the picnic area. She stopped in her tracks, her huge dark eyes even wider with surprise. “What has happened? This was supposed to be a happy celebration.”
“We just found out that Data’s not a Klingon,” Geordi said, still trying to lighten the mood.
“But Worf is right,” Data said. “I must accept that the challenge to my sentience is one I can never say I have won permanently.” And what shall 1 do if I discover that Maddox was right? No, l do not believe he was. Let it go for now. “However, I did win this round, so I have cause for celebration.
Counselor, I have a present for you.”
The mood lightened, the rest of the presents were opened, and the party settled down in!comfortable conversations among people who knew and liked one another.
Data deliberately stayed with Troi and Riker for a time, having observed that humans often understood actions better than words. He knew that some would think he had forgiven Riker, and wondered if there were any way to show them there was nothing to forgive. They were all Starfleet officers, after all; every one of them must at some time have had to perform