Metamorphosis - Jean Lorrah [48]
Through numerous small cuts on the palms of his hands welled bright red blood.
DATA STOOD STARING at the blood on his palms, feeling the pain in his hands and knees. Sheer disbelief fought with wonder in his mind. It could not be real! He could not be … real?
… human?
What he felt was different from any previous experience. He was used to feedback circuits bringing the results of diagnostics immediately to his conscious attention. Now there was no indication of the type or extent of his damage, just this extremely unpleasant sensation calling his attention to the four points of his body that had taken the brunt of his fall. The sensations began to fade. That must mean he was not badly hurt, as he would not expect a human to be from a similar mishap. A human … but even if it were true, he had duties. Guilt stabbed him. He had been sent here to study the island, the mountain-not indulge his personal desires! He was on the rocky beach from which he had first spotted Thelia, facing the swamp. He turned toward the mountain, looking for the entrance to the caverns, but he could not see it. Not sensor damage: organic eyes simply could not access the frequencies necessary to locate it. He reached for the cylinder Geordi had provided for his Quest-but it no longer hung beside his tricorder in its holster. Still, he knew where the opening was.
Traversing the uneven ground took as much effort as he had needed to walk when confined to auxiliary locomotive power. The farther he went, though, the more effort it took. He grew uncomfortably warm as he worked his way to the sheer rock wall, and almost fell several times as he searched for the hand-and foot-holds that had been so easy for an android.
Finally, panting and sweating, he pulled himself onto the ledge and faced the entrance.
Or where the entrance had been.
His hands touched solid rock: pushing on it only made the cuts on his palms burn. It occurred to him to try his tricorder. It now worked, but read exactly what he saw: solid rock.
Data stood back and looked up toward the top of the mountain. “Gods of Elysia!” he shouted.
There was no answer.
Had he really expected one?
They had given him what he had asked forand now they were through with him.
He had passed their tests, and now he was-A sudden bubble of painstpleasure rose up inside him, and he felt himself smile. Why was he fighting it?
He was human!
For better or for worse, he truly was what he had longed to be. It terrified and delighted him at the same time.
For long moments Data stood rapt at the very idea of being human, feeling his flesh react as he shivered in the cold air, before the habit of duty prompted him again. If his tricorder was working, then-He tapped his combadge. “Data to Enterprise. his Worf s voice said, “Captain-his Before the Klingon could continue, Picard’s voice exclaimed, “Data! Are you all right?”
“Yes, sir, but-was “Transporter room-get a lock on that signal and beam Commander Data up at once!”
“But the power surge-was protested the transporter chief’s voice. “Get him aboard before there’s another one!” Picard ordered. Data was caught in the familiar sensation, the mountain fading, the Enterprise transporter room coalescing before him. Yellow Alert lights were flashing-.-presumably combecause of the power surge they had mentioned. Data suddenly realized what Elysia’s power surges were: the “gods” exercising their power for something as seemingly impossible as turning an android into a man. He must proceed directly to the bridge and inform the captain-Transporter Chief O’Brien frowned at something on his console, looked up, and slapped the alarm.
“Intruder alert! Security to Transporter Three!”
Data was too stunned to get a word out before two guards appeared, phasers trained on him. With them
flanking him, O’Brien stalked forward. “Who are you?” he demanded.