Path: news.inforamp.net!news2.toronto.istar.net!news3.ottawa.istar.net!istar.net!imci2!imci3!imci4!newsfeed.internetmci.com!howland.reston.ans.net!news-e2a.gnn.com!newstf01.news.aol.com!newsbf02.news.aol.com!not-for-mail From: lskywa@aol.com (LSkYwa) Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: REPOST: Affinities (TNG, Data/f, R) 5/10 Date: 3 May 1996 10:49:53 -0400 Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) Lines: 282 Sender: root@newsbf02.news.aol.com Message-ID: <4md6eh$8b9@newsbf02.news.aol.com> Reply-To: lskywa@aol.com (LSkYwa) NNTP-Posting-Host: newsbf02.mail.aol.com Status: N Affinities (A Data Story) (5/10) USUAL DISCLAIMER: All rights on the characters introduced in Star Trek, The Next Generation, belong to PARAMOUNT, except the characters specially invented for this story. This story is written for adults beyond the age of 18. (5) The new uniforms were more casual than the old ones with the zipper in front. They also showed less of the body inside. In Data's case, this was a pity. She had been watching the record of the first mission of the Enterprise D and had found him absolutely enchanting. He used to stand with his legs apart, his body forming an X. She had wished to be able to touch him, to stroke the inner side of his thighs. A few months ago she had thought that this would never happen. She had been wrong. Data closed his arms around her, pressing her tightly against him. He did not want to let her know, but he was still deeply worried. He hoped that she would stay alive long enough for him to build the artificial body. He found it difficult to concentrate on what he was supposed to do. Apparently she did not care about her condition at the moment. She was taking off his uniform shirt and kissing him deeply, passionately, as if this was the last time they would be together. He felt an odd sensation growing. Something in her moves was somehow aggressive, and he felt his own behaviour responding. He tried to get his feelings under control, but it was not possible. His body did not obey, as he would have done usually. He remembered what Deanna Troi once had told him: "You need to be more than the sum of your programming." Now he was. She knelt down in front of him, quickly removing his pants and taking his growing member into her mouth, sucking it slowly but effectively. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply. It was the first time. The others had only been eager to be serviced, not to serve. Her tongue was dancing, making his artificial heart jump for joy. He grasped her shoulders, trying hard to keep control of his feelings. He was afraid of what could happen when he lost it. He hadn't forgotten about the other side. When he felt near to emission, he stopped her, gently pushing her away. She was still dressed, but he changed that in an instant. Her dark hair was sticking to her head and shoulders, partially hiding her face. He removed a strand to look into her bright blue eyes. All he could read from them was happiness and passion. He still wondered how it was possible to feel passion for a machine, then he remembered that she would also be a machine soon. Suddenly he felt uncomfortable. But he remembered what she had been asking him for and shook off the bad thoughts. He had a request to fulfill. So he concentrated on stimulating her body according to some ancient Asian techniques he considered to be the most appropriate for her. He was so fast that sometimes she nearly could not distinguish between his lips, his tongue, his fingers and other parts of his body, especially when she had her eyes closed. She also suspected that he used light electrical charges. No matter what it was, it gave rise to feelings she never had before. He entered her several times, penetrating her deeply. He wished he could have slipped into her thoroughly, being inside her body, seeing the world through her eyes, feeling it with her hands, hearing it with her ears, incorporating himself into her. He could have continued for days, as he could not be exhausted like human beings. When he realised that she was near to losing consciousness, he ended, bringing her into bed and giving her a tender goodnight kiss. "Sleep well", he said softly. She opened her eyes and caught his hands. "Data, please stay with me. I want to sleep in your arms." He nodded. Actually he had to report to duty, but he understood that it was important to stay. He just asked the Captain for permission who also showed understanding. "I know that the situation is hard to bear for your girlfriend. Give her as much support as you can", Picard said. "Permission granted." Data closed the connection and returned to Lavinia, taking her into his arms and holding her like a little baby. He nearly did not dare to move until she was asleep. He also started a dream sequence while monitoring her biosignals with a subprocess that did not influence his sleep task. As soon as any malfunctions would occur, he would wake up immediately. * * * Personal Log Ensign Lavinia Morris, Stardate 48033,1. I am scared. When I woke up today, I thought it was only a dream, but it isn't. I can feel the decline. A few quick steps make me wheeze. I can't ignore it anymore. Data tries his best to encourage me, though he can't really feel my grief. How should he? He hasn't been human ever. He doesn't know what "scared to death" means. I saw Marcie today and told her all about my disease. She was shocked, as I expected. She wanted to take me for a trip to the holodeck greenwood simulation, but I had to refuse. Dr. Crusher has instructed me to stay in bed. I also feel for sure that the last night has been the last time for my human body together with Data. If our experiment fails, it will have been the last time at all. I don't like the idea. If only Dr. Soong hadn't died, we would have to be less careful about it now. Data is a brilliant scientist, but I still have doubts if he will be such a genius as his father had been. We will see if the emotion chip has filled him with enough inspiration. I should already have sent a message to my parents and my brother, but I can't. I still hope that the experiment will be successful and I won't have to tell them about my new true nature. I already think that it might have been wrong to tell Marcie about it. She's such a chatterbox, though she's a true friend. I will have to ask her to keep the secret. I'm doubtful about what I have said about finding it desirable to become an android. My body is limited, but it was grown. It was not constructed. I feel as if I had to apologize for my unhealthy way of living. My body's not perfect, it never has been, but it made me feel the miracle of life. I could smell the fragnance of flowers, the scent of a summer rain, I could see rainbows and feel my heart burst with joy about their beauty, listen to the singing of the birds and the whispering of the leaves and these wonderful pieces of ancient music. Laughter, tears, joy, even fear and desperation, all that made me feel so real, so being alive. What will come afterwards? Will it feel artificial? Will it be different? Sometimes I also ask myself why I shouldn't give into my death. Millions have died in wars and epidemics. What's so special about my death? Something will come afterwards. But it would mean leaving my friends, my newfound lover, this ship, this many plans I have. If the experiment succeeds, I will have more than a lifetime to follow my ideas. There are so many possibilities, so many things to learn, so many things to reach. If I get this second chance, I will prove myself to be worthy of it. In the past I had only a few ambitions, and I feel that this is about to change now. I have to focus on my ambitions. Maybe it will drive away the fear. * * * Personal Log Ltd. Cmdr. Data, Stardate 48033,2. My work on the conversion of Ensign Lavinia Morris from human to android continues. I contacted the Daystrom Institute half an hour ago. Commander Bruce Maddox will give us some of the support necessary to carry out the project. I have made clear that Ensign Lavinia Morris will not serve as an experimental subject for them. To my surprise he understood immediately. The continuing assistance I have given him over the years seems to have led him to fully accept me as an equal member of society. Perhaps my recent acqusition of emotions played a role in his change of attitude as well. Dr. Crusher is still concerned about Ensign Morris. Her condition is stabilised now, however, but she needs continual observation. I am afraid that I might have overtaxed her in our last romantic encounter. My own state of mind is stable as well. I have written a subroutine that stores all experiences which cause severe confusion in a cache memory until I can work it out. In accordance with my instruction from Captain Picard I have not mentioned anything to fellow crew members about our project, though their reactions would add a very interesting facet to my human behaviour database. Maybe I will have the opportunity to do that research when Ensign Morris has become familiar with her new state. At the moment I am trying to keep a slight distance from Ensign Morris, as I feel that I might not be capable of bearing the emotions about her which arise when I allow myself to feel. I do clearly remember being such a coward when Geordi was threatened by Dr. Soran, and I do not want the same thing happen again. This project requires my full concentration and capacity. I hope my aloofness does not hurt Lavinia's feelings. * * * "Come on, Data. There's something going on, and you don't want to tell me about? Don't you trust your friends?" The visor was hiding Geordi's eyes, as usual, but from his experience with his old friend Data knew that he was dying to know about the source of Data's depressed mood. And he was somehow disappointed, too. "It's that Ensign, Lavinia Morris, uh? Do you have a kind of relationship now?" Data sighed, and Geordi noticed that the sigh sounded almost human. He still was impressed by the change in the android's behaviour, though he was not sure if he liked the new Data more than the old one. Some of Data's misunderstandings of human characteristics had been priceless enough to be missed now. He also noticed that Data had changed his way of speaking. He was using contractions now! "Yes", the android admitted unhappily. He would have preferred to speak frankly, but he had promised to withhold it. So far the Captain, Dr. Crusher and Cmdr. Maddox were the only ones he had been talking to about the matter. "What about you?", he finally asked, trying to distract Geordi. "Nothing new at all. I'm not very lucky in romantic affairs, you know." Data nodded. He had the impression that most women had problems with Geordi's visor and the somewhat shy behaviour he showed when he fell in love with a woman. He wondered why it was so difficult for human beings to find someone to love. Some of them took a big portion, and others had to starve. He intended to look for a girlfriend for Geordi. * * * Captain Picard was a reasonable man. He always had been impressed by King Solomon and tried to follow his wisdom. It was not always easy for him to make decisions for or mete out decisions to his crew, especially when he wanted to be fair to everybody. He knew that he captained this vessel much more like a manager than a commander, but he did not feel uncomfortable about that. He wished that he could do his research missions without all the military conflicts they had to face again and again. But the universe was still not ready for peace. He looked at the fishes swimming peacefully in the little aquarium in the wall of his ready room and wondered what they might be thinking at the moment, if they were aware of anything. Principally, they were nothing more than a living decoration, but sometimes he suspected that they might feel uncomfortable in their small bowl. However, these thoughts always lasted only moments and were soon forgotten. The door chime bleeped. "Come in", he said shortly. It was Ltd. Commander Data. A delicate smile appeared on the captain's face. His second officer obviously had still problems with his new constitution, and the disease of Ensign Lavinia Morris made the whole matter much harder. It was still disconcerting for him to see the android being in love with a human woman. He had been watching Data's former attempts of romances with amusement. But this time he felt involved and responsible for a good outcome. "Captain?", Data started. "Permission to speak frankly?" "Go ahead." "I feel uncomfortable with your instruction not to mention anything about the Morris project. I can't proceed without the help of Ltd. Commander La Forge. So I am asking you if you will allow me to explain to him what I am working on." That was only half the truth. Actually it was not yet necessary to involve Geordi, but Data had found out that he was not able to keep quiet any longer. He was urged to ask his friend for advice. Captain Picard wondered if Data knew that his face could not conceal his feelings. He sent an imploring look to the ceiling. "Alright, for god's sake, Data, you have my permission to involve Mr. LaForge. But let it be enough now. Being able to keep secrets is also a worthwile human virtue." Data cocked his head thoughtfully. "I will keep that in mind, Sir." * * * CONTINUED NEXT MAIL (c) 1996 lskywa@aol.com *** SkY iS tHE LiMIt ***