Obeying The Lore (Part One)

My latest hobby of building model aeroplanes hasn't been going very well.

It seems like 'construction' is a chip that was never fitted in me by Doctor Soong, my creator. After the failure of trying to build my android daughter Lal, I have rarely had the inclination to try again.

Even with model aircraft I am a complete failure; the cement goes all over my fingers, the paint goes everywhere and the transfers stick to my body.

How were people able to build them in the 20th century? They would probably have more luck in designing an android with a positronic brain. The last one I tried to just repeated "Mission accomplished" over and over until his Duracell battery ran out. I forgot to install an 'off' switch on him.

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As I have just been called to the Bridge, I've put down my work. When I arrive there, Captain Picard looks at me.

"Mr Data, why do you have paint and a German aircraft transfer stuck to your hand?" he asks.

"I did not have time to wash them off" I explain, " I was..."

"Never mind" the Captain continues, "We have been summoned to Starbase 6; apparently there has been a series of murders."

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Captain Picard, Deanna Troi, Lieutenant Worf and myself beam down to investigate; we are greeted by Balas, the Security Officer there.

"Captain" he says, "Dr Rou, the foremost authority on cybernetic research has been murdered; he was stabbed in the back and thrown out into space through an airlock. Two of my security officers suffered a similar fate. We recovered their bodies floating in space."

"What exactly was he studying?" I ask.

"I've no idea." replies Balas, "But the important thing is that the killer is still on this station; I have not allowed anybody to depart since."

"I don't seem to sense anybody with murderous intentions" Counselor Troi observes.

"All right, everybody" says the Captain, "We'll split up into four and search the station; be careful. "

Ten minutes later, I amo down a quiet part of the station, where no one is around; my ears pick up footsteps behind me; I hear a voice.

"Hello, brother."



Lore.

"You should not be here." I tell him, "You were dissembled and..."

"You should always allow for the inquisitiveness of the human lifeform, brother." he gloats, "Dr Rou, who was so curious about how we work, couldn't help putting me together to see what happened. I guess he found out to his cost, as did the security officers."

"I will summon the Captain and Lieutenant Worf" I quickly say, "You will be dissembled and sent back."

"Have you learnt nothing, Data?" he asks, "We are self learning androids; that just won't happen. I am superior to you and all those Enterprise lifeforms. Look at the big picture, brother. You are either with me or against me."

"You know the answer to that one, Lore."

"Indeed I do; I'll have you dissembled and sent to a warehouse where everything is kept for eternity'. Just a nightwatchman guarding hundreds of crates, one which will have bits of you inside!"

"My absence will be noted, Lore"

"Not this time" he tells me, "I'll impersonate you and quietly wait for my chance."

Lore leaps towards me; we both toss and tumble, as I feel my 'off' switch being activated....

To be continued...