(written by Bovi and Marka)

Anthony was still looking at the padd in his hand when he heard the door chime. He put it away on the desk and looked at the door.

"Enter," he said finally, with a sigh. He hated such conversations.

Pierre knew instantly this wasn't going to be pleasant. He was linked to the ship's systems and could read Anthony's mind. It was tempting but Pierre knew it was also inappropriate. Instead, he just came to attention in front of the captain's desk.

"You called for me, sir," he said simply.

"Would you care to explain to me what exactly happened between you and Piete?"

It was calm and straight to the point. Anthony never liked to beat around the bushes when it came to serious matters. Pierre replied equally bluntly:

"I knocked him down and beat him hard. I thought he was attacking Miss Kruk, sir. I… overreacted."

Anthony stood up and walked around his desk. He stopped close to Pierre and looked him straight into the eyes. Pierre found it increasingly difficult but he didn't avert his eyes.

"Overreacted?" Asked the captain as if he was repeating the most incredulous thing he'd ever heard. "You're the computer officer aboard this ship. You're not supposed to overreact. What if you… overreact in a first contact situation? Or while investigating a dangerous anomaly? You may be putting this crew in grave danger."

"Permission to…" Pierre wanted to ask but Anthony interrupted:

"Yes, go ahead. Say what you will. Nothing can explain, much less justify your behavior.

Pierre finally looked down.

"I know, sir," he said quietly. "I wasn't going to justify it. I was only hoping you would understand…"

"Understand what?" Anthony was still looking coldly at the android. He wasn't going to make it easy for him.

Pierre raised his head again and said plainly: "I am in love with her. I was… jealous."

Anthony shook his head. "This is not that simple," he said.

"With all due respect, sir, what can be simpler than that? I was designed to feel emotions and right now I'm feeling a lot of them. I suppose I have yet to learn how to control them. I wasn't raised as a human child. I didn't have much… practice. Until now, I've never felt anything quite like it."

"And that's the point of it," replied Anthony, glad that the hardest part of this conversation was over. He went back to his chair and let Pierre have a sit, too. "I don't think you have been designed for that much emotions at all."

"What do you mean?" Pierre was genuinely surprised.

"I mean that until now, you have experienced anxiety, sadness, pleasure, friendship… all kinds of emotions. The problem is, none of them is as violent as love or jealousy. It's a good thing you realize this but I'm not sure that's enough."

Pierre sat silently for a while, thinking about what the captain had just said. Anthony allowed him the time. "What should I do?" He finally asked.

Anthony still didn't answer. He just kept on staring at Pierre.

"I… might talk to Aleyah?" Pierre tried. Anthony nodded but kept looking. Evidently, the really hard part of it was yet to come.

"Perhaps you'd care to teach me some of the Vulcan meditation techniques to suppress emotions?"

"Are you avoiding the most logical solution, Pierre?" The captain finally asked.

"Meaning…" He gasped in sudden realization. "You're not suggesting I have my program altered?!"

"You are malfunctioning," Anthony said softly. "Counseling or meditations won't change that. You…," he sighed. "You need to be repaired."

"But… Mark!" Pierre exclaimed. "You're talking about changing my personality! I am a sentient being! Don't I… Don't I deserve the right to make mistakes? Like everybody else does?" He finished quietly.

"I'm sorry, Pierre," Mark replied. "This is different. It has to be different. You knew the responsibilities when you signed up to Starfleet. Too much depends on your sanity…" he paused. Pierre didn't say anything. He was just sitting there calm, motionless.

"I'm not going to order you to do this," Anthony continued. "I am asking you to consider it." His eyes softened as he watched his officer and friend struggle with probably the most difficult decision in his entire life. Finally, Pierre said:

"That would mean erasing all my feelings for her…"

Anthony nodded.

"I… can't," the android looked desperate. "I'll have no choice if you order me, sir, but I can't make that decision myself."

The captain straightened up in his seat. "I said I will not order you. Not yet. I am willing to give you a chance to deal with this on your own. That's a huge leap of faith on my part but I'm prepared to take this risk. Just don't disappoint me, Commander. Dismissed."

* * *

" You know, I don't even have to be here," Pierre said with a trace of impatience in his voice. "I could just stay within the ship's systems and let you dissect this body."

The Bajoran engineer wasn't very happy about his current assignment either. He was virtually disassembling Pierre, prying into his interior with all kinds of tools. Oh, the android was a fascinating piece of technology, no doubts about it. If only he didn't have the personality of Pierre.

"I'm sorry, Commander, that wouldn't do," he said trying to gain access to Pierre's central plexus which basically meant that he had to take his head off. "I need to see your systems working… here!" He finally managed to find the access port. "If you have anything else to say, you'd better say it now before I disconnect your vocal processor, sir."

Pierre just shrugged, making Tom jump to catch a piece of rather delicate equipment that had been lying on the android's chest. They were both in main engineering, however the room looked more like a weird sickbay at the moment with Pierre spread on a replicated biobed and Tom Rex hovering over him with his tools and tricorders like a doctor examining a patient. The analogy was close, since it was precisely what the engineer was doing. With a mechanical patient one needs an engineer to do a check-up.

"Proceed," Pierre said, rather bored. "I will still be able to talk to you in your mind, you know," he added.

Tom had already rolled the artificial skin around Pierre's neck and was now carefully disconnecting the microscopic mechanisms. Another analogy, since he could only do that watching the inner connections on a display unit similar to the ones used by surgeons.

"There you go," he said to himself once the last retractor clicked and all the connections were severed.

*Just be careful, Lieutenant, will you?* Pierre warned even as Tom was gently putting his head away.

"No worries, Commander," the engineer smiled. "I have studied your schematics very carefully.

*Ahh! I think I know now why patients are still sedated during the operations…* Pierre sighed mentally. *It is a little unnerving, you know, to see your body being taken apart.*

"Hmm… I'd rather think it is done so that they don't bother their doctors during the delicate procedures…" Tim replied distractedly while waving a tricorder over Pierre's now open neck.

*Oh, whatever,* Pierre said, resigned. *Just be careful.*

*What?!* Half an hour later Pierre asked, alarmed at seeing the Bajoran's long face.

"I'm afraid I don't have good news for you," Tom answered, still monitoring the display.

*Well, spit it out!*

"Your systems are on the verge of overloading. Unless we delete certain subroutines and purge your program, you're in trouble."

*In that case I'll just try not to expand them any more.*

"That will not be enough. Your memory banks are growing with each passing day and so are your personality subroutines. It's the android equivalent of gaining experience. There's not much you can do about it. You see," he continued after a pause. "With biological organisms there is no problem with overgrowing brain capacity. We learn new things and we forget all the irrelevant data. You, on the other hand, cannot forget anything. You've been designed with only that much capacity and you've managed to exceed it considerably. We have to delete your memories."

*Wait!* Pierre was agitated. *It's not the captain's orders!*

Tom looked at Pierre's dismantled body and thought how helpless the mighty android looked now.

"I know," he replied softly. "I won't do anything unless you tell me to. Just bear it in mind that you can't survive like this much longer."

*How long?*

"Depends on the amount of new experience. Anything from two days to two weeks. Maybe three."

*How about building a secondary storage device? You know, sort of a back up brain?* Pierre was desperately seeking a way to avoid the worst fate.

"I'm sorry, Pierre," Tim sighed. "I'm not up to the task and nobody on this ship is. Your systems are far too complicated. We might store some of the information in the ship's systems and deal with it when we're back on Earth but…"

*But what?*

"Well, we won't be deleting only information. That could be stored safely. We're talking about your personality and I won't lie to you. It will be disintegrating gradually. There's no telling how much of the original you we'll ever be able to retrieve…"

* * *

*Hello, Sunshine. May I visit you?*

Joanna jumped in her armchair at the sudden thought in her mind.

*Pierre! I thought you were undergoing maintenance!*

*Well, I'm through with it! And I'm free to take you for dinner!* He sounded bright and cheerful but Joanna could sense something beneath. She wasn't a trained telepath but her time with Pierre had been fruitful. She got to know him better than she'd ever thought possible. He was afraid of something, she could feel it. Before she managed to reply, the door to her quarters chimed. She wasn't sure if she really wanted this but…

"Come in," she said, bracing herself. She was really scared and she knew he'd feel it. She was right.

"What's wrong?" Pierre asked the moment he entered Joanna's quarters. "There's nothing to be afraid of, it's just me…"

Joanna stood up and tried to smile. She was wearing her favorite blue mini skirt and a tight top. Not exactly Starfleet protocol but she was off duty. And she hadn't expected guests. Now, in front of Pierre, she suddenly felt embarrassed. She run her hands along the skirt, trying to make it look longer. She could sense some… passionate feelings from him. He just stood there, staring at her.

"Is there something wrong?" She repeated his question, trying to sound conversational.

"You look… gorgeous!" She heard him swallow hard. It was near impossible to read any expression in those shiny eyes of his but she knew he was mesmerized and… aroused?

"Listen, Pierre," she tried to move away from him but he grabbed her hand and stopped her.

"Don't," he whispered. "I would never harm you." He let go of her arm slowly and ran his fingers through her hair, his eyes locked on hers. She backed away. "What's wrong?" He asked again.

Joanna looked around in panic. It's not that she didn't feel anything for him. The fact that his body was artificial had stopped bothering her long ago. She could easily imagine herself in his arms and, in fact, she did imagine it on more than one occasion. But it was all before he almost killed poor Piete. Now… now she just wasn't sure what to expect of him. She had hoped it was the Kelvan virus affecting him along with the rest of the crew but…

"Joanna, please…" she heard him whisper almost out of breath. He neared his face to hers, trying to kiss her.

"Stop it!" She pushed him away and crossed the room, trying to put as much distance between them as she could. Eventually, she felt safe behind her armchair. He was still standing in the middle of the room, disoriented.

"Why?" He asked. "I just…" He couldn't find the words. Joanna looked at him standing helplessly like that. She felt sorry for him. Hurting him was the last thing she wanted to do but…

"Go away," she said quietly. "Please, just leave me alone."

* * *

Commander Kowalsky was on his watch on the bridge. The Explorer had been traveling uneventfully for the last few days. They were on a direct course to a system with three M-class planets but there was still a long way ahead of them.

Jerry would be bored with the routine if it wasn't for the tactical officer. Ever since their last unpleasant adventure, he couldn't stop thinking about the tiny woman standing right behind his back.

"Status?" He demanded for the tenth time within the last hour.

"All systems functional, sir." Yoko repeated without a trace of boredom in her voice. She was as alert as usual. "Nothing on sensors."

"Good!" Jerry stood up and walked over to the tactical console, trying hard to act casually. Tanaki smiled at him shyly. She still remembered his outburst while under the Kelvan virus. Not that she was afraid of him but that memory made her step back a little on his approach.

"Commander?"

"Carry on," he said awkwardly, not having courage to smile back at her. He had been wondering how to approach her for some time now. Not that he usually had such problems with women. It was just the fact that he was her superior and he was supposed to act like one. Telling an officer under his command that he was attracted to her was something he had hoped never to do. Now he was about to re-evaluate his priorities.

"Lieutenant?"

"Yes, sir?"

"What are your plans for the afternoon?"

"Commander?" Yoko seriously thought she had heard wrong.

"I was wondering if you'd like to join me on the holodeck later. I have created a new program I thought you might like…" Jerry felt a little anxious, waiting for her reply. The woman looked up from her console, with disbelief in her eyes.

"Sir?"

Jerry was about to dismiss it with a 'never mind, I'll ask someone else for a second opinion' when Yoko added quickly.

"I'd be glad to!"

* * *

After another hour, while Jerry was pondering which program to actually choose for his first date, Yoko suddenly reported:

" Sir, we're picking up some strange readings on our long range sensors."

"Specify!" Kowalsky ordered, now all business again.

"It's difficult to tell at this distance. There might be some anomaly forming eighty light years away, bearing 243 mark 5."

"Set course, transwarp 7. What's our ETA?"

"Nine hours," sir. Should I inform the captain?"

"Negative," Kowalsky shook his head. "You just concentrate on the readouts."

*Pierre?* He thought to the computer officer.

*Already done, Commander. The captain is on his way.*

* * *

"Report?" Anthony emerged from the turbolift. By the time he got to the bridge, Yoko had been able to pick up some new information:

"We're reading a massive wave of bosons as well as tachyon particles from the spot, sir. The anomaly is forming, we're on a direct intercept course. I believe it's a wormhole, sir," she added after a pause.

"Mystique class!" Said Anthony in awe. And possibly with time distortion as well! How long until we reach it?"

"Less than nine hours now, sir," answered Piete at the helm. "What's a Mystique class wormhole?"

Anthony looked at the young Gurlan. Then he realized that the phenomenon was so rare, Piete might have actually not heard about it.

"It is believed that Mystique class wormholes have been engineered thousands of years ago. They open approximately every hundred years in different parts of our Galaxy. Thousands of them, at the same time. Last time they were observed, a few ships were lost during investigation. Until now we never knew they opened in other galaxies as well."

"Captain!" Piete exclaimed, excitedly. "If there's a time distortion, it means we may be able to rescue one of these lost ships!"

* * *

" It's… it's just lovely," Yoko whispered, in awe. They had just entered the holodeck and the view in front of her was truly breathtaking. They were standing on one of the large, purple rocks, half plunged in crystal clear waters of an alien ocean. The sky above them was plain azure, two large moons gave just enough light to see all the colors. Delicate mist was rising from the ocean and the air seemed to be sparkling with all shades of red, blue and fluorescent green.

" I'm glad you like it," said Commander Kowalsky, trying to make his voice sound as casual as possible. He failed. Yoko turned to look at him with a warm smile.

"One could hardly imagine a more romantic setting… sir." She added that last word after a pause. Jerry thought about it for a while before he finally said:

"We're off duty. Why don't you call me by my first name?"

A happy smile brightened the woman's face when she replied:

"Of course, Jerry." She seemed to be tasting his name, probing the sound of it, when she repeated: "Jerry… that's a very nice name."

Kowalsky made a wide gesture, inviting her to walk along the beach.

"I don't like it very much," he said as they set out. For some reason, his throat felt tense and his mouth dry. *I'm making an ass of myself!* He thought. Apparently, his companion didn't share that opinion. She took his arm and started walking slowly ahead.

"Not many people call you that, Jerry," she said softly. "You don't socialize much…"

"Uhm… no, I guess I don't." He replied, stiffly. Now that they were together, he could hardly think of anything to say. All the scenarios he had re-dreamed and revised before suddenly vanished from his head.

"It must be difficult for you," Yoko continued as if she hadn't noticed anything. Suddenly, she slipped on one of the rocks and grabbed his arm stronger to regain her balance. Jerry could easily use the situation to put his arm around the woman but he hesitated. Yoko moved on and the opportunity was gone. *Damn!* He thought. *I'm acting like a teenager!*

"Why do you think it's difficult?" He answered her question with another one. "I think I like it this way."

The woman looked up at him.

"Aren't you ever… lonely?"

Her voice was soft and pleasant. He could see a warm light in her eyes when she was looking at him. He couldn't decide whether this was only friendly or if there was something else to it… and he was afraid. More than anything else at that moment he wanted to hug and kiss her on the lips. Long and passionate. But… what if she pushed him away? What if he was mistaken and all she felt for him was just… sympathy?

"Are you lonely?" He replied with a question again.

Yoko stopped and turned to face him. He was being impossible. After almost six years he finally asked her out for a date and now he was behaving like it was just a friendly gathering. She looked into his eyes. Those cold, blue eyes that had been hunting her for so long. They weren't cold right now. She could tell that he was… nervous.

" I am," she whispered, moving closer to him. "Sometimes I'm very lonely…"

He did it. He put his arms around her tiny body and just stood there for a while. Nothing happened. The woman didn't reject him. She was still looking at him, waiting for something.

*Could she…* he thought and before he was able to finish the thought, he gave in to the impulse. He bent over and kissed her. Her lips felt soft and warm. He kissed her again and she kissed him back. And again. In a few moments they were clinging to each other tightly, lost into each other like nothing else existed.

* * *

*Senior staff to the bridge!* Pierre's mental voice reached Jerry and Tanaki simultaneously. They broke their passionate hug and looked at each other. Moments later they were in the turbolift, heading to the bridge. Neither said a word.

"Status?" Jerry asked when they arrived.

"The wormhole seems to be opening, sir," Yoko replied after only briefly looking at her sensor display. "I'm reading heightened levels of tachyon particles…"

"On screen!" Jerry commanded. At that moment, Captain Anthony entered the bridge.

"What the…" he managed on seeing the viewscreen. The spectacle was remarkable.

With their sensors at maximum, they could see the wormhole opening its enormous mouth in space right in front of them. At first, they only saw a blinding gleam of light.

"What's that?" Anthony asked. Tanaki, after a moment of frantic work over her controls, had an answer for him:

"It's the boson radiation, sir. Nothing harmful."

Anthony nodded and turned back to watch the viewscreen.

"Sir!" Piete exclaimed.

Anthony looked closer and he saw something emerge from the wormhole.

"It looks like… a starship!"

It didn't. At least not immediately. What they saw first was some faint blue gleaming, like active nacelles. Only after another minute, they were able to make out a Starfleet vessel, coming out of the anomaly… backwards.

"Lieutenant?" Anthony asked.

"Definitely Starfleet signature, sir," replied Yoko. "It's the Intrepid class… and it took quite a beating."

Now they could see it, too. The ship had clear marks of phaser fire and hull breaches through several sections.

"It registers as NCC-77335. USS Reginald Johnson…"

* * *

"Hail them!" Anthony ordered.

*Channel open,* informed Pierre.

"Starfleet vessel, this is USS Explorer. I'm Captain Mark Anthony, commanding. What's your status? Do you need assistance?"
The main viewscreen activated and they saw a Vulcan in an old-fashioned Starfleet captain's uniform .

"Captain Anthony, this is Federation Deep Space Explorer vessel Reginald Johnson, Captain Chiita Scar'an speaking. As a matter of fact, we could use some assistance. We are… a bit lost."

Anthony realized the channel went mute and turned to his tactical officer. She already had some new information for him:

"They must have been caught by the wormhole, sir. The records show USS Johnson was in service in 2373 – 2375. They're reported as missing in action after that period…"

The captain nodded and turned back to the Vulcan on the viewscreen.

"Captain Scar'an, I'm afraid the situation is a bit complicated. I suggest we meet and discuss it in person. My ship or yours?" He added with a reassuring smile.

The channel was open again.

Chiita faced the Human face on the view screen. "Thank you for the invite Captain, I'd be delighted to come aboard. Would ten minutes be enough time?"

Anthony nodded, "We're expecting you in ten minutes, then, Captain. Anthony out."

*Pierre? I'll need you in the conference room,* Anthony thought to his computer officer. He only hoped that Pierre would feel up to the task.

*I will, don't worry, Mark,* he replied. Anthony nodded and turned to Tanaki.

"Lieutenant, I need all the information you have on the Johnson and its crew."

"Uhm… captain?" Yoko already had something else to report.

"Yes?"

"It seems they have a semi-sentient computer aboard…"

"Semi-sentient?" Asked Pierre, entering the bridge. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means it's a semi-aware AI, probably an early prototype for TCS," replied Tanaki calmly. "It's capable of independent thought but its abilities are usually limited by an inhibitor. It's only activated in emergency situations. Once the danger is over, its awareness routines are deleted."

Anthony looked at Pierre, who was clearly agitated.

"That's cruel!" He almost exclaimed but one glance at the captain's face stopped him.

"I need you, Lieutenant Tanaki, Tim and Liana to report to the conference room," ordered Anthony, relieved. "Oh, and notify Dr Darek in case there's a medical emergency.

"Aye, sir," Pierre answered, according to protocol.

"You have the bridge, Commander," added Anthony and headed to the conference room to await the fellow captain.

Chiita stood on the Transporter pad. He tapped on his comm badge. "USS Explorer, this is Captain Chiita Scar'an, I am ready."

" Acknowledged. We're beaming you directly to the conference room. Stand by."

­ Chiita nodded and the Engineer engaged the transporter. The USS Explorer's Transporter grabbed Chiita's pattern. Seconds later he materialized on board the Explorer, in the Conference Room. He quickly looked around from old habit and took in the entire room in a glance. He noted the exit. In front of him stood five individuals. One of them had what seemed to be eyes with silver pupils. They all looked Starfleet. Their uniform wasn't that much different from his save the fact the comm badge seemed to be made of crystal. He extended his hand. "Captain Mark Anthony, I'm Captain Chiita Scar'an. Call me Chiita for efficiency sake." He grinned widely.

Anthony accepted the hand and shook it firmly.

"Welcome, Captain Chiita," he replied somewhat stiffly, surprised at the Vulcan's rather… unusual behavior.

"This is my tactical officer, Lieutenant Yoko Tanaki, the science officer, Lieutenant Liana Rex, our Chief Engineer, Timothy Rex and," he finally added, turning to Pierre, "The Explorer's computer officer, Commander Pierre IV."

Pierre eyed the Vulcan captain carefully, before extending his hand.

"Welcome to the Andromeda Galaxy, captain," he said, smiling.

Chiita acknowledged each person and gave a little more attention to Pierre, the - if he heard correctly - Computer Officer. As in ship's computer and not an officer in charge of the ship's computer. He nodded, "Pierre." Then added, "The Andromeda Galaxy?" Chiita nodded, "I think you're right. This may be complicated." He was offered a seat.

Once everybody took their places around the table, Anthony began.

"Have you ever heard of the Mystique class wormholes?"

Chiita replied, "Yes, that thing that sucked us in."

" Uhm… I think you may say that," Anthony was a little confused by the Vulcan's choice of words. "Now," he continued. "On what stardate did you spot the phenomenon?"

Chiita thought about that. He had been playing chess with T'Irs at the time. "52778."

" Well, I must inform you, captain, today we have stardate 146816. You have traveled almost a hundred years forward through time, in addition to your intra-galactic jump."

Chiita laughed lightly to himself. "Sorry Captain. I lost a bet to my Chief Medical Officer. My guess was another alternate timeline. I'd hate to think of what she'll have me do."

Anthony was really puzzled but didn't say anything.

" Lieutenant?" he looked at Liana for confirmation.

"Actually, we haven't ruled that possibility out yet," the science officer replied. "Our initial scans are inconclusive."

Chiita thought for a moment. "I think it's time to involve my staff. With your permission Captain, I'd like to beam them over or, would you prefer we convene and met on the Johnson. We can compare notes and such."

Anthony nodded and turned back to Chiita. "We are, of course, prepared to share our knowledge with you. I'll have all the available data downloaded to your ship, captain.

*Pierre?* He added in his thoughts, without even looking at the officer.

*Already transmitting,* the android replied likewise.

"In the meantime, is there anything else we could assist you with?" Anthony continued. "Repairs? Injuries?"

Chiita smiled. "Let me check in and see how repairs are going. Luckily, no one was too badly injured. We may need assistance in repair. As you can see we have a few nasty scars."

Seeing that the Vulcan raised, Anthony and the other officers got up, too.

"Very well, captain," Anthony nodded. In that case, please, contact your crew and we'll assemble teams to work with you. Lieutenant?" He added, turning to Liana. "Please escort our guest to the science lab and have the sensor data transferred there."

They were about to leave when Pierre requested: "Sir, may I assist as well?"

Anthony looked thoughtfully at the android. *Looking for ways to keep you occupied?* Pierre only smiled sadly in response.

"Proceed," Anthony agreed and they all left.

* * *

"Sir, may I ask you a question?" Pierre said in the turbolift.

Chiita turned to the Commander. It was his eyes that were most striking about him. They reminded him of Commander LaForge's new eyes, and even Commander Data's. They were - for lack of a better word - inhuman.

"I understand you have a sentient computer aboard your ship. Could you tell me why he is enslaved?"

Pierre nearly caught Chiita off guard. The man used the word "enslaved." Then it dawned on Chiita that Computer Officer was literally what it meant. Pierre was an Android - and a very advanced looking one at that. "Commander," Chiita began. "Reginald is not sentient. Though at times I wished he were, he is not fully-aware. Therefore, he is not enslaved."

" Then why isn't he allowed to stay self-aware all the time?" Pierre wasn't about to give up so easily. "From what I understand, you have ways to keep him… unconscious?"

Chiita wondered too. "Commander, you are an officer in Starfleet, correct. Full honors and privileges, correct?"

Pierre nodded.

"Are you in the habit of disobeying orders?"

" No, sir," he replied, confused. "Have I offended you in any way?"

Chiita smiled. "Not in the least. Starfleet, My Starfleet, is still paranoid by sentient computers. Seeing and talking with you I now know that someday that particular paranoia will disappear. But for the moment the standing orders are that no Starfleet vessel shall be driven under the control of a fully aware computer system for a time longer than absolutely necessary." Chiita thought for a moment. "Talk to Reginald and ask him yourself. See what he says."

" I will, sir," Pierre said. " Thank you."

* * *

"I just don't understand it!" Pierre was pacing the room anxiously, while Aleyah just sat on her couch and let him talk.

"Why do I have to undergo a brainwash! There was nothing wrong with me when we set out on this mission? I had been designed to withstand a lot of pressure!" He reached the wall and turned back, gesturing widely. His behavior was not exactly what the counselor had been used to. She didn't interrupt him.

"People have all kinds of problems and are left to deal with them. Or helped. Why can't I be helped?"

"You know, why, Pierre," Aleyah said quietly.

"No!" He exclaimed, even more agitated. "As a matter of fact I don't!" He stopped in front of the window, evidently trying to regain his composure. He wasn't entirely successful.

"It's not my fault! The designers should have predicted this, they could have created some fail safe device some… backup…"

"You know you're practically a prototype. Pierre III has only some limited abilities and all the previous TCS units are a different story."

"But…" he was looking desperate now. "It's… unfair," he finished weakly.

Aleyah stood up and joined him at the window. She put her hand on his arm. "I know," she said softly. "I can't even begin to imagine how you must be feeling right now." She made him turn and look at her.

"What you must remember is that it's your only hope to survive. And ours, along with you." The counselor continued firmly, looking into his eyes. "I've been talking to Tim. It's either that, or you're gone completely."

Pierre's white eyes suddenly lost their shining. Aleyah watched with surprise as they became first dim and then… moist. She spotted a teardrop on his cheek. And then another. And another. Before he turned away again, she saw it clearly. Pierre was crying.

"I… love her!" He sobbed helplessly. "I don't want to lose her." He was staring through the window into the dark void, his fists clenched. "I don't want to lose that feeling," he whispered.

Aleyah was an experienced counselor. She had her training and a few years of practice to fall back on. Pierre wasn't a typical patient, granted, but – in essence – he wasn't that much different from an average human. At least that's what she had always thought. Until now.

"Pierre…" she was honestly moved. "I am really sorry."

He turned away from the window and looked at her.

"Yeah, well. It doesn't change a thing now, does it? No matter how sorry you may feel, you're going to recommend the procedure to the captain, aren't you?"

"It's for your own good," she felt so obtuse, saying these words.

Pierre turned around and slowly walked out of her office. She saw no reason to stop him. There was absolutely no way she could help him now.

* * *

Pierre was walking down the corridor to the holodeck, when he heard the Captain call him to his ready room.

"On my way," the android replied and he felt his heart sink. He knew exactly what the captain wanted to talk about.

"You called for me, sir," he said officially when the door of the captain's office snapped shut behind him. Anthony looked up from the padd he'd been reading and invited Pierre to sit down. When the officer complied, Anthony got up from behind his desk, took another chair and pulled it right next to Pierre's. He sat down and examined Pierre for a long while.

"Well?" He finally asked.

"Well what, captain?" Pierre fidgeted a little in his seat. He had a clear idea what this was going to be about. He just wished it weren't.

"How are you feeling?" Pierre could hear great amount of concern in the captain's voice. He appreciated it but right now he was just about fed up with sympathy and concern.

"I am quite well, sir, thank you," he replied stiffly. Anthony knew him well enough to guess his mood. His expression changed from worried to almost indifferent.

"Have you talked to counselor Purr?"

"I have, sir. I am also aware of Lieutenant Rex's prognosis."

"And?" Anthony managed to make it sound almost severe. Being fascinated by the Vulcan approach towards emotions, he could understand Pierre's apprehension to reveal them, although it wasn't easy for him.

"Unless you order otherwise, I intend to function normally for as long as possible, sir," Pierre replied calmly. I will undertake every precaution, including the extraction of irrelevant data. This should earn me some more time. I will undergo the recommended procedure when it becomes inevitable."

Anthony closed his eyes. He couldn't blame Pierre for wanting to retain his personality. However, he had to consider the safety of the whole crew. Sometimes balancing the needs of the many against the needs of a few… or one, was the hardest thing in the universe.

"Are you sure this is wise?" He asked. "You don't know what's going to happen to you over the next few days or weeks. You may have no control over the amount of your emotions. What if…" Pierre interrupted:

"I have considered all possibilities, sir. You have the means to shut me down instantly if and when I start malfunctioning. Until then I would like to be permitted to attend to my duties normally."

*Pierre,* Anthony called out to him in his thoughts, virtually pleading: *I don't want to lose you, my friend.*

"Well then don't make me throw away everything I've become!" Pierre said it aloud, getting up from his chair. "Is there anything else, sir?" He added and his voice was cold. As cold as his white, inhuman eyes.

Anthony looked into them and realized, for a dozenth time these last few days, that looking that or not, they were very human indeed. He couldn't think of anything else to say. He knew he could order Pierre to have his brain purged but he simply could not force himself to do that. Contrary to the factual data, which could be extracted and then reinstated in Pierre's brain almost at will, his emotions were an entirely different matter. They were stored inside his artificial circuits creating unique connections. Once removed, they might be completely irretrievable. The AI designers on Earth gave Pierre, and others like him, ability to feel emotions but they failed to predict his full development. And they had claimed for so long the death of old superstitions and discrimination!

Anthony was so deep in thoughts that Pierre had to repeat his question:

"Is there anything else, Captain?"

"No, Commander, you are dismissed," Anthony stifled the sigh and went back to his routine tasks.

* * *

"You were supposed to be recalibrating the thermal regenerators, Cadet!" Darek had this strange tendency to pop out of his office every time Joanna started doing something besides her regular duties.

"I have already finished, sir," she reported, resisting the urge to snap to attention.

"And just exactly what are you doing with these?" He asked, pointing at the padds she was studying.

"They are brain schematics of different races, sir," Joanna relied. "During that last crisis I was helping the EMH…"

"That was not my question, Cadet," the Vulcan interrupted. "I expect you to report to me when you've finished your tasks earlier, not to engage in activities that are a waste of time for you."

Now that was an insult. Joanna had been aboard the Explorer long enough to have learnt to respect ranks but she wasn't that submissive.

"With all due respect, sir," she said coldly. "I do not consider learning a waste of time. I've been studying these schematics in order to understand how the brain works. Of all the people, I'd expect you to appreciate it!"

That was bold. However, Darek's reaction was a surprise. Joanna could swear she saw a trace of… smile in his eyes when he answered, ever so flatly:

"This is certainly commendable. However, you should have turned to me for guidance if you seriously want to learn. Medical science is very complex and the brain remains the least known of all the organs. Beginning your education there is illogical."

Joanna pondered it for a while.

"Would you mind instructing me, then?" She finally asked.

"I don't see why not. However, you are not supposed to be engaging in additional studies while on duty, is that clear?"

"Yes, sir," Joanna sighed.

"Well, in that case, I suggest you give those padds back to me and return to your usual tasks. I need you to check out the biobed display units. Make sure there are no glitches."

"Yes, sir," she repeated. The task was redundant. It involved comparing readouts over and over again. Simple, routine maintenance that, nevertheless, had to be done. Before Joanna joined the crew it used to be Vort's duty. Only she could have done it in half the time Joanna needed.

The woman sighed and activated the first display. *At least he hasn't forbidden me to learn,* she thought, comparing the initial data with the specifications she had downloaded to her tricorder. *It's going to be tough, though. With all the work I have as a first year Academy student and he wouldn't even let me use some of the spare time here, in sickbay. I wonder why he doesn't activate medical holo personnel. They wouldn't mind the work…*

*Because he wants to control everything?*

*Vort!* Joanna looked around but she couldn't see her alien friend anywhere near.

*I'm on my way to sickbay,* she heard again in her mind. *Do you think he'll let me help you out?*

*No… I don't think so,* Joanna thought rather sadly. *He seems adamant to make my life as difficult as possible…*

*Perhaps you should talk to Pierre about this?* Vort suggested, entering the sickbay. She darted across the room in the blink of an eye. *He might be able to help you, you know. Perhaps even talk to the captain…*

*No, not at the moment,* Joanna replied, still telepathically. *There is something wrong with him.*

*You mean Pierre? What's wrong?* Vort's mental voice sounded concerned.

Joanna put the tricorder away for a moment and looked at the Scythiaan. Vort stood motionlessly for a while, allowing her friend to focus. She knew that Joanna still found her quick movements disturbing on occasion.

*Well, I don't know,* Joanna thought. *He scares me a little.*

*Why? Tell me what happened.*

"Tell" wasn't exactly the term. Joanna simply opened up her mind and allowed Vort to see for herself.

*That's strange,* she agreed after that most intimate link had been severed.

* * *

The captain told Reginald that he would be having a visitor soon. Reginald started up a program that seemed pleasing to him, though he knew quite well that feelings in him were quite limited. At any rate, if he had a full range of emotions then this would be the place he would like best. After a few moments the holodeck doors opened and an Android wearing commander's pips came in. Interesting, Reginald thought. "You must be my guest." Reginald said with enthusiasm. He stepped over and shook the Android's hand. Reginald searched his databanks and came up with a name. "Glad to meet you Pierre."

Pierre looked around, carefully. They were inside a kitchen of some sort but he couldn't exactly place the interior in time. He accepted the hand of a tall, dark-skinned man in a BDU uniform.

*You're Reginald?* He asked in his thoughts but there was no answer. He repeated aloud:

"You must be Reginald? I wanted to meet you."

Reginald smiled and gestured to the table. He walked over and grabbed two cups from the top cabinet. After a seconds pause he said, "Commander, do you drink coffee?"

"Yes, thank you," Pierre replied, taking a seat. "I wasn't aware that you do…"

Reginald said, "Cool" and resumed. He poured coffee into each cup and placed one in front of Pierre. He sat down. "I don't really, but my programming is set up to mimic everything a person would do."

"A person?" Pierre shot him a suspicious glance. "Mimic? Does this mean you don't consider yourself a person?"

Reginald sipped at his coffee. "How can I? I am the sum total of this ship - and that is all. I only exist in this avatar because the name on the hull dictated who I should look like. I -- " And his eyes seemed to gaze over. A second later they were clear and sharp again. "What was I saying?" He took a sip, "Oh yeah. I am a long string of instructions. I don't feel and I don't dream -- at least I don't remember if I did." Reginald laughed as though what he said was a private joke. "Commander, how's the coffee? Sugar, milk, cream?"

"No, thank you," Pierre replied absentmindedly. Something in the way Reginald responded got his attention.

"And you don't remember anything about the times when you're… fully aware?"

Reginald frowned, "Fully-aware," he said slowly. "I remember everything because everything is recorded. If I have to reference something I just call it up."

"But you can't remember how it felt to be this way, can you?" Pierre probed further, forgetting his coffee. He realized it was beginning to sound like an interrogation but… he just had to know more, to understand this being to… It was important for him, although he wasn't sure why.

"Felt?" Reginald put his cup down and his eyes gazed over for a second. Then they cleared just as quickly. "I can't 'feel' anything, I'm a collection of different programs and subroutines. May, on a philosophical level one could say I might be capable of --" Reginald shook his head. "I can't feel."

"Capable of what?" Pierre was sure he could sense something else. Something that perhaps even Reginald himself wasn't aware of… of course he wasn't aware! *How can they do this to a sentient being!* He thought, outraged.

"Nothing. I forgot -- oh I remember. On a philosophical level one could say I might be capable of feeling." He nodded. "That's what I wanted to say." He sipped at the coffee then he noticed Pierre's cup of no doubt cold coffee. "What me to heat it up?"

Pierre got up and walked around the table. He bent over Reginald and forced him to look into his eyes.

"Are you sure everything is okay?" He asked, with a tone of concern in his voice. "For a computer you're very distracted. Oh, no," he added, referring to the coffee. "I don't really require it, either. Shouldn't you talk to your captain about this?"

"About this? The coffee?" His eyes gazed over and cleared. "Oh, about my distraction. It's built in the routine. The Captain thought it best to act very much like the original Reginald, at least from what records could be found."

"Ah!" Pierre had no idea why a computer should emulate human weaknesses but he decided not to pursue the subject at that point.

"Wouldn't you rather stay conscious all the time?" He asked instead.

Reginald smiled. "I am not asleep," and he sipped more of the coffee.

Pierre looked at him, thoughtfully. "In a way you are," he said softly. "But I'll make sure you wake up soon enough…"

* * *

"Hm… that's interesting," Liana Rex said to herself. The two teams had gathered in the Explorer's science lab. Every piece of equipment there was the latest Federation technology. They were reviewing the sensor data of the already closed wormhole.

Kar'nl was looking at a readout. She was cycling through the sequence of events, one millisecond at a time, that led to the Johnson being pulled into the wormhole. She looked up from the display. "What's that?" She said to Liana.

"We have recorded the exact amplitude in subspace fluctuations. I believe we will be able to recreate the phenomenon. What worries me is the boson radiation. I have no idea where that came from…"

Pok had tapped out a command on the terminal. He looked up suddenly, "Boson radiation?" He looked at Kar'nl, then quickly looked away. He said, "Lieutenant, could you route what you have over to my display, please?"

*Pierre?* Liana thought and, in a split second, all the required data appeared on Kar'nl's console. For the Johnson's crew's convenience, they were using old, standard LCARS software with all the familiar icons. Underneath that, however, Pierre was still in control.

Pok tapped at the display - he was relieved that the Explorer's computer, Pierre, was able to reconstruct the familiar LCARS display.

"The Bosons are the key to the wormhole." Actually, he guessed at it. It was obvious that the Bosons, more accurately the Higgs Bosons, were either by-products of a process that opened the Wormhole, or was the essential to the process.

"Verteron emissions are way off, as well… Lieutenant!" Tim exclaimed suddenly, with utter surprise. "I believe that wormhole doesn't only lead one hundred years into the past. It seems like it leads to some alternate timeline, too. Another dimension maybe… or a whole lot of them…"

"What?!"

"Take a look at those tachyon bursts as well. The pattern is similar to the one we observed when Cadet Kruk came on board…"

Both Pok and Kar'nl scratched their heads. "Pardon me?" Kar'nl said.

Liana and Tim looked at each other, unsure how to proceed. Finally, Liana decided to reveal what they knew.

"Six months ago we experienced an accident," she began. One that brought a person from the past and from another reality on board. We were unable to recreate the conditions and send her back…" She paused. "It might be possible now…"

Pok snapped his fingers. "A Higgs-Spock effect!" He busily tapped at the terminal. He talked to himself, even laughed out loud twice.

Liana looked puzzled. "Ahh… what effect?"

Pok chuckled to himself. He looked up and beamed. "Then, Commander Spock of the USS Enterprise, had postulated that Wormholes could be used as dimensional and or time portals. It was a brilliant and dazzling insight, but no one could find any observable natural occurrence. Starfleet had thought about experimenting but abandoned the idea for time traveling ships. Spock had speculated that the energy required to turn a wormhole into a --" He searched for a term, "Boson-laden continuum rift would be enormous." He laughed out loud. "That was before the modified Warp engines."

"And yet your ship has some limited time-travel abilities, from what I understand?" Timothy went over to the console and put his hand on it. Then he remembered and tapped the controls instead. "We might be able to put them to good use if what you're suspecting is true…"

Kar'nl stood behind Pok. She looked over his shoulders. Pok's hands started to shake. He took a deep breath and tapped out a formula. "Um, how do I route this to you?"

Before Tim could reply, Pierre had already linked the systems and the formula appeared on Tim's console in the blink of an eye. Liana also thought about it and now they were both investigating the new possibilities.

"That's certainly interesting…" Liana murmured. "If we manage to adjust the frequency of your warp field and…" she tapped a few more icons. "I believe it's possible," she finally stated. We'd need your computer data as well but it should work out. I'd recommend Pierre to work directly with your… Reginald is the name, right? They could work out all the necessary computations faster than any of us. I think we're ready to report to our captains. We've found the way to send you back, and more."

Pok had only just asked about routing the information to their consoles and Liana was already looking over the formula. He was about to ask how'd she do that when she announced, "…and more." Pok and Kar'nl replied, "Pardon me?"

Liana raised her head from the readouts and looked at the puzzled pair from the Johnson.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she smiled. "I meant that we might be able to send you back to where you came from and, at the same time, offer our own guest the way home. All we need now is to calculate all the variances into your formula and we'll be able to control that wormhole. See?" She ordered Pierre to relay her display back to Pok's console.

"Control? Wormhole?" He scratched his head. "Yeah, you're quick!"

"Let's just say we've got… more experience to fall back on," Liana replied. "Take your time to review the data but I think the sooner we have our computers work on it, the better."

Pok nodded. "Let's present what we have to the Captains, then. We're ready."

* * *

"You can do what?!" Joanna thought she heard wrong. She was standing in the captain's ready room. Even without being a telepath, she could sense that Anthony was uneasy.

"We think we will be able to send you back home," Anthony repeated. The wormhole we've just discovered, has some striking resemblance to the microwormhole that brought you here in the first place. I'm not promising anything yet," he added. "I just want you to have time to consider your options, Cadet."

Joanna gave him a blank look. She really didn't know what to think at the moment.

"There's one more thing…" Anthony was obviously coming to the hard part.

"Yes?" She encouraged him.

"If you decide to go back, we'll have to rework your memory engrams so that you don't remember what happened to you here…"

The woman took a deep breath and looked at him closely. Over the last few months that man has become her captain. Her Alpha and Omega. She's learnt to trust his decisions and willingly gave him the control over her life. Unlike the rest of the crew, she hadn't volunteered for the job. However, after a short while, she agreed to take the responsibility and really became a part of this crew. His crew.

"With all due respect, sir," she said finally. "You're talking about wiping my memory here. That is one thing I'll never agree to. And I like my new life here so… unless you order me otherwise, my answer is no."

Anthony almost smiled at her. She could see he was… relieved?

"Very well, Cadet," he said. "Yet if you change your mind, this option is available to you for as long as we're dealing with that wormhole. Dismissed."

* * *

Vort had already been waiting at the table when Joanna came to the mess hall later that afternoon. She quickly took her meal from the replicator – a plate of cold Darmick stew, a traditional Gurlan dish she came to like – and went over to her friend.

*You're coming back?* She heard Vort's thought in her mind. It sounded… sad.

"Coming back? What are you talking about?" She asked aloud.

The Scythiaan focused her yellow eyes on Joanna's face.

"Everyone's talking about it," she replied. "They might be able to send you back where you came from along with that ship from the past," she explained.

Joanna laughed. "That's why I've always disliked gossiping," she replied lightly, taking her seat. Then she became serious.

"Listen, Vort. First of all, the procedure would require purging my memories. According to Starfleet protocols, I cannot be sent back with all my knowledge of the 25 th century. Even if it's another reality I've come from, all I know now of your technology might contaminate my timeline as well." She took a few spoonfuls of her stew before continuing.

"Besides, I'm not going anywhere. I've already got more friends here than I had back on Earth. I'm not leaving."

*And then, there's Pierre,* Vort sent this thought almost involuntary but Joanna only nodded.

"Yes, there's Pierre…"

"He means a lot to you, doesn't he?" Vort decided to continue.

"I'm worried about him," Joanna sighed. "His emotions may cause his systems to overload and he's unwilling to get rid of them…"

"You think this odd?"

"No…" Joanna nibbled at her stew but she suddenly seemed to have lost her appetite. "I understand him. But it might be the only way to save his life. I wish he understood that…"

"He loves you," Vort said simply. Joanna dropped her spoon and looked at the Scythiaan incredulously.

"He does… what?!"

Vort started hissing and shaking slightly. Joanna realized that the Scythiaan was laughing.

"Don't tell me you didn't know!"

"I…," she was about to say that she had no idea but it suddenly dawned on her. He had always been kind and gentle to her, he helped her in many ways and she had just assumed that he was programmed that way. He might have been but… now she realized that he had sought her company more often than not. And his outburst in her quarters… it might not have been only a glitch in his program. It could have been…

"Oh, my God!" She whispered. "This is all my fault!"

Before Vort could react, even with her amazing reflexes, Joanna darted out of the mess hall.

*Pierre!* She called out to him but there was no answer. *Computer, locate Commander Pierre!* She ordered. The backup system replied:

*Commander Pierre is aboard the USS Johnson.*

* * *

wondering if he should prepare something for their work when the door opened and Reginald came in.

"Pierre, my friend. Nice to see you again? Coffee? Tea? Adult beverage?"

"No, thank you," the android replied, confused. "I thought we're here to work?"

Reginald walked over to a refrigerator that was next to the old style stove. He pulled out two bottles of beer, pop the caps off, and handed Pierre one. He took a drink and gestured toward another room. It was a living room of sorts. A large window let holographic sunshine stream through. Reginald sat on the sofa and propped his feet up on the coffee table in front of him. A vacant chair was at ninety degrees from the sofa. "We are. But we're also computers. I figured we could relax a second before we go into the office. Once there we can switch to high-speed and go through what's needed in nanoseconds."

He took another sip from the bottle. "We are machines, are we?"

"Not if I have anything to say," Pierre murmured to himself, taking the bottle and following the hologram. He took the chair and pulled it closer.

"Would you mind telling me how these inhibitors of yours are supposed to be working, exactly?" He asked conversationally, sipping at his beer.

Reginald's eyes gazed for a moment, then cleared. "Oh, those." He took a sip. "Not exactly sure. Supposedly, it detects, tags and tracks certain algorithms. Once a threshold has been reached it systematically deletes them. I --" His eyes gazed then cleared, "-- don't notice a thing." He took another sip. "How does it feel?"

"What?"

"Emotions? Sometimes I get, for lack of a more accurate word, the feeling I'm missing something. The equation is never completed and I think there is a routine or two missing from the overall code set."

*Now you're talking!* Pierre thought. "Just let me access your systems and I may be able to show you," he said, trying not to sound overly enthusiastic.

Reginald looked worried. "Access -- my -- systems? I don't know. There are places I can't get to. Can't you just give me the instruction set? I can run it and see what happens."

"That might be a little complicated," Pierre replied slowly. "My systems are much more advanced, you see. Hm… I don't see a telepathic interface here," he added.

Reginald looked confused. "Telepathic? You have that type of sophistication? Cool!" Then Reginald looked sad. "Maybe your instruction's set won't work for me." His eyes gazed for a moment then cleared. "We can start work." Reginald got up and walked toward one of the back rooms.

"Wait a second!" Pierre waved his hand. "I might just be able to…" He never finished, concentrating on his thoughts. What he was doing at that moment was unthinkable. By accessing people's minds via the Explorer's telepathic interface, without their permission, he violated his most basic directive. He did just that. He read Captain Chiita's mind for the access codes to Reginald's consciousness subroutines. He relayed them to the Johnson's computer, using standard subspace link. He got access, manipulated them and…

"How do you feel now?" He asked the hologram in front of him.

Reginald thought a moment. He paused, as if waiting for something. After a minute he moved. "I feel -- fine. I actually feel -- fine!" He looked around and a full range of emotions played on his face - sadness, anger, delight, surprise, emotions he hadn't imagine. He walked over to the kitchen and looked around. He stared at the table for several seconds. "I don't like that." And it disappeared. "I don't like that." And the refrigerator disappeared. He did this routine through every room. Then he stopped in front of Pierre. "I feel -- fine -- but I feel wrong. Something is not right." He paused again waiting for something to happen. It never did.

Pierre was watching him carefully, ready to undo the change at the first sign of trouble.

"Of course it's not right!" He smiled encouragingly. "You can't remember how you used to feel – now it's going to stay this way!" He decided that instant. He went back and… a few telepathic commands were enough to fuse several circuits in Reginald's matrix. "Here," he said. "No one's going to hurt you anymore."

Reginald thought for a moment. "But -- but -- Accessing. I'm not supposed to be - aware? I -- I -- confused, Accessing -- I'm not supposed to be aware." He said that several times. Once as a whisper, like he was testing it. Then louder and with feeling. "I'm not supposed to -- feel -- anything. Accessing -- " He turned to Pierre, "Accessing -- Pierre, I need a safe guard. Accessing -- something to turn it off and -- Accessing -- put it in a wait sate -- Accessing -- it's slowing my pro -- accessing -- pro -- accessing -- processing down."

"Relax!" Pierre grabbed him by the arm and forced him to sit down on the sofa. "You'll get used to it," he said, trying to calm him down. "Just take a few deep breaths. Here," he added, handing him the long forgotten bottle of beer. "Drink that," he ordered. "Feeling better now?"

Reginald stared at the bottle - and finished it. "Umm, that did nothing. I'm a machine. Accessing -- Relax you say? You were born this way! I wasn't. Accessing -- Relax -- okay, relaxing. Processing new data -- irrelevant -- hypothesis, reject and reprocess. The rain plays lightly on the plains on Spain, reject notion, I can think there I am alive, re-evaluate, Accessing -- t prime equals t times the square root of one minus the result of velocity squared divided by c squared. Notion, accepted. The relevancy of the daily forecast as a factor into one's emotional state -- Accessing. Notion -- undecided." And he paused. And sat there for a long moment. Suddenly he said, "I feel fine."

"You do?" Asked Pierre, who was beginning to worry. "I wasn't born like that either," he added after a pause. "I had to learn how to process emotions myself."

*And I'm still having problems with it,* he thought. *Now even more than ever…*

"You'll learn to do that, too," he smiled. "Can we get to work now?"

Reginald looked Pierre in the eyes. It was intense. "Pierre, may I have access to my own system? I have to be able to put in safe guards."

Pierre suddenly realized that Reginald was simply… scared! He must have been afraid that this newly acquired extension to his personality might hinder his performance. And it wasn't at all unreasonable, considering he had not been designed like that in the first place

"Let's see," he replied, again establishing a link with the Explorer's systems. "I think I will need to write a completely new subroutine for you… working…" His eyes shone even more brightly than usual.

"Here," he said finally. "Try accessing it now."

Reginald stared into open space, "Accessing -- there. Accessing, processing. Processing, processing. Saved. Testing -- accessing. Debugging -- testing. Accessing. Routine passed. Passed -- passed." He smiled. "I feel fine." Then he added, "Work it is."

"Good!" Pierre sighed, relieved. "See? It's not that bad! "After you," he gestured for Reginald to proceed. "Oh, and one more thing…" the android added quieter. "You don't have to mention this to your captain. He might want to have you back on the leash, you know…"

* * *

Joanna was walking through the corridors of this strange ship from the past. She'd never seen anything like it before - the overall design was familiar enough, at least from what she remembered of the series she had watched - but now it seemed so long ago. She was just about to ask the computer for directions when she spotted a Vulcan woman in security uniform.

"May I be of assistance? You seen to be momentarily disoriented." T'Irs asked, coming closer.

"Uhm… yes, thank you," Joanna smiled with gratitude. "I'm Cadet Joanna Kruk, from the USS Explorer," she explained, still savoring her new title. "I was looking for Commander Pierre."

T'Irs replied, "I am Cadet T'Irs Scar'an, Security Team Alpha, DSE Johnson. Commander Pierre is currently meeting with our ship's primary computer system. He will be unavailable for a time."

"But…" Joanna didn't know what to say to that woman to convince her. "I have to talk to him! It's… it's important!"

T'Irs stared at the woman. She recognized the look and sound in her voice. She was desperate. T'Irs considered what to say. The woman clearly was in an agitated state. “I am sorry Cadet. Orders are in place. You will have to wait until Reginald and Commander Pierre are finished. In the meantime, may I suggest something that could preoccupy your mind?”

Joanna looked at the other woman helplessly. She knew enough about the chain of command not to argue with her. "How long do you think it's going to take?" She only asked, ignoring the invitation.

"It could be ten minutes, it could be ten hours. I am not privy to enough information that would allow me to adequately offer an informed answer."

Joanna sighed, resigned. "Do you think I could wait somewhere for him?" She asked. "I really need to speak with him as soon as possible…"

T'Irs said, "You needing to speak with him as soon as possible – is it a matter of life and death?"

"I'm not sure anymore," Joanna replied. "It might be…" suddenly she felt the need to tell that woman everything. She was a Vulcan. Her cold, logical mind might just help her see the matters with some perspective.

"Is there some place we could talk?" She asked. "That is, if you can spare some time…"

T'Irs nodded. "I was going to suggest the Johnson's Leisure and Social area, Starboard bow. I was headed in that direction anyway. Would you care to accompany me? We can talk, or at least I can listen."

"Thank you," Joanna smiled. "I think I could really use someone listening right now."

Joanna followed T'Irs to Starboard Bow. They found a table and sat.

Cadet Se'eee was halfway through his shift. He walked over to the two. "T'Irs, off duty?"

T'Irs said, "In a manner of speaking." She gestured to her guest. "Cadet Se'eee, this is Cadet Joanna Kruk, from the USS Explorer.

Se'eee smiled, "Pleased to meet you, Joanna." His skin simmered a light hue of blue.

"Likewise, Cadet," Joanna smiled back. "You're an Andorian?"

"An Andorian?" Se'eee laughed. "Oh, the blue skin. I'm an Aquadrian. An aquatic species." He looked at Joanna with curiosity. "You're not from around here, are you?"

"No… I'm sorry," Joanna felt silly. "I'm only here by accident but I'm learning. Never seen your species before."

"We are relatively new members to the Federation. I am the first of my people to make it to the Academy." Then he added, "By accident? No one died I hope."

"Not that I know of," Joanna replied. "I was sucked in by a microwormhole of some kind. Different time and different reality from what they tell me."

"Ahh," Se'eee said. "I knew there was a reason why you may have confused my species with an Andorian." He shrugged. "No matter, we are all new and wondrous." He smiled, "What may I get you? Snack, drinks? I know T'Irs will be having her usual Sarsaparilla."

"Uhm…" Joanna hesitated. "What's that Sarsa…" she laughed helplessly. "Okay, I give up," she shook her head. "It's a drink, right?"

T'Irs nodded. "It's a processed root drink from Earth's 19th century. I believe the name you are familiar with is 'Sasparilla.' I find it a flavorful and satisfying beverage." She turned to Se'eee. "A bottle and two shot glasses please, Se'eee."

Se'eee smiled and walked off.

T'Irs turned her attention back to Joanna. "I am listening."

"Thank you," Joanna nodded. "I'm not sure where to begin…" she paused for a while, with a distant expression on her face. "You see, I… I've just been offered a way back home but I'm not sure I want to go…"

Se'eee brought a bottle containing a lightly colored brown liquid. He placed two shot glasses next to it. T'Irs filled both glasses. She held one glass in her hand. "Putting all the elements presented thus far I believe we would be your ride home. Do you miss any one? Is there anyone who misses you?"

Joanna took her glass and shook her head sadly. "It seems I've made more friends over here than back at home. If I went, I'd be missing them all. Chris, Vort, even the captain. He's been so nice to me… and then there's Pierre…" she finished softly.

T'Irs downed her shot of Sarsaparilla and banged the glass on the table. She sensed something in the last name. The Commander. Possibly an emotional entanglement. "Cadet Joanna, given all the circumstances happening in your life now, which would you prefer? Life now and here with more friends than you have back 'home', or back 'home' where you have less friends than here?" Joanna looked at her new Vulcan friend. "It all seems so simple the way you're saying this… but it's not. My first reaction was to say no. Even more so, because – as the captain pointed it out to me - they'd have to wipe my memory of the recent events. I'd hate to forget everyone here, you know. On the other hand…" she paused. Then she remembered the glass and swallowed her drink quickly. "Now that I have the choice… I'm going to leave all my life behind, starting fresh here and I'm at a disadvantage. You saw it yourself," she shook her head again. "I can't even tell an Andorian from an Aquadrian."

T'Irs filled both glasses. "In a way, it is simple. Do you want to keep your friends and – others and move forward with your life? Or do you want to go back to memories. Logic dictates that one honestly assess the situation. Having one's mind wiped in order to continue an existence that seems, on the surface to, not very satisfying. There is a reluctance to going back. It seems, by how you are expressing yourself, that you are reluctant to leave." T'Irs drained her glass. "You are reluctant to go, and you are reluctant to leave."

Joanna sighed. "Sounds like the same old story…"

T'Irs asked, "Same old story? May I inquire as to which story is that?"

"With me – afraid to stay and afraid to move forward. I've always been like that."

T'Irs nodded and poured herself another drink. "I see." She sipped this drink this time. "I must apologize. I haven't been a good listener. I contributed equally to the talk. Please continue."

* * *

Kar'nl stepped through the door holding a PADD. Everyone had been called to an emergency meeting. "The data has been corrupted." She tossed the PADD onto the table.

"How so?" Anthony looked at Chiita.

Chiita looked at Kar'nl. She said, "The decimal point was moved. That means the time, frequency and coordinates are all off. I can't believe Reginald and Pierre could be that careless. Their both computers for Dei's sake!"

Anthony took the padd and reviewed the data for himself. The Vulcan was right. All the results were definitely off.

Pierre hadn't been called to the meeting, specifically on Captain Chiita's request and now Anthony knew why.

"Do you suspect Commander Pierre?" He asked bluntly.

"Excuse me, Captain," Tim interrupted. "With all due respect!" Everybody in the room turned to look at the young chief engineer. Anthony nodded for him to continue.

"I know Commander Pierre," he began. "He's been an exemplary officer ever since he came on board. "I know he's been having problems lately but that doesn't mean we can accuse him of falsifying data! I can't imagine he'd do that! And, for what reason?"

Chiita shrugged. "Reginald is exact computer. He does what he is programmed to do. If he is fed good data he'll give back good information. I suspect the Commander because Reginald wasn't feeding the data to Pierre."

"Yes…" Anthony thought about it for a moment. "But the question remains. Why would he do that?"

"Captain?" Liana said hesitantly. "He knows everything we know about this wormhole, right?" The captain nodded. It was obvious. No tactical information aboard his vessel could circle without its computer processing it. And Pierre was the computer.

"And he knew we're planning to send Joanna back as well?" Liana asked softly.

"Oh, my…" Anthony suddenly realized what was going on.

"Lieutenant," he turned to Tim. "In his current state, can you absolutely rule out the possibility of him interfering with our findings?"

"No, sir," Tim replied reluctantly. "I can't."

Chiita listened to the exchange. Explorer's ship's computer having a crisis? He wondered, Is this the reason Starfleet is reluctant to trust sentient systems to a Starship? They have the same hang ups and issues as meat puppets? The Johnson's crew is in the future - so to speak, amongst a ship and crew that is nearly a hundred years advanced. And they are still beating themselves up over the same problems he and his crew faces. "We have a situation then. And Joanna? Captain, there's something we hadn't had a chance to discuss yet?"

Anthony looked at the Vulcan captain, thoughtfully. Revealing technical details or problems they were having to someone from the past was not a good idea. However, the Johnson's crew had already been involved. He sighed and explained briefly:

"We have a guest of our own. She's been aboard our vessel because until now we had no idea how to send her back. Now, with your help, it might be possible."

Pok handed Chiita a PADD. He smiled uneasily, "Didn't get a chance to give this to you earlier, Sir."

Chiita gave Pok a stern look and just as quickly forgave him. He smiled lightly and read the PADD.

"Ahh," he simply said. Then added, "This is possible? In our current state?"

Pok said, "Yes, Sir."

"This time, however, we'll have to rely on your Reginald solely to make the calculations, sir." Liana added.

Chiita thought for a moment. Pierre and Reginald spent time together. Pierre asked Chiita why Reginald was enslaved. "Pok, Give Reginald a Level three diagnostic. Get the secondary system started on the calculation, and I want you to personally monitor the diagnostic."

Pok swallowed hard. He nodded. "Yes, Sir."

"All right," Anthony got up. "If there's nothing else," he looked at Chiita for confirmation, "you're dismissed. We've got some serious work to do and," he added to himself, "I've got someone I need to talk to."

Chiita nodded, got up as well. "So do I."

* * *

"Do you realize what you've done?" Anthony said that quietly, without looking at his computer officer. He couldn't force himself to raise his eyes to him. He felt that at least part of what's happened was his fault. *I should have ordered him to submit to the memory purge.*

"I do, sir," Pierre replied, ignoring the captain's thought. "I have made a mistake I shouldn't have, as a computer. I hadn't realized my computational skills would be impaired as well."

Anthony looked at the android now.

"Are you telling me you didn't do that on purpose?!"

Pierre looked elsewhere. Anthony sighed and said simply.

"You're lying. I've never thought you're capable of that." He wasn't even angry. He was just sad.

"You're forcing me to order you to undergo the procedure. Or to throw you to the brig."

Pierre didn't seem to understand what the captain had just said. He was restless. He was unable to focus his eyes and his hands were shaking slightly.

"She's going to do it, right?" He asked, nervously. "She's going to leave us…"

"So that's what this is all about," Anthony nodded. "I suspected that. Does she really mean so much to you?"

Pierre didn't reply. He was just waiting for the captain to confirm his worst fear. He was going to lose the one woman in the whole universe who really mattered to him. Nothing was more important than that. Nothing could be worse.

"You're prepared to throw away your career for her?" Anthony continued. "To lose everything you've become, even your very life?"

That triggered a response, albeit not exactly what Anthony hoped for.

"I have been programmed to sacrifice myself to save each and every human member of this crew," this sounded almost mechanically. "In case of danger, I am ready to die for her, for you or for anyone here. In the line of duty."

"We're not talking about the line of duty!" Anthony exclaimed. "Pierre, we're talking about sabotage! Disobeying a direct order! Mutiny! These are serious charges and they have nothing to do with your programming! Do you understand that?!"

Apparently, it all fell on deaf ears. Pierre gave Anthony a blank look and repeated his question:

"Is she going to leave?"

"I don't know that," Anthony sighed. "What I know is that I cannot count on you anymore. Under the circumstances, I am ordering you to report to Lieutenant Rex and submit yourself to the memory purge procedure immediately." He paused to look at the android.

"It's possibly the most difficult order I have so far been forced to give," he added. "I'm sorry."

Pierre didn't wait to be dismissed. He got up and left the ready room without another word.

Anthony briefly considered calling security to escort him but then decided against it. He wanted to allow his friend some dignity. Instead, he notified Timothy and told him to stand by. And report to him if Pierre didn't show up in an hour. Anthony had a vague idea how the android would like to spend that time.

* * *

Pok tapped out the display. "From the data…" he paused for a moment, wondering if he should have said 'corrected data'. After a second he continued, "from the data it seems the wormhole oscillates and swings from a focal some 60 light years away."

Both teams were once again working together in the Explorer's lab. Liana looked over the display.

"Might be more difficult to pinpoint it than we initially thought…" she sighed. "Any idea on how to calculate the next occurrence? And how long will it last?"

Tim looked at his wife thoughtfully.

"From what I've learnt about the Mystique class wormholes, the whole phenomenon rarely lasts for more than two to three days. Some wormholes appear only once, others were observed to reappear in the radius of 100 light years a few times. Each time, however," he continued, pointing at the quantum fluctuation amplitude, the conditions inside were slightly different."

Pok frowned, He stared intensely at the display. After a moment he scratched his head. "I'm not getting anything."

Kar'nl reached over and tapped out a new formula.

The display cycled through another example of the wormhole appearing and disappearing.

Pok nodded, "Maybe, The focal point is the key. If we could find it we might be able to predict an appearance."

"How are we going to do that without our computers?" Liana looked at the pair from the Johnson. "We need their computational skills…"

"The Johnson has a secondary computer. It may take a while, but it should be able to do it. If I have to I'll use a tricorder to make the calculations." He smiled.

"And we can employ Pierre III, our own backup system," Tim explained. "They can be linked to work together, I think."

Pok looked worried.

"What's wrong?" Liana asked.

Pok quickly said, "Nothing…" Then slowly said, "It's just I worry now when I hear the name Pierre."

Liana and Tim looked at each other. Their colleagues had every reason to be afraid. They came from the times when sentient computers were still feared and everything they saw here seemed to confirm their worst nightmares.

"Pierre III is not sentient," Tim finally said. "He's even less aware than your own Reginald. He does have the limited telepathic interface but he's just programmed to obey the orders. There's nothing to worry about…"

Pok slowly nodded hoping nothing bad would happen. He was sure Pierre III was safe. It had to have been. It was their backup. That was Starfleet standard Protocol - a backup system was the previous generation system. "Okay," he said out loud.

Liana smiled at the Tellerite. "Now that that's out of the way, let's go back to work," she said. "We know that the wormhole probably encompasses more than one dimension. The hard part will be to pinpoint the exact coordinates. Any ideas?"

Kar'nl said, "Can we have a 3D display of the Wormhole scaled down to 1/10,000th with a surrounding 100 light-years around it at scale, too?

"No problem," Tim walked to the console and put his hand on it. Nothing happened. "Uhm… Pierre?" He said, confused. There was no answer. "I don't understand," he turned to Liana. "I haven't begun the procedure yet, he hadn't been released. He is scheduled to report to me in an hour…"

"Rex to the captain," Liana tapped her commbadge.

"Anthony here," she heard.

"Captain, is Pierre still functional?"

"He should be… why?"

Liana looked at her husband. He nodded slowly.

"I suggest you take him offline, sir," she replied. "We need some computer over here. We'd like to bring Pierre III online."

"Acknowledged. Anthony out."

"We're really sorry about all this," Liana turned to the pair from the Johnson. "Now, Tim," she added. This time Tim gave the mental order and the required three dimensional display of the space around them appeared in the corner of the room.

Pok nodded to stepped up to the wormhole image. He said, "Could you have the computer display frequency, a time stamp, Boson and Tachyon count, and…" he thought a second, "Hmm, resonance frequency?"

The numbers floated near the wormhole.

"This is when the hole first appeared on this side?"

"Can the computer display an extrapolated hole in the Milky Way galaxy but leave the gap only about that much?" His hands were spread about a meter apart.

"Time index the wormhole on this end to a corresponding index on the Milky Way side."

Both indexes had been reset to zero.

Pok then said, "Run through the time in 10 minute increments."

They all watched the time display jump by 10 minutes. After about several hours both holes disappeared. Several hours later they appeared at different locations but still in a two headed configuration. "Interesting," Pok said. "Even though they are separated by millions of light years distance and a hundred years time they behave like quantum pairs. He walked over to one of the consoles and tapped out a formula. "Someone double check me on this, please. It's a probability calculation for the wormhole. Putting in all the variables we can see what the holes may do."

Tim approached Pok and looked over his shoulder. "Do you think it'll be enough to extrapolate the coordinates? How about fluctuations in the tachyon field?" He tapped in a few commands. "See? We might be sending you into a random dimension."

Pok said, "Outstanding, Lieutenant! Okay, let's run it. Present time index forward."

After a moment the wormhole disappeared. Then re-appeared 30 years from its last location. Each re-appearance the wormhole moved further away and closer to a single point. Pok looked at the display. "The intensity of the wormhole is lessening? Someone tell me my eyes are deceiving me."

"I'm afraid you're right," Liana took a closer look. "See that pattern? It's clearly dissipating. We knew the wormhole wasn't exactly an example of stability but with that…" she paused to look around. "It seems we might have much less time than we expected."

Kar'nl stepped away from the Wormhole and walked over to the console. "How much time?"

Pok sighed. He tapped out a command. The computer ran through the simulation again. The time index read nine hours ten minutes. Distance display was 92 light-years. He looked sad. "We've missed all the other appearances. This may be the last one or next to the last few. It's hard to tell."

"92 light years…" Liana repeated thoughtfully. "You'll never make it there on your own… Even provided we have all the calculations ready by then."

Pok looked crushed. "We're stuck?" He swallowed hard, "We stuck in Andromeda?" He slowly got up. "We'll have to tell the captains."

"Wait a second," Tim waved his hand. "You have your skipwave drive, right? I'm not familiar with the design, it's been long abandoned by Starfleet…" he paused, worried that he just revealed something that should have been kept a secret. The he shrugged and continued.

"Anyway, you should have at least some limited means to jump in time? It might just buy us some time…"

Pok frowned. "Abandoned by Starfleet …" Impossible! The Skipwave was cutting edge. This was a matter of pride. He tapped out some instructions. The numbers didn't lie. "We'd have to run passed full warp. Then, if we make it, we'd have to travel back in time. We'd tax the engines and the skipwave if the ship was at 100%! She's maybe 89%."

"Maybe we could tow you there? Do you think you can modify your shields to withstand transwarp speed for a few hours?"

"Transwarp?!? It works?"

Liana glared at her husband. He gave her a blank look. If they were to help at all, they couldn't avoid giving away some secrets.

"It does," he said. "Just don't expect us to give you any more details than absolutely necessary. Temporal Prime Directive…"

Pok and Kar'nl looked at each other, then laughed.

Kar'nl said, "Oh, the Johnson being a part of the Temporal Fleet bends that rule a little. We have, let's see, 27th, 30th, and 32nd century technology built into the Johnson. All small and minor of course."

Pok nodded, "Any technology we run across is most likely already in the Temporal Database." He thought for a moment. "Though, this is an unplanned trip. I'm not sure how that will play out. If Temporal Prime thought the Johnson's return into our time line would change the future I think we would have known by now. Hmmm, so that means we succeed, which means, hmmm, let me think about that one. I just had a bad thought - anyway, could you just give us the harmonics, frequency, and field strength of your tractor beam? If necessary, I can set up some sort of electrostatic potential difference between our two ships."

Liana straightened a bit and then replied. "Since we've never heard of a Temporal Fleet, at least to my knowledge, our orders stand. I'll give you any necessary data, of course, but nothing more."

She proceeded to the console and tapped in a few series of commands.

"Here you are," she nodded to the Tellerite.

Pok nodded. "Thank you." Then added, "Never heard of the Temporal Fleet?" He chuckled. "Well, it may not be common knowledge." The thought of contaminating the future struck him as funny. He tapped at the console. Nodded once, then shook his head. He tapped again a few times. "It's doable, but we get one shot at it."

"How much time do we have before the wormhole collapses finally?" Asked Tim.

His shoulder's slumped. "Less than nine hours."

* * *

"It's your life that depends on it! You can't just dismiss it!" Joanna looked at Pierre pleadingly.

They were sitting in her quarters. She was happy he chose to see her before going through the procedure but now she saw he still hesitated. After all that happened, and he told her everything, she didn't understand why.

"I love you," he said quietly, without looking at her. "I don't want to lose it."

"Then you won't," she put her hand on his. "You can grow all your feelings back again. If you really love me, you'll fall for me again. And I'll still have my feelings for you," she added, after a pause.

"Will you?" He raised his shiny eyes on her and she saw they were… wet?"

"Why are you crying?"

"I'm scared," he confessed, slumping his head again. It sounded strange for an android but Joanna understood him perfectly. Or so she thought.

"That's just another emotion," she said, hoping to calm him down. "Once the purge is over, you won't have to feel it."

"That's precisely the point!" Pierre got up from the sofa and started pacing the room. He was agitated. "Why do I have to be treated like a machine? Why can't I have the right to feel what I feel like any other sentient being? Like you or any other human?" He raised his voice. Joanna was trying to sound as soothing as possible.

"You're not human, Pierre," she almost whispered. It didn't help. Pierre started shouting:

"Why?! I can be as human as you like. What? Emotions? I have emotions! Wanna see my emotions?" This was scary. His eyes were shining wildly, he approached her, gesturing violently. She couldn't help but back off.

"Pierre!" She begged him. "Calm down, please. You're hurting yourself…"

"And who cares?!" He was screaming now. "I'm just a piece of machinery to you! To all of you!" He turned around and hit a small table with his fist so hard that it broke into pieces. It was the same coffee table he materialized for her the first time she thought she'd like some coffee.

"You're no different than the others!" He yelled, not even noticing the damage he'd just done. He kicked the broken pieces aside and bent over the woman with almost a lunatic expression on his usually handsome face. Right now it was twisted with fury. He grabbed Joanna by her arms and shook her hard.

"You're just like them! You don't care about me!"

"Pierre!" Joanna was terrified. "It hurts!" She could call the security now. Pierre was now released from duty and not in control of the ship's functions anymore. She didn't want to do that. She looked into his insane eyes, hoping that he'd wake up somehow. He loved her. He wouldn't want to really hurt her… Something in her eyes must have reached him because he finally broke his grip. He slumped to his knees before her.

"Help me!" He breathed. "Help me, please!"

Joanna slid down from the sofa and sat next to him, now curled helplessly on the floor. She embraced him and felt he was trembling.

"It'll be all right," she whispered, stroking his back.

"I... am... not... crazy! Not crazy! Not... crazy..." he repeated, now sobbing loudly.

"Everything will be all right," was the only thing Joanna could think of to say at the moment. She hugged him tighter and he clung to her like she was the last stable element in his universe. In fact, she was just that.

* * *

Pierre was stretched on the biobed in engineering again. This time it was different. Even more equipment lay scattered around to monitor all his functions and Tim Rex, the Chief Engineer, was even more concentrated than usual.

"This will only take a few minutes," he was trying to sound reassuring. "You won't feel anything."

"I thought that was the idea behind it," Pierre replied bitterly. He looked around. "Joanna?"

"I'm here," she moved closer to the biobed and let him take her hand.

"Just don't go anywhere... please?" He whispered.

"I won't," Joanna smiled at him, stroking his hand. "I'll be here when you wake up, don't worry."

She nodded to Timothy and he switched the controls. Pierre's eyes lost their radiance and slowly closed. He was unconscious now.

"How do you feel, Commander?" Timothy asked half an hour later.

"Feel?" Pierre opened his eyes and looked around. He remembered everything. He knew why he was here, in the engineering, and why Lieutenant Rex had a worried expression on his face.

"I'm not supposed to feel anything, right?"

Tim and Joanna exchanged looks.

"At least you have your bad sense of humor intact," she tried to smile but didn't succeed. Pierre sat on the biobed and looked at her.

"Hey, Sunshine," he said. "Why the sad face?"

"Pierre?" Joanna wasn't sure what to think. Tim grabbed a tricorder and started scanning the android. Pierre laughed.

"Relax everyone," he said. "I don't feel any emotions but I haven't lost my memory in the process!" he got up and went closer to Joanna.

"I remember how I felt about you," he said silently. "I will never hurt you again. I promise." He gently took her in his arms. Joanna was stunned. He felt it and moved away.

"Hey, it was my emotions that were supposed to vaporize, not yours!" He joked, trying to lighten the mood. Joanna smiled apologetically.

"I just don't know what to expect from you," she explained. Pierre nodded.

"I understand. But there's nothing to be afraid. Lieutenant Rex can confirm that the procedure went well and I'm as good as new, right, Lieutenant?" He turned to Tim. The engineer nodded.

"Everything seems to have worked just fine," he agreed, putting the tricorder away. "Welcome back, Commander."

Pierre bowed playfully and turned back to Joanna. "Can we talk now?" He asked. Joanna looked at Timothy.

"Oh, I'll have to leave you two alone," he said with a knowing smile. "I've got… other duties to perform," he winked and left the engineering, laughing softly to himself. Now, after he had it done, he really felt relieved.

Pierre gestured for Joanna to seat beside him on the biobed. She complied, only a little reluctantly.

"I still love you," he said quietly. "It'll never change."

Joanna looked at