Digital Refresh

Moments after the Captain and party left.

Chakotay, stood outside of Daddy Data's quarters. Timidly he pressed the bell button.

"Chakotay, it is a pleasure to see you. How may I assist you today?" Data asked in his normal polite tone as he bent down and gave the youngster a quick Daddy Data hug.

"I just wanted to talk to you" Chakotay said while looking down to the floor and twisting his boot on the floor. "I have a few questions and I knew I could come to you."

"Well by all means come in." Data said as he stood back up and ushered the young lad inside. "Please have a seat in the living room. While I grab us some refreshments."

Chakotay sat down and looked around the room noticing the collection of stuff his Daddy Data had. At one point he spotted an old boat in a bottle and walked over to examine it closer.

"It is a replica of a ship my old captain gave me." Data said watching as Chakotay jumped like a cat running from a rocking chair.

"Daddy, you move so silently. I never heard you come back in." Chakotay said just above a whisper.

"Come have a seat, and tell me what is on your mind." Daddy Data said calmly and quietly since he knew something was up with Chakotay.

"Daddy Data, why do I get treated differently than the crew? I get treated more like an adult." Chakotay said barely above a whisper. "I know I always seem to have a level head, but I am like everyone else with the exception of yourself."

"How do you wish to be seen?" Data asked gently while slowly lifting Chakotay's chin with his index finger.

"According to our resident Doctor, I am eleven years old. I just feel like everyone else is allowed to act their age but not me. Am I wrong for thinking this way?" Chakotay said while still looking in to Daddy Data's golden eyes. "I just feel like an old fart compared to everyone else. Excuse the slip Daddy Data."

"Well first things first, lets have a look at your duty schedule." Daddy Data said while looking at the schedule. After a few seconds he began shaking his head. "This will not do."

"What do you see wrong." Chakotay asked quickly.

Data placed a finger in the air to indicate one moment and then paged Damintz. "LT Damintz please report to my quarters. Thank You."

"Hopefully he knows he's not in trouble when you call him." Chakotay said slowly not sure what was wrong.

"We will continue when Lieutenant Damintz has arrived." Data said softly, while slowly walking toward the food replicator. "Milk, Cookies, Orange Juice, Apple Juice?" he gently asked as his door chime went off. "Come"

Chakotay looked to Daddy Data. "No thank you, I have had so many treats, I might stay up till the cows come home for a second time."

"Hello Daddy Data" Damintz said in a jumble as he entered the quarters. "I ran as fast as I could, what is the problem?"

"I paged you here to help me identify to Chakotay, why people might be treating him like an adult. Instead of the eleven-year-old before us." Data pointed to a chair while passing him the PADD. "Can you see why people might be treating him as an adult?"

"Dude, how do you have your entire day scheduled from the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep? I have never seen anyone schedule down to fifteen-minute intervals. Daddy Data do you think this is a little overboard?" Damintz turned to look at Chakotay while holding the PADD out to Daddy Data. "Look you are our counselor and you aren’t able to see this could be a big problem or hurtle blocking you from letting out your inner child."

"He does have a point." Data looked to Chakotay and smiled. "We will first need to re arrange your schedule."

"I need my schedule it keeps me on track." Chakotay said and then realized he had screamed this answer.

"Chakotay, we will still use a schedule for you however it will be more simplified. Two you will only have access to view not modify it. Three it will be in blocks of two-hour periods." Damintz said while walking over and giving Chakotay a hug. "Plus, this will help you to be more conversational with others."

"Chakotay, we will try this for a week to see if it needs to be changed to more or less structured." Daddy Data said while quickly typing in restrictions to the scheduling application. "Do you have anything else you would like to talk about?"

"No, I believe I understand." Chakotay said getting up to give them a hug. After the hug he stood there with slumped shoulders slowly inching his way to the door.

"Also, according to the new schedule you are due in club 99 for some free time and relaxing. " Damintz stated quietly as not to shock him.

"Chakotay, you will see this will do you good to have the next two days with no work. Now let us go to Club 99 and have some fun." Daddy Data said with a smile while patting both Damintz and Chakotay on the shoulder.

Shuttle bay

Reg slowly walked the entire shuttle bay, checking systems over while getting closer to the FT4's which still needed to be delivered to Alligator Alley and to the Clan Patriarch. "These are some of the nicest shuttle crafts I have seen." Reg said to himself or so he thought.

"Technically there are two options, we deliver them or invite them onboard. Besides we haven't had an introduction mixer yet." Ensign Walters stated almost scarring the crap out of Reg. "Sorry, I thought you had seen me walk over here."

"Doug, I was lost in my own thoughts." Reg said with a smile and a slight studder. "Besides, I think I'll talk with Annika since she is technically in charge." Reg said while using air quotes to give the bigger picture.

"Reg, there is no time like the present." Annika said causing Reg to jump for a second time.

"Let's go to the club and talk this out." Reg said while still holding his chest from the double scares.

"Then let us be on our way" Annika smiled at the ensign. "The more the merrier." she stated in the most mono and non emotional way.

Club 99

Harry had been cleaning around the club for most of the morning and decided to take a small break. He walked to the back room and programmed the CP 500 for a new preset labeled simply (FUN). Then he set the playlist for an old song, Blaze of Glory by Jon Bon Jovi. As the song started, he simply began to sing along to the song while acting out any relevant actions in the empty club. The song was past the half way point when Harry started feeling like he was being watched.

Reg, Doug and Annika arrived first to find Harry being a kid acting out the song while singing along on the stage. They silently walked in and grabbed a couple of chairs. Then they heard the door open and in walked Daddy Data, Chakotay, and Damintz. Reg hurried over to them to make sure they didn’t scare Harry as this was not his normal behavior. Once seated they all marveled as Harry continued to dance wildly to the song.

Once the song ended Harry looked around the room and seen he had an audience. Then he ran a break neck speed toward the back room.

But he wasn't fast enough for Reg. "Harry, stop!" Reg said with a slightly raised voice.

"Reg, sorry umm. I was umm." Harry mumbled only to be stopped by Reg placing a tender kiss upon his lips. Once this kiss broke.

"Harry what's wrong you were having fun we all saw it." Reg said as he walked over to the sound processor and began to look at it amazed. "Harry did you make a new preset? And what is this box here?"

"Yes, I created a third preset on the system. The box allows Buddy or anyone else to control the system from anywhere on the ship." Harry said looking into Reg's eyes hoping he would not be upset.

"Baby, I am not upset. You made our system even more unique and gave it another preset. It can handle up to eight presets, did you know that, Harry?" Reg told Harry while massaging his cheeks with his thumbs. "Did you have any issues with converting the automation system to work with the ships systems?"

"Not once I read the book to it and found I would need to slow down our interface to a matching speed." Harry said with a slight smile on his face. "But how come a CP 500 and not one of the digital audio interface processors?"

"Harry, such a wonderful question. Why choose this over another system. This system is more about style. Not features. The bigger units have great features but no style. They are all about function with no extra displays or graphics." Reg explained slowly to Harry.

"I understand, style or flare vs cold industrial productivity." Harry said as he returned to check on the others.

Harry quickly grabbed a couple of trays of sandwiches and shakes. "They looked a bit on the hungry side, Harry said to Reg. Its closer to lunch so we will have lunch not snacks."

Looking over to Harry with a smile. "I'd be happy with a side of Harry and some snuggle time." Causing Harry to have a full body blush.

"Sexual Bliss later, relaxation, socialization and fun now. Besides resistance is futile." Said Annika from the doorway while covering her eyes in mock pain.

Annika, Harry and Reg walked back into the main club just in time to see Daddy Data, Chakotay, Damintz and Doug clearing the tables from the center of the floor. Once they stopped moving tables and chairs they walked back over to the bar.

"Would you care to explain your actions?" Annika said pointing at the open space on the floor.

"We are going to attempt a game of twister; would you care to join?" Daddy Data said with a smile to the young Borg. "Besides resistance is useless."

Before any remarks could be made, the system jumped presets and began to hammer out music. Everyone spun around to see Damintz setting the view screen to show an enlarged picture of the sound processor with a picture of the playlist below it.

"Now come on Chakotay lets dance and have fun." Damintz said with sincerity and mirth in his voice.

At first Chakotay appeared to be just wiggling to the music. Then with encouragement from Damintz it became a wild dance of emotional release. No one noticed the screen change to Shay and Buddy, fist pumping to the music. They had muted their channel so no one would notice the intrusion. Then just as suddenly as they appeared they disappeared.

As the song came to a stop, everyone was quiet except for Ted and Tad. They had snuck in to the club during the song. As they cheered at Chakotay they broke in to a run.

Mid pounce "We knew you could find you would find your inner child."

Chakotay only had a few moments to hold his arms out and catch the flying duo and pull them into a hug. Once he caught them, they rolled across the floor to a stop.

"Where did you learn to pounce like that.?" Chakotay asked in pure amazement. That had to be close to a six-foot jump.

"We been studying the younger clan members video recordings." Tad said with a huge grin.

Harry interrupted before Chakotay got the idea to tickle them. "Guys the food is getting cold."

Club 99 after lunch

Ted and Tad approached Annika. "How long until we have a meeting about how to increase productivity and fun in Plumville and the surrounding towns?"

"There is no time like the present." Annika said thinking about her original captain.

"Reg, how many crew members do we need on the ship as a skeleton crew?" Annika asked seeing if he could find a better way to do the schedule.

"This question also goes to you as well Damintz?" Reg said since he was in charge of schedules.

Looking between them both Damintz spoke first. "We can optimize our work teams down to sixteen crew members on the ship working a four-hour shift on the ship and then they have an eight-hour shift on the planet this would give us ninety-six crew members rotating per day. Plus, one hundred seventy-six crew available to work on the planet in four shifts. " This could definitely speed up the recovery of the towns.

"But what about those who would like to volunteer more than their scheduled shifts?" Reg asked hoping Damintz understood this is a stubborn crew.

"They will be allowed to volunteer, however once they pass a preset work limit then they are required to take a break. Fun is required alongside work." Damintz said while looking at Chakotay.

"Ted and Tad, you're going to be helping communicate between the Clan and the local towns with Annika's help this way more can get completed." Reg listed off knowing they wanted to be in hip deep if not further.

"Besides, if the people don't like the plan, then we will have a new Borg collective!" Annika stated rather darkly except for the nano smile she was sporting.

"Um, no. No collective with linked minds, yet." Doug said with a smile knowing quite a lot about the clan after reading up on them.

"Damintz, I like the details in this plan of action, but why not start volunteer lists and have them available with the ability to volunteer to work on the ship or planet side." Chakotay stated then turned quickly to Daddy Data to see if he was in trouble for making a work comment during off time.

"I don't believe you have violated any conditions of being off shift for today." Daddy Data responded while looking at his PADD and then looking up to see Chakotay wipe his forehead. "Besides, Volunteering would not be considered assigned work because you will have play time included while you are on the planet."

Reorganizing Sickbay

Bradley was walking bedside to bedside checking to see if all the supplies were stocked up. When his terminal sprang to life with a message from the Potemkin. Walking over to the desk he sat down and began to read all the notes Dr Mason had sent over. "Sixty-one survivors, age sixteen and under. Forty-three males and eighteen females. All are telepathic, mental control develops at age twenty-eight. They live to be one hundred and sixty-eight on average." Bradley stopped reading and looked up to see Marky's face on the screen. "Howdy, Doctor. What do I owe this screen visit?"

"Bradley, have you started reading up on your test materials?" Marky said like a proud parent. "I know, we spoke of the importance of it but perhaps after looking over the medical information. We might want to focus on ways we can help these teenagers adjust to our way of doing things."

"Marky, I studied this morning for the testing, but currently I am looking at this information from the Potemkin. Have they tested to see if they would be able to survive the living conditions of Earth or to make sure no viruses would be a problem?" Bradley asked out of worry for these kids. Thinking about how much they had been through and the problems with integrating them in just do to them looking like adults. "Marky, I understand my job has more too it than what is listed on the requirements."

"Good definitely what I wanted to hear." Shay said from off screen. "Besides if you're taking over medical soon. Then I need to know you can handle it."

"No, you were making sure I understood if I needed to tell you to come in for a check up you could not simply frighten me to make it go away." Bradley watched as Marky face paled momentarily as he began to hear a thunderous laughter begin. "See we will make a great team!"

Shay appeared on screen. "Marky, he passed the test. Well, the non-medical test that is." Shay sat back in his chair with a happy smile plastered there. "Now remember to read the entire file on all of the teenagers. I believe this will turn in to an extremely interesting rescue."

Bradley blushed for a moment. "Marky, did you see anyone whom had medical knowledge?"

"To be honest we maybe bringing in a few members of the crew of the Potemkin at this rate." Shay said off screen again. "We will find out more when we arrive."

"Yes, most of them have medical, engineering, and more knowledge than we are accustom to for their age range." Marky said as a loud shout was heard from Randall.

"Guys come on would you four stop it, damn how the hell can you not know the computer is placing the call on all view screens on our ship? Except on our ship, we are getting the full screen of what is taking place during the call." Randall almost yelled. "This is so not fair. Not all of us are in a relationship!"

"Oops, gotta go. Talk to you later." Marky said as his face flushed. Then the call went dead.

Bradley broke in to laughter then sighed, "You tell them Randall."

"How long did you know they were being bad?" Buddies VI asked from another monitor.

"The angles were so unnatural, plus the breathing was being cut out by the comm system." Bradley said with a knowing grin. "Besides when the ship was in the other dimension, someone video paged me while I was … umm. Well, I um. Oh. " Bradley's full body blush extended to his fingertips. "You should know you were on the ship at the time."

Mountain Oaks Tour

Bradley looked at the school in front of him. He knew it had just been rebuilt by the Saratoga crew, but it had an early nineteen hundred style too it. "This is were Franklin wanted to go to school?" he asked himself. As he walked up the steps to the main entrance he was surprised when a voice asked who he was and were was he heading too. He stopped walking as he felt the energy field in front of him.

"Hello, I am Bradley. I am here to see the principle to register my children." Bradley stated promptly.

"Please show your Identification." The voice said gently.

Bradley dug out his wallet and gently pulled out his updated Clan Short ID and his Starfleet ID. He held them out waiting for the systems reaction.

"Please, enter the building and wait a the foot of the inner stairwell." the voice said gently.

Bradley entered the building and waited at the base of the stairs. The building looked both new and old at the same time. He was brought out of his thoughts abruptly.

"Mr. Dax, my name is Emily Wilson. I am the principle of this school." Emily said shocking Bradley.

"Please call me Bradley." he said stunned by her actions.

"Lets go to the office and we can discuss the children your wanting to register."

"Lead the way." Bradley said surprised he wasn't being interrogated over his age.

 

Author Notes

This seemed to be a good spot to stop. I do want to take a moment and apologize to my readers since life has gotten in the way yet again. Things have been in constant motion and park for the past month. 

Brynmor