Post by magicmuggle01 on Sept 27, 2018 9:50:41 GMT
Lal
Lal before and after transformation (2366).
Lal was a Soong-type android constructed by Data in 2366 on the USS Enterprise-D. She exceeded Data's abilities in several ways, notably by being able to complete more than sixty trillion calculations per second, using contractions, and feeling emotions such as fear and love.
History
Conception and creation
Technology in the 2360s prohibited the successful creation of a stable positronic brain, with Data being the one exception. (TNG: "The Measure Of A Man") When he learned of a newly-developed submicron matrix transfer technology at a cybernetics conference he had attended in 2366, he decided to proceed with the creation of one like himself. Using his own positronic brain as a template, Data thereby programmed the brain of the android that would ultimately be known as "Lal". His initial tests proved successful, so he returned from the conference with her brain.
Lal's creation allowed Data to accomplish two things – to re-create the work of his "father", Noonian Soong; and experience the act of procreation, having a family, and leaving behind a legacy should he perish. Data chose the name for his offspring from a Hindi word meaning "beloved".
Data's eventual hope was that someday his daughter would enter Starfleet Academy and serve in Starfleet, as he had. He wished to give back to the organization that had given him so many opportunities. Regardless, he felt that ultimately, it was his role to parent her, not Starfleet's. To this end, he consulted all the available literature on parenting aboard the Enterprise-D.
Originally genderless and possessing a very basic humanoid appearance, Lal was allowed to choose its own gender and appearance. Deanna Troi's reminded Lal that Lal's choice would affect how people interacted with the android. Lal originally wished to share gender and features with Troi, but Data discouraged the move, saying it would be confusing.
After narrowing the choices from several thousand composites Data had programmed to four finalists – an Andorian female, a Human male and female, and a Klingon male – Lal chose the Human female form. Additionally, she was given a skin pigmentation and eye type consistent with Human females, as opposed to Data's less Human features.
Becoming Human
Lal introduces herself to Riker
Data wished for Lal to learn about "being Human", and per Wesley Crusher's suggestion, enrolled her in the ship's school. Unfortunately, she was not able to socially interact with the older children, who were closer to her level of intelligence, and the younger children were afraid of her. When discussing her interactions with the children, Lal believed she had unintentionally made jokes, saying they had laughed at her remarks. Data explained that they were laughing at her, not with her, mainly because she was different from them.
Data then sought parental advice from Beverly Crusher, explaining he did not know how to help Lal with her realization that she was different from other people. Crusher suggested that he share his own experiences to encourage her, something he had not done, believing that it would only discourage her instead.
Data then decided that allowing Lal to work in Ten Forward would give her more valuable insight into Human social interaction. She was mentored by Guinan, who tried to answer all of her questions, but left matters of sex for Data to answer. While working in the bar, Lal began to improve on her father's original specifications, becoming able to use verbal contractions and even, eventually, to feel emotions. Her knowledge of proper behavior and timing was still lacking, however; after observing a couple's romantic interactions, she hauled an unsuspecting William T. Riker up off the ground and kissed him, despite the two having only just met each other.
A proposed separation
When Starfleet Research and Development learned of Lal's existence, Vice admiral Anthony Haftel attempted to separate Lal from Data in order to study her closely. Aghast at the idea of her working in Ten Forward, he believed the Daystrom Institute annex on Galor IV would be a better environment for her. Lal was then interviewed by Haftel, and agreed that his facilities would be beneficial to learn, but only after having completed her learning aboard the Enterprise with her father.
The situation caused Lal distress, and while speaking with Deanna Troi, she began to feel fear over her impending separation from her father. Her programming perceived a malfunction, causing her to return to the Enterprise lab, as she had been programmed to do in the event of a problem.
Death
"Thank you for my life."
Upon running diagnostics, Data identified the problem as a symptom of a cascade failure in her neural net. With the assistance of Admiral Haftel, he attempted to repair the damage. However, despite their best efforts, the effect was irreparable, and Lal's neural net failed.
Haftel described the experience to a waiting LaForge, Troi, and Wesley Crusher: "There was nothing anyone could have done. We'd repolarise one pathway and another would collapse. And then another. His hands were moving faster than I could see, trying to stay ahead of each breakdown. He refused to give up. He was remarkable. It just wasn't meant to be."
As Lal lay dying, she expressed her love for her father and thanked him for creating her, before summing up her brief life in a few short words. She succumbed to complete neural system failure at 1300 hours, after which Data deactivated her.
Legacy
Data's painting of Lal
As a final act following her death, Data transferred Lal's memories and experiences into his own brain, ensuring a part of her would live on. (TNG: "The Offspring")
By 2368, Starfleet had come to recognize that Lal was Data's offspring, and this was reflected in the crew manifest database file for Data. (TNG: "The Offspring"; TNG-R: "Conundrum")
Interestingly, the symptoms of Lal's shutdown achieved something Data had been trying to achieve for many years: basic Human emotions. It would be five more years before Data would achieve the same results in himself, and this only after implanting a new chip created by his "father". Though also suffering a neural net failure as a result, Data recovered and was able to function normally afterwards, even able to toggle the ability to feel emotion on and off at will. (TNG: "Brothers"; Star Trek Generations)
Understandably, Lal remained in Data's thoughts for many years after. During his experimentation with painting, Data painted a portrait of Lal, which he later showed to Juliana Tainer – essentially, Lal's 'grandmother' – when she visited the USS Enterprise-D in 2370. Despite her unfortunate death, he still wished to procreate again some time in the future. (TNG: "Inheritance").
Some of the choices Lal considered before becoming a human female.
"I love you, Father"
Memorable quotes.
"How do you do, Lal?"
"I am functioning within normal parameters."
- Deanna Troi and Lal, in their first meeting.
"Why would they wish to be unkind?"
"Because you are different. Differences sometimes scare people. I have learned that some of them use humor to hide their fear."
"I do not want to be different."
- Lal and Data, on why the school children were laughing at her.
"I watch them and I can do the things they do but I will never feel the emotions. I'll never know love."
"It is a limitation we must learn to accept, Lal."
- Lal and Data, discussing love.
"Troi. Admiral. Admiral. An admiral from Starfleet has come to take me away, Troi. I am scared."
- Lal, experiencing her first emotion.
"In all these discussions, no one has ever mentioned her wishes. She's a free, sentient being. What are your wishes, Lal?"
"I wish to remain here, Captain Picard."
- Lal and Jean-Luc Picard.
"I feel"
"What do you feel, Lal?"
"I love you, Father."
"I wish I could feel it with you."
"I will feel it for both of us. Thank you for my life. Flirting. Laughter. Painting. Family. Female. Human."
- Lal and Data, during her final moments.
Lal before and after transformation (2366).
Lal was a Soong-type android constructed by Data in 2366 on the USS Enterprise-D. She exceeded Data's abilities in several ways, notably by being able to complete more than sixty trillion calculations per second, using contractions, and feeling emotions such as fear and love.
History
Conception and creation
Technology in the 2360s prohibited the successful creation of a stable positronic brain, with Data being the one exception. (TNG: "The Measure Of A Man") When he learned of a newly-developed submicron matrix transfer technology at a cybernetics conference he had attended in 2366, he decided to proceed with the creation of one like himself. Using his own positronic brain as a template, Data thereby programmed the brain of the android that would ultimately be known as "Lal". His initial tests proved successful, so he returned from the conference with her brain.
Lal's creation allowed Data to accomplish two things – to re-create the work of his "father", Noonian Soong; and experience the act of procreation, having a family, and leaving behind a legacy should he perish. Data chose the name for his offspring from a Hindi word meaning "beloved".
Data's eventual hope was that someday his daughter would enter Starfleet Academy and serve in Starfleet, as he had. He wished to give back to the organization that had given him so many opportunities. Regardless, he felt that ultimately, it was his role to parent her, not Starfleet's. To this end, he consulted all the available literature on parenting aboard the Enterprise-D.
Originally genderless and possessing a very basic humanoid appearance, Lal was allowed to choose its own gender and appearance. Deanna Troi's reminded Lal that Lal's choice would affect how people interacted with the android. Lal originally wished to share gender and features with Troi, but Data discouraged the move, saying it would be confusing.
After narrowing the choices from several thousand composites Data had programmed to four finalists – an Andorian female, a Human male and female, and a Klingon male – Lal chose the Human female form. Additionally, she was given a skin pigmentation and eye type consistent with Human females, as opposed to Data's less Human features.
Becoming Human
Lal introduces herself to Riker
Data wished for Lal to learn about "being Human", and per Wesley Crusher's suggestion, enrolled her in the ship's school. Unfortunately, she was not able to socially interact with the older children, who were closer to her level of intelligence, and the younger children were afraid of her. When discussing her interactions with the children, Lal believed she had unintentionally made jokes, saying they had laughed at her remarks. Data explained that they were laughing at her, not with her, mainly because she was different from them.
Data then sought parental advice from Beverly Crusher, explaining he did not know how to help Lal with her realization that she was different from other people. Crusher suggested that he share his own experiences to encourage her, something he had not done, believing that it would only discourage her instead.
Data then decided that allowing Lal to work in Ten Forward would give her more valuable insight into Human social interaction. She was mentored by Guinan, who tried to answer all of her questions, but left matters of sex for Data to answer. While working in the bar, Lal began to improve on her father's original specifications, becoming able to use verbal contractions and even, eventually, to feel emotions. Her knowledge of proper behavior and timing was still lacking, however; after observing a couple's romantic interactions, she hauled an unsuspecting William T. Riker up off the ground and kissed him, despite the two having only just met each other.
A proposed separation
When Starfleet Research and Development learned of Lal's existence, Vice admiral Anthony Haftel attempted to separate Lal from Data in order to study her closely. Aghast at the idea of her working in Ten Forward, he believed the Daystrom Institute annex on Galor IV would be a better environment for her. Lal was then interviewed by Haftel, and agreed that his facilities would be beneficial to learn, but only after having completed her learning aboard the Enterprise with her father.
The situation caused Lal distress, and while speaking with Deanna Troi, she began to feel fear over her impending separation from her father. Her programming perceived a malfunction, causing her to return to the Enterprise lab, as she had been programmed to do in the event of a problem.
Death
"Thank you for my life."
Upon running diagnostics, Data identified the problem as a symptom of a cascade failure in her neural net. With the assistance of Admiral Haftel, he attempted to repair the damage. However, despite their best efforts, the effect was irreparable, and Lal's neural net failed.
Haftel described the experience to a waiting LaForge, Troi, and Wesley Crusher: "There was nothing anyone could have done. We'd repolarise one pathway and another would collapse. And then another. His hands were moving faster than I could see, trying to stay ahead of each breakdown. He refused to give up. He was remarkable. It just wasn't meant to be."
As Lal lay dying, she expressed her love for her father and thanked him for creating her, before summing up her brief life in a few short words. She succumbed to complete neural system failure at 1300 hours, after which Data deactivated her.
Legacy
Data's painting of Lal
As a final act following her death, Data transferred Lal's memories and experiences into his own brain, ensuring a part of her would live on. (TNG: "The Offspring")
By 2368, Starfleet had come to recognize that Lal was Data's offspring, and this was reflected in the crew manifest database file for Data. (TNG: "The Offspring"; TNG-R: "Conundrum")
Interestingly, the symptoms of Lal's shutdown achieved something Data had been trying to achieve for many years: basic Human emotions. It would be five more years before Data would achieve the same results in himself, and this only after implanting a new chip created by his "father". Though also suffering a neural net failure as a result, Data recovered and was able to function normally afterwards, even able to toggle the ability to feel emotion on and off at will. (TNG: "Brothers"; Star Trek Generations)
Understandably, Lal remained in Data's thoughts for many years after. During his experimentation with painting, Data painted a portrait of Lal, which he later showed to Juliana Tainer – essentially, Lal's 'grandmother' – when she visited the USS Enterprise-D in 2370. Despite her unfortunate death, he still wished to procreate again some time in the future. (TNG: "Inheritance").
Some of the choices Lal considered before becoming a human female.
"I love you, Father"
Memorable quotes.
"How do you do, Lal?"
"I am functioning within normal parameters."
- Deanna Troi and Lal, in their first meeting.
"Why would they wish to be unkind?"
"Because you are different. Differences sometimes scare people. I have learned that some of them use humor to hide their fear."
"I do not want to be different."
- Lal and Data, on why the school children were laughing at her.
"I watch them and I can do the things they do but I will never feel the emotions. I'll never know love."
"It is a limitation we must learn to accept, Lal."
- Lal and Data, discussing love.
"Troi. Admiral. Admiral. An admiral from Starfleet has come to take me away, Troi. I am scared."
- Lal, experiencing her first emotion.
"In all these discussions, no one has ever mentioned her wishes. She's a free, sentient being. What are your wishes, Lal?"
"I wish to remain here, Captain Picard."
- Lal and Jean-Luc Picard.
"I feel"
"What do you feel, Lal?"
"I love you, Father."
"I wish I could feel it with you."
"I will feel it for both of us. Thank you for my life. Flirting. Laughter. Painting. Family. Female. Human."
- Lal and Data, during her final moments.
