judayre:

More Star Trek nanny!au.

Chapter Text

Deanna spent the morning watching Lal. The young android spent the entire time working intently at her computer. It seemed to be an educational program, running her through hundreds of different subjects at deeper and deeper levels as she answered fact based questions correctly.

A nearby building had a bell that chimed the hour. When it was noon, Lal turned from her computer.

“Are you not going to say that it is time for lunch, Ms Troi?”

Deanna’s eyes widened slightly. “Do you require food, Lal?”

“I do not,” the android answered. “However, the previous nannies insisted that we respect mealtimes.”

“Very well,” Deanna answered, pushing herself to her feet. “Certainly I need food even if you don’t. Afterward, we can talk about what services I can provide you. Does that sound like an acceptable use of the afternoon?”

Lal answered by rising to her feet and leading the way to the kitchen. It was lightly stocked – although with a pair of androids in the house Deanna was surprised it was stocked at all. She made herself a sandwich, poured a glass of lemonade, and sat at the table across from Lal. The android watched her in silence, studying the au she chewed and swallowed until Deanna felt like she was exaggerating her movements.

She moved them to a couch in another room when she had finished cleaning up after herself. Lal sat stiffly and Deanna had to keep reminding herself not to do the same.

“Well,” she started, “I think you are quite self sufficient. You spent the morning very well engaged in your studies without any reminders. I’m sure you can dress yourself and deal with emergencies. You have no need of food, so no need for someone to cook for you. In all of these ways, you have no need for a ‘nanny,’ Lal.”

The android’s head tilted slightly. “Do you mean to say that you will not be returning, Ms Troi?” she asked.

“Not at all,” Deanna answered. “However, the term nanny most often refers to a person who tends to a child who cannot see to their own needs. You certainly can, so I think our relationship will be very different.”

Lal looked down for a moment, then back up. “Please state the nature of our relationship.”

Deanna smiled. “I can see that you are well able to do your academic work on your own – although I would like to talk about inferences and analysis with you. Your largest weakness seems to lie in the area of social engagement and understanding, which makes perfect sense to me. I believe my task is to act as a tutor to you in this area. I have training in it and I’m sure we can make good progress together. What do you think?”

“What is the purpose of social engagement?” Lal asked.

“That is a complicated question,” Deanna answered, clasping her hands around one knee. “Organic beings often crave the companionship of other beings. Most space going species evolved from some form of animal that lived in a pack. The theory is that the socialization and the need for more complicated social understanding is one of the things that led to sentience in many cases.”

Lal’s head tilted again. “T’mitu of the Vulcan Science Academy speculates that lack of socialization led to the telepathic powers of the Ionian species of Gamma Iota IV. Ferengi paleoanthropologist Meeg has drawn parallels between the increase of brain size in proto-Ferengi with evidence of trade and acquisition. Komas of QoNos believes that there can be no code of honor among lower life forms and that it is only the development of a society that was able to conceive of honor that led to the creation of the Klingon empire–”

Deanna let her continue, overwhelmed by the amount of information about evolution and evolutionary theory being stated in the almost inflectionless voice of the other woman. Finally, Lal wound down and looked directly at Deanna. “I understand your concern, Ms Troi. Increasing my ability to understand others is an acceptable use of time.”

“Good,” Deanna said. “I will be prepared tomorrow. Today you may use the rest of the afternoon as you please.”

“I do not feel a sense of pleasure,” Lal answered, blinking twice.

Deanna sighed with a smile. “It is a phrase that means you can do what you want,” she explained.

Lal rose, and Deanna followed and watched her log into the educational program again. Certainly it was a good thing for her to practice using all of the knowledge that had to be in her head, but Deanna made a note to bring games and videos to broaden the social curriculum she had been trained in.

When Data returned in the evening, Deanna discussed the situation with him. He thanked her for choosing to remain with them and for choosing to pursue an area in which he had little practical understanding. She smiled at him, assured him that she felt he was doing a good job and wished him a good night. She had a lot of planning to do.