Data reveals Soong’s hidden programming
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Data explains to Bashir that his recent visions were the result of dormant circuits in his neural net, pre-programmed by Doctor Soong to activate at a certain developmental stage, but triggered prematurely by the plasma shock.
Bashir inquires about Data's plans for these newly activated circuits. Data reveals he intends to induce these visions daily, hoping to experience something akin to dreaming.
Bashir expresses his fascination with Data's experience and requests permission to publish a paper on the subject in the Starfleet Cybernetics Journal, showcasing his eagerness to document and share Data's unique development.
Data grants Bashir permission to publish his findings. As Bashir departs in the Turbolift, he bids Data 'sweet dreams,' planting the concept more concretely in Data's awareness.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Highly engaged and enthusiastic, with a mix of professional excitement and personal warmth. His curiosity is palpable, and he’s clearly energized by the potential scientific and personal implications of Data’s experience. There’s a hint of camaraderie in his interaction, as if he sees himself as both a colleague and a friend to Data.
Bashir engages Data in a lively, intellectually charged conversation, his steps matching Data’s as they walk. He listens intently, piecing together the technical details of Data’s blackout with scientific curiosity, his eyes alight with fascination. When Data mentions his plan to induce daily 'dreaming' states, Bashir immediately draws the human analogy, his tone shifting to one of excitement. He seizes the opportunity to request permission to study and publish Data’s experience, framing it as a potential breakthrough for the Starfleet Cybernetics Journal. His parting 'sweet dreams' is delivered with a warm, almost playful smile, underscoring his genuine enthusiasm for Data’s journey.
- • To understand the technical and scientific implications of Data’s dormant neural circuits and their activation.
- • To secure permission to study and publish Data’s experience, advancing his own career and contributing to the field of cybernetics.
- • That Data’s experience represents a groundbreaking development in android research and could lead to significant publications.
- • That fostering collaboration with Data will benefit both their professional and personal growth.
Thoughtfully introspective with a growing sense of wonder, tempered by his usual analytical detachment. There’s a subtle undercurrent of excitement at the prospect of exploring his newfound 'dreaming' capacity, though he masks it with his characteristic composure.
Data, fully recovered from his blackout, walks alongside Bashir in the corridor, his posture upright and composed. He methodically explains the technical details of his dormant neural circuits, triggered by the plasma shock, with clinical precision. His voice carries a note of curiosity as he describes his intention to induce daily 'dreaming' states, framing it as an experiment in self-discovery. His demeanor is open and reflective, particularly when Bashir suggests the analogy to human dreaming, which Data accepts with quiet intrigue. He grants Bashir permission to study and publish his experience without hesitation, his focus shifting inward as Bashir departs, leaving him to ponder the implications of his newfound capacity.
- • To understand and explore the newly activated dormant neural circuits by inducing controlled 'dreaming' states.
- • To share his experience with Bashir, fostering scientific collaboration and potentially advancing android research.
- • That Dr. Soong’s programming was designed with a specific developmental purpose, even if activated prematurely.
- • That his capacity for internal visions represents a significant step toward greater self-awareness and sentience.
Not directly observable, but inferred as a mix of pride in his creation’s progress and curiosity about how Data will evolve with the premature activation of the circuits. His influence is felt as a guiding force, even in absence.
Dr. Noonian Soong is referenced indirectly by Data as the creator of the dormant neural circuits embedded in his programming. Though absent from the scene, his influence looms large, as Data attributes the circuits’ design and intended activation timeline to Soong’s foresight. Soong’s programming is revealed as the source of Data’s visions, framing him as a silent but pivotal figure in Data’s evolution. His absence underscores the legacy of his work and the ongoing impact of his experiments on Data’s development.
- • To advance the development of android sentience through carefully designed programming.
- • To ensure Data’s evolution aligns with his long-term vision for synthetic life.
- • That Data’s development should be guided by structured, incremental activation of his neural circuits.
- • That his programming will ultimately lead Data to achieve a deeper understanding of humanity and self.
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
Data’s dormant neural circuits are the focal point of this event, serving as both the technical explanation for his blackout and the catalyst for his newfound capacity for 'dreaming.' These circuits, pre-programmed by Dr. Soong, are revealed to have been activated prematurely by the plasma shock, unlocking a series of internal visions. Data’s discussion of these circuits frames them as a tool for self-exploration, while Bashir’s fascination highlights their scientific significance. The circuits symbolize the intersection of Soong’s visionary programming and Data’s evolving sentience, representing a bridge between artificial design and emergent consciousness.
The plasma shock is referenced as the trigger that prematurely activated Data’s dormant neural circuits, setting this event in motion. Though not physically present in the scene, its role is critical: it disrupted the intended timeline of Data’s development, forcing the circuits to activate earlier than Soong had planned. This disruption creates the opportunity for Data to explore 'dreaming' and for Bashir to study the phenomenon, making the plasma shock a pivotal, if indirect, catalyst for the event’s narrative and thematic implications.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The corridor serves as a neutral, transitional space where Data and Bashir’s conversation unfolds, free from the distractions of Engineering or the formality of Sickbay. Its quiet, unobtrusive setting allows for an intimate exchange, where technical details and personal reflections can be shared without interruption. The corridor’s simplicity underscores the private, almost confessional nature of their discussion, as Data reveals the inner workings of his mind and Bashir responds with scientific curiosity and warmth. The turbolift at the end of the corridor symbolizes a threshold—both physical and metaphorical—as Bashir departs, leaving Data to reflect on his words.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
Starfleet’s influence is subtly but significantly present in this event, primarily through Bashir’s reference to the Starfleet Cybernetics Journal and his ambition to publish Data’s experience. The organization’s institutional goals—advancing scientific research, documenting technological breakthroughs, and fostering collaboration among its officers—are reflected in Bashir’s enthusiasm and Data’s willingness to share his findings. Starfleet’s emphasis on exploration and discovery is embodied in Data’s decision to explore his newly activated circuits, framing his personal journey as part of a larger scientific endeavor. The organization’s protocols and values, however, are not explicitly enforced in this moment; instead, they provide the backdrop against which Data and Bashir’s collaboration unfolds.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Data processes his vision which comes to an end, allowing him to then explain to Bashir that his recent visions were the result of dormant circuits in his neural net. It explains how they were triggered prematurely by the plasma shock."
Part of Larger Arcs
Key Dialogue
"DATA: The images I saw during the time I was shut down were generated by a series of previously dormant circuits in my neural net. I believe Doctor Soong incorporated those circuits into my base programming, intending them to be activated when I reached a certain level of development."
"BASHIR: But the plasma shock activated them prematurely..."
"DATA: That is correct."
"BASHIR: I'm curious... now that those circuits are active... what do you intend to do with them?"
"DATA: I plan to shut down my cognitive functions for a brief period of time each day. I hope to generate new internal visions."
"BASHIR: It sounds like you're talking about dreaming..."
"DATA: An accurate analogy."
"BASHIR: Remarkable... This is just the kind of thing that could get me published in the *Starfleet Cybernetics Journal*. Would you mind if I authored a paper about all this?"
"DATA: Of course not."
"BASHIR: Thank you, Data. And... sweet dreams."