They’d had so much success with the creativity experiments, but both Starfleet and the Knight
They’d had so much success with the creativity experiments, but both Starfleet and the Knight Foundation had made it clear that they considered such experiments to be a waste of time. She assured them it had done wonders for his fine motor skills, but they put a stop to the experiments after only four months. It was a pity, really…KITT was such a good painter. Bonnie had several of his works hanging up in her quarters, all of the ones that he had given to her. She was particularly fond of that one with the bright purple flower…
In lieu of Bonnie’s carefully planned out developmental curriculum, Starfleet and the Knight Foundation had ordered KITT to start on agility and dexterity tests. Next came sparring drills against other androids, but his underdeveloped balance and coordination kept him coming back to Bonnie after each session, each time damaged in some new way.
It was so frustrating watching him assure her that he was alright with the change in his curriculum, that she had nothing to worry about, all while she had to repair delicate microcircuits and parts of his body that she’d spent a good chunk of her lifetime developing. She was also beginning to sense a definite shift in his demeanour that left her feeling unsettled. He seemed so much more withdrawn…not at all like his sunny, amicable disposition when they had been painting together. He hardly ever smiled anymore.
She knew android rights were basically in their infancy, but she was grateful that KITT was at least allowed some down time amidst his ‘obligations’ to Starfleet and the Knight Foundation. And she was grateful that KITT unequivocally chose to spend those off hours with her. It allowed her to continue his developmental curriculum, at least to an abbreviated degree. She had to spend so much time repairing him now, she hardly had time to play Chess and Kal toh with him, or paint or draw with him. Or to watch him play the violin. But, at least in their off hours, she could try to help him improve his balance and coordination to help him in those godforsaken sparring drills.
Last month, they had done some Capoeira, Tai Chi, and Klingon MoQbara on the holodeck, which had helped reduce KITT’s injuries by about 12%, but it hadn’t seemed to help his morale. He looked so tired this month.
“Hello, Bonnie,” KITT greeted her. He looked even more tired then than he had after she had repaired him earlier that day.
“Hi, KITT,” she welcomed him in and gestured for him to sit. He sat on the couch opposite the door to her quarters.
“Are you doing alright?”
“I’m alright, Bonnie,” KITT said, holding her gaze.
She stared back at him, sensing deception from him. “KITT,” she said softly. “I didn’t programme you to lie.”
He averted his gaze. “I…don’t want to trouble you.”
She silently crossed the room and sat next to him. “KITT. What troubles me,” she made sure he was looking at her before she continued. “…is that you’re not telling me what’s wrong.”
KITT’s gaze shifted away from her’s again, and he looked deep in thought. She tried to reach out to him with her mind, but she found his closed off.
“I…” KITT began after a moment. “While I do enjoy my agility and dexterity tests, I…really do not enjoy these sparring drills. Although, I know they are necessary for my entrance into Starfleet. I do not wish to let anyone down.”
She nodded and put a hand on his shoulder, sensing a determination in him that she hadn’t sensed before.
“I don’t think you’re letting anybody down, KITT.” It’s them who are letting you down by not allowing you a normal development period, she didn’t say.
“I’m glad to hear you say that,” KITT said. He straightened his back. “So, what will we do today? More MoQbara?”
Bonnie smiled softly at him. He was all business these days.
“I thought today we would take a bit of a break.”
He looked at her. “Oh?”
She stood and held out her hand. “Have you ever wanted to try ballroom dancing, KITT?”
A small smile played at the corners of his lips. “I…hadn’t thought I would have the time.”
They both went to the holodeck and muddled through a holographic dance instructor’s lesson for about an hour. After a while, Bonnie noticed that they were getting the hang of it, and before she knew it, she felt like she was gliding across the floor. She laughed as they twirled around the room—her hand in KITT’s and his other hand on her hip—she was so happy that his smile had returned to his face.
By the time the dance instruction programme ended, she had begun to sense something else from KITT. Something she couldn’t place.
“Computer,” KITT called. “Please play Gymnopedie № 1 in D.”
As the music began, he took her hand and placed his other hand on her hip once more.
She put her other hand on his shoulder, wishing he would look at her. She couldn’t tell what he was feeling, and it was something she was so unaccustomed to.
They started to move with the music and he finally brought his gaze up to hers. She could sense that he was more relaxed than he had seemed in months, but there was still something she was missing. Maybe her worry was clouding her ability to read him.
They danced to the slow music and Bonnie willed herself to stop worrying about him. They both needed a break and she knew he could sense her worry. She closed her eyes allowed herself to just be led. She lost herself in the sweeping turns and the slow steps, imagining herself in a flowing dress with sparkling embroidery.
He took her into another turn, watching a smile spread over her face. He knew she was lost somewhere in her imagination; a skill he hadn’t quite mastered yet. He envied her a little for it, but he knew she would eventually teach him how. He wished he could be with her all the time instead of going through those sparring drills. He wished he could spend forever with her.
“This is quite…” he paused, his feet stilling as Bonnie looked up at him. The sight of her eyes filled him with an emotion he couldn’t quite comprehend. “Enjoyable…Bonnie…”
Then, as she looked at him, she suddenly understood what she had missed in his feelings before. Attachment. Attraction. Infatuation.
“Yes…it…it is,” Bonnie replied, a bit breathlessly. She’d been suppressing those same emotions towards him ever since their painting lessons.
Only he wasn’t supposed to be able to feel those emotions yet. She had specifically programmed his emotions to develop slowly to avoid this very thing…
Apparently she had gone wrong somewhere.
