Captain McCormick however, had never heard of the base, or known of its existence. She was looking around in surprise, wondering how Starfleet had managed to put a fully functioning Starbase and shipyard inside of a few asteroids. 

“Admiral Beckett. Welcome to Starbase Alpha. It’s been a long time.” 

Fadm Beckett extended his hand to the base commander and made introductions. 

“Captain McCormick, this is Admiral…” 

“Data!” 

“Yes Captain. I do not believe we have previously met.” 

“No sir! But I have read a lot about you and I was wondering if I could ask you a question?” 

“Certainly Captain. If you would follow me, I have had refreshments prepared for yourself and Admiral Beckett.” 

As they began walking, it took a moment for Erika to gather the courage to ask her question. While she was not a timid person, she was standing before a living legend. 

“Admiral Data, I thought you had been destroyed years ago by the Reman Skinzon?” 

Data stopped walking and turned to face Admiral Beckett who gave the nod to continue. 

“Starfleet has sealed all records in regards to my return to active duty status. When the Enterprise discovered the android called B-4, I asked Commander Geordi LaForge to assist me in downloading all of my memories and personality into the B-4 unit. B-4 was not as advanced as I was, and was not able to use the information in his positronic net. He was less advanced in his development than I, and was deactivated when we recognized him as a threat to the Enterprise. 

After my ‘death’, Captain Picard reactivated B-4 in hopes of salvaging something of my memories, so I would not be totally lost. In the months that followed, B-4 was kept on the Enterprise and began to advance at an accelerated rate.  

A year after my death, B-4 had reached the limit of his growth and was no longer able to learn new tasks or information. Having processed only part of what I downloaded into him, he was still only half the person I was. 

Commander LaForge took a leave of absence from Starfleet and traveled to the Daystrom Institute with B-4. There, they were able to make subtle modifications to his positronic matrix and added extensive improvements to Doctor Soong’s earlier design.  

In the following years, B-4 began to assimilate all of the information I downloaded into his matrix and the ‘Data’ consciousness began to surface. Having a stronger personality than B-4, I became more dominant and B-4 became integrated into my memories. In essence, B-4 died so that I might live.” 

McCormick seemed to understand, and nodded her head, but she still had another question. 

“So when you took over B-4, you were let back into Starfleet?”

Admiral Data turned and began walking again. 

“Not as easily as that. I had to spend more than a year at Starfleet Medical proving that I was capable of everything I had been in my previous incarnation. When I was reinstated, I was given the rank of Commander and sent back to the USS Enterprise E. It was more than three years after my death that I was able to return as a Starfleet officer.” 

Making their way deeper into the base, the trio entered a large observation lounge. Most tended to look out into space, but with the nature of this base, this one simply looked into the Space Dock below. 

Beckett and McCormick took seats, while Data ordered drinks from the replicator.  

“Admiral, I assume you have heard about the Armageddon Directive being initiated?” 

“Yes. When I designed the Armageddon Directive, it was with the hope that it would never need to be used. I enlisted the help of Captain Picard, Captain Riker, Captain Shelby, Commander LaForge and others to make sure there was a plan in place in case the Borg ever returned in force. At a previous encounter with the Borg, when they attempted to assimilate the past, Starfleet forces quickly overwhelmed the Borg cube; the arrival of the Enterprise simply hastened their end.  

Starfleet thought that the Borg were no longer a threat, but Captain Picard persuaded them to think otherwise. He was instrumental in getting the Armageddon Directive approved. 

We have been monitoring the sector, and it appears that most Federation vessels have fled as ordered, the exception being the USS Federation. She was lost with all hands.  

Many Starbases have also been destroyed, or assimilated, but all equipped planets with the exception of Mars, are safe under their shields.” 

“How long will the shields last?” 

“I cannot determine an exact figure. It would depend on stresses, malfunctions and countless other factors. My best guess would be approximately three years.”