Data dreams he is walking a corridor within the Enterprise, then hears a rotary dial phone sound, and sees three workmen that he says are "dismantling a warp plasma conduit". When he tries to speak to them, he can only emit a high-pitched noise. The workmen turn and rip off Data's appendages, finally tearing off his head.

Another dream: in Ten Forward- now, in addition to the workmen, other members of the crew are present, in particular Troi as part of a large cellular peptide cake with mint frosting according to Lt. Worf. The workmen prompt Data to cut into the shoulder of the cake while Troi tries to convince Data to stop.

He begins to see imagery from his dreams while awake, including seeing crewmen with "small mouths" on their bodies, and an engineering tool appearing briefly as the cake knife. Later, Data attacks Troi on the turbolift, wounding her on her shoulder, where he claims he saw one of those mouths.

Troi later visits Data, who has since apologized for his attack. Troi shows no resentment, but jokingly remarks "Turnabout is fair play": she has made a cake shaped like Data for them to share.

 

-Max Nordile, Olympia, WA 2023