Data builds a daughter, Lal, and Starfleet wants to take her away.
Data decides to build a child, an android daughter whom he names Lal, using his own technology and designs. Lal quickly learns and develops, choosing a human appearance, and begins to explore the world around her, including feelings and friendships. Data tries to be a good parent.
When an admiral from Starfleet arrives with orders to take Lal for study, Data and Picard resist, but Lal faces her own crisis as her neural net begins to malfunction. The episode is both funny and heartbreaking, and it is often cited among the finest Data stories of the series. It was also directed by a member of the main cast, which was a first for the series.