The Case

Prelude to Moonlight

A woman that was in so many ways the representation of Data's faith in the mysterious nature of the universe.

Because there were so many things that had to have gone right to bring them together.

Data's activation.

His extraordinary opportunity for freedom after suffering for more than a year as a captive of Bruce Maddox, locked away in the underground lab of Starfleet's Research and Development Cybernetics division.

Jean-Luc Picard's willingness to take a chance on an android officer.

Tasha's journey to Enterprise had been equally as tumultuous. Given the very circumstances of her birth, it was no small wonder she had lived past the age of five – let alone had managed to escape Turkana.

It was sheer dumb luck that she had caught the attention of Captain Picard.

Their unlikely friendship had paved the way for the complicated path to Farpoint.

And to Data.

Their relationship may have started off on a shaky foundation. But in the year they had been together, Data felt that Tasha's presence had so enriched his existence that it rivalled all the previous twenty-seven years of his activation in terms of impact.

Through being together, Data had come to realise his own value as a person.

His confidence had soared. He had rediscovered himself.

Tasha loved him unconditionally as he was and for who he was.

Because of that, Data didn't feel less-than for the first time in his existence.

He was comfortable in his own bioplast – comfortable enough to feel worthy of chasing his dreams.

And in a little more than twenty-four hours, Data was going to ask Tasha to help him fulfil one of those dreams.

Data closed the ring box and pocketed the object.

He wanted to pack it straight away before Tasha awoke.

As he strolled out of his lab, Data couldn't help but sing to himself.

"For once in my life I've got someone who needs me," Data crooned.

He rested his hand on his chest where the ring was safely contained in a pocket on the inside of his jumpsuit.

Like the lift he stepped onto, everything was looking up.

-X-

When he reached his quarters, Data tucked the ring into his luggage cylinder.

Just in time, too. Data thought as the door to his bedroom slid open.

Tasha emerged a moment later with a mighty yawn. She extended her arms and groaned as she stretched before wandering over to Data's workstation.

"Don't tell me you were up all night?" she said as she rubbed the crust from her eyes.

"I was up early," Data said.

Tasha yawned again and eyed him with scepticism.

"I had to check on something in my lab," Data said.

It was partially true.

"The project?" Tasha asked.

For the last few weeks Data had spent most of his free time locked away in his lab alone, utterly engrossed in a secret project.

Even Geordi had been in the dark on what it was.

Data had been working on a project, but it had nothing to do with his research.