Author's Note: Thank you so much for your continued support on this series!
In this chapter I wanted to explore the Romulan situation mentioned in Angel One and provide a little more depth to canon.
Please anticipate a two to three week break before the next update. The next few chapters will focus on an original black hole adventure and introduce a love interest for Geordi.
The next arc is fairly technical and I try to root my writing in some sense of scientific accuracy. I also need to get updates out for several of my other DaTasha stories (And Then There Was Fun and Yesterday's Enterprise: Borrowed Time).
As always, if you like my works or want to stay up to date with my art, comics, or just like chatting about the fandom you can join me @TheTartanTart on Twitter.
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"That's it, now reinsert the cooling relay emergency chip," Data instructed.
Tasha looked down at the stack of isolinear chips in her hands.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she tried to relax.
"The big blue one with the green and red spiral on the left," Data clarified. "Three down and two from the left."
Tasha fumbled through the chips until she found the correct one. Carefully she counted three spaced down and then two in from the left.
Data watched her bite her lip and then count again before reinserting the chip back into place.
The team was less than two hours out from the Neutral Zone.
Less than twenty percent of the crew was still functioning, and they were losing crewmen left and right to the virus.
Whatever it was, it caused individuals to grow increasingly weak – collapsing on the job or on their way to Sickbay.
In addition, it caused fever, chills, sweating, sore throat, respiratory problems, dizziness, and fatigue.
Doctor Crusher and her team were overwhelmed with ill patients as they raced to find an inoculant for the virus.
The Doctor cautioned that even if she were to develop an inoculant, it could take time for recovery and likely wouldn't be instantaneous.
Because of the lack of crew left, Data and Tasha were in Engineering as they attempted to keep the engines running at such a high speed.
They were racing at Warp 9.4 toward the Neutral Zone Outpost with nothing more than a skeleton crew.
Most of the unaffected crewmen were specialty science officers that had been in sealed labs when the virus had initially spread – anthropologists, astrogeologists, historians, and xenolinguists.
Many had only ever been exposed to limited Operations courses at the Academy – the mandatory basics for any Academy graduate.
Their skillsets weren't intended for loading torpedo bays, maintaining Warp speed, or Bridge Operations.
One of his first actions as acting Captain was to radio ahead to advise of the emergency on the Enterprise.
The USS Berlin was aware of the situation and a small relief team was standing ready to beam aboard. It would only be a small group of officers – as anyone beaming aboard would also be at risk for contracting the virus.
Yet, even a small team would provide much needed relief to the exhausted crew.
Tasha wiped the sweat off her brow.
"Now you need to reconfigure the coolant flow to bypass the overexerted subsections on decks twelve through eighteen," Data instructed.
Tasha grumbled under her breath.
"Of course you can," Data replied.
Damn his android hearing. Tasha thought to herself.
"I barely passed first year propulsion systems," Tasha said. "I can't do this."
While Engineering wasn't her forte, Tasha knew enough to understand that if she didn't complete this task properly, it could overload the coolant system and cause a massive breakdown.
"Worf to Commander Data," Worf's voice came across the communication channel.
"Data here," he responded.
"It is Commander Riker, sir," Worf notified them. "He's collapsed. You are now in command and your presence is requested on the Bridge."
"Acknowledged, on my way," Data replied.
Tasha set down the isolinear chips she'd been holding on the console in front of her.
She shook her head at Data.
"Data, I can't do this," she insisted. "Send Miles or Geordi down here to sort this out, please."
After their arrival, Chief O'Brien had rushed off to the lower decks to see to an emergency repair needed on the aft nacelle on the right side.
With such a limited crew they were operating the Bridge with just Commander Riker, Worf, Deanna, and Geordi.
Geordi was sitting at Operations, but he was barely hanging on.
Between his high fever and the pressure from the congestion, it was difficult for Geordi to concentrate.
"Tasha, you can do this," Data said, encouraging her.
Tasha shook her head.
Inside, Tasha was feeling entirely frustrated with the situation.
She had never told Data, but when Tasha had been discovered by Starfleet she could barely read. She knew enough to read the cargo manifests. She could handle basic math – enough to make her dangerous on Turkana. And she could sign her name.
But beyond that, Tasha had been lightyears behind her classmates when she had started at the Academy.
"Data, this is way above my level," she reiterated. "I can't."
"Yes, you can," Data said as he handed her the manual. "Because we must."
He gave her a quick squeeze on the shoulder before leaving her alone.
Tasha glanced around at the deserted lobby of main Engineering.
She sighed and ran her hand back through her hair, feeling utterly out of her element.
Because we must.
Of course he was right. They had no choice.
Tasha rolled up her sleeves and rested her hands on the console.
Glancing down, she spied the manual Data had provided.
Thumbing through the pages, she scanned for a diagram of the layout needed to reassemble the isolinear chip panels in the proper sequence.
Her eyes caught sight of a familiar design.
"Now we're flying at warp," she said aloud as she slid her finger down the page and tapped the spot where the design pattern had been drawn.
---------
When he reached the Bridge, Data found Commander Riker was still present - albeit comatose on the floor.
"Where is the medical team?" Data questioned.
"There is no one to spare at the moment," Deanna answered from the Tactical position.
Data weighed his options. The other officers were not in a physical condition to haul Riker down to Sickbay. There were also likely no beds.
Data could take Riker to his quarters.
However, that would take a total of nine minutes and forty-one seconds.
"Doctor Crusher has assured us she is coming shortly," Deanna added as she saw Data thinking hard about how to proceed.
"Thank you, Counsellor," he nodded.
Data took his position in the Command chair.
"Captain's log Stardate 41636.9," Data stated. "As Second Officer, I Lieutenant Commander Data have assumed command of the Enterprise at 11:17 hours as both Captain Picard and Commander Riker have become incapacitated due to an unknown viral infection."
Once the appropriate log entry was completed, Data scanned through the latest report from the Neutral Zone.
According to the most recent update, Federation long range sensors had picked up six Romulan D'deridex class battlecruisers heading for the Neutral Zone Outpost where the USS Berlin was stationed.
There were another three battlecruisers that appeared to be holding a position approximately just across the Romulan border.
At the time of the report, it was unknown if they were waiting for the rest of the Romulan Fleet to arrive or if they were intended to be reinforcements.
The turbolift doors slid open with a hiss and Doctor Crusher stepped onto the bridge accompanied by one of her medical officers.
She knelt down next to Commander Riker and scanned his vitals.
"We'll start a stimulant hypospray with gradual release and I want twenty ccs of Oseltamivir," the Doctor ordered.
She pulled his collar back to give him the spray.
As the Ensign worked to prepare the second hypospray, Doctor Crusher reloaded her own.
Stepping over to Geordi she felt the back of his head.
"We still don't have an inoculant, but this will help keep you on your feet," Doctor Crusher explained as she administered the dosage.
She gave one to Worf and Deanna as well.
"It's a high dose stimulant that should keep you alert and functioning," she went on.
Geordi sniffed and shook his head as he felt the adrenaline kick in.
"What was in that?" Geordi asked, his voice full of concern.
He could feel his heart racing as if he'd consumed too much caffeine.
"I should warn you all though, I can only give you one of these," Doctor Crusher specified. "It's not safe after that."
Without warning, the power fluctuated.
The lights dimmed and recharged before suddenly going dark.
A moment later, the emergency lighting came on.
"Bridge to Lieutenant Yar," Data said as he opened a channel.
"Wrong one! Sorry about that," Tasha responded. "Give me a second."
Data understood she was well out of her comfort zone.
He also knew full well that she had likely inserted the main power component switch chip into the secondary backup grounding unit.
It was a mistake, but it wasn't a critical one and he wanted to give her a moment to correct it on her own.
He was hesitant to point it out to her.
Data understood that humans sometimes needed to realise their own errors in order to gain the confidence necessary to proceed with critical tasks.
He theorised that if she could fix this on her own, she would feel comfortable continuing to perform the necessary Engineering functions to keep the ship running at Warp 9.4.
Unfortunately, Data's internal spatial recognition sensors detected a change in speed.
The ship was slowing down.
"Sir, we are losing speed. Warp nine point three," Worf advised. "Warp nine point two."
As eager as he had been for Tasha to identify the problem on her own, Data knew that he now had to step in.
He also knew that the loss of speed was most likely due to Tasha attempting to fix the power switch by attempting to divert via the emergency interchange.
"Lieutenant Yar, you need to disable the emergency interchange and then remove the main power component switch chip from the secondary backup grounding unit and replace it into panel position Alpha eighteen," Data advised.
"IN ENGLISH!" Tasha snapped frantically.
"The universal translator should be functioning," Data replied automatically.
"Data," Tasha said in a desperate voice.
He could detect the change of inflection.
Data had heard it before on several occasions.
The tenor of her voice was tainted with the tell-tale sign that indicated she was attempting not to cry.
It was a sufficient audio cue to indicate that this was a situation in which Data's android nature had failed to comprehend the use of a colloquialism.
Data cocked his head to the side as he attempted to translate the Engineering instructions into a phrase Tasha would be capable of grasping in such an aggravated state.
He fell back on an old saying he heard Geordi utilise on eight separate occasions in Engineering.
"Put the blue thingy in the red thingy," Data instructed.
There was a brief pause.
A moment later, Data felt the ship lurch forward again at warp nine point four and the lighting came back on.
"Excellent work, Lieutenant," Data said with a smile.
---------
They were less than an hour away when Tasha reached an impasse down in Engineering.
The Enterprise was starting to lose integrity to the shields on the main deflector.
Tasha knew they were short on time.
She had spent the last eight minutes reading through the manual instructions in an effort to understand where to start but was no closer to a solution.
She really didn't want to have to call Data.
He had other responsibilities.
But she was running out of options.
Tasha walked around in a circle, hands on top of her head, before turning back to the open manual.
Optical Collimator alignment?
Reflective diode?
Induction stabiliser tolerance?
Tasha put her head down on the manual as she tried to collect her thoughts.
It was far too technical.
Too advanced.
"Need a hand?" Miles O'Brien said as he stepped into Engineering.
"About bloody time," Tasha grinned.
Miles threw down his kit and turned back to her.
"I'll have you know I've been up to my eyeballs in fused cable," Miles said feigning outrage. "Melted three subsections. I had to rewire nearly the whole junction!"
As much as she appreciated his sense of humour, Tasha knew they were fighting against time.
"We're losing shield integrity to the main deflector, Chief," Tasha said urgently.
Miles stepped over to the console that held most of the exterior ship function controls.
He casually tapped the LCARs panel twice.
Tasha stared at him in disbelief.
"Is that all?" she asked, outraged.
Miles chuckled.
"No," he assured her. "But it will hold things in place until I can get the main power input back up and running."
Tasha grinned.
Of course it had to be more complicated.
"Now get the hell out of my way," Miles teased.
---------
Tasha raced out of Engineering and made her way to the Bridge.
She knew the best course of action was for her to relieve Geordi.
"Chief's finished," Tasha advised as she stepped onto the Bridge.
Data nodded and ordered Geordi to get down to Engineering.
"With pleasure," Geordi replied as he vacated the Operations panel.
To everyone's surprise, the turbolift on the opposite side of the Bridge opened and Wesley Crusher stepped off.
He looked quite exhausted and was white as a sheet, but he was standing and that was a start.
"Mom said you could use a hand," Wesley said.
"Please take the helm, Ensign Crusher," Data ordered.
Worf slid into the Operations Position and Deanna assumed the Science station.
Tasha felt a wave of relief as she stepped into her familiar spot at Tactical.
It was where she felt most at home.
For the first time in hours, Tasha glanced down at the Tactical station and evaluated their position.
They were approximately forty minutes out from their destination. Two of the main torpedo bays were fully loaded but several of the reserves were offline.
Tasha knew that if the Romulans started a firefight, they would need those reserves loaded and ready.
"Sir, I'm reading that reserve torpedo bays four through nine are still offline," Tasha informed the Bridge.
When they had initially beamed back aboard, Data had sent a team to finish preparing their Tactical stations. Over the last several hours, numerous members had fallen ill and been unable to complete their work.
Because of the lack of available crew, it appeared the reserves had fallen between the cracks.
Data knew that they did not have the hands necessary to complete all preparations. He had been forced to prioritise what was most essential.
"Ensign Jeffords, what is your situation?" Data inquired.
Because of the nature of their work, the Operations crew had been the hardest hit by the virus.
Ensign Jeffords had been one of the few that had managed to stay on his feet.
"I'm, uh, I'm-" Jeffords responded.
It was evident by the raspy wheeze of his voice that he was struggling.
"Reattuning the phaser output," Jeffords managed to choke out. "From the main phaser bank. Deck twenty."
"Please continue your work on the phaser, Ensign," Data ordered.
Their phasers were a higher priority than the reserve torpedoes.
"What remaining crewmembers are available?" Data asked.
From the Operations console, Worf pulled up the ship's roster and cross-referenced it with Sickbay's list of incapacitated officers.
"We could pull Lieutenants Hammond and Li from Sickbay," Worf replied.
"No," Data said.
The medical team would need all available personnel.
Data also knew that as soon as they dropped out of Warp, the relief team would be able to assist in getting the reserves online.
The challenge was in anticipating how quickly they would need them.
If they were already engaged in battle, the ships would not be able to drop their shields to beam the relief team aboard.
Suddenly, Data rose from the Command chair and started toward the door.
"Lieutenant Yar, you have command of the bridge until my return," Data ordered.
"Sir, with all due respect you are in command and your responsibility is on the Bridge," Tasha asserted.
Data cocked his head to the side for a moment as he considered her statement.
He gave a short nod.
"Lieutenant Worf, please assume the Tactical position," Data commanded.
---------
With the help of the antigrav unit, Tasha had managed to load half of two of the reserve torpedo bays.
She reasoned that it was safer to spread out their resources in case of one the reserves were to be hit immediately. Tasha knew the Romulans would be targeting their weapons systems.
Tasha was about to pull the second reserve online when the klaxons signalling Red Alert began to sound.
It was a sign they were less than two minutes out from their destination.
Tasha stepped over to the computer console and tapped into the LCARs system to arm and activate this reserve bay.
One-by-one the little green indicator lights came on signifying that the photon torpedoes were armed and ready for deployment.
Next, Tasha stepped out into the corridor and onto the nearest lift to take her to her third destination – the reserve bay down on deck thirty-six.
She'd be able to take a lift down to deck thirty and would then need to climb down a Jefferies tube the rest of the way.
During Red Alert, decks thirty-one through thirty-eight had all lifts frozen. As they housed most of the Enterprise's weapons reserves, it was a vital security measure.
She just hoped that if they were flying into a firefight that those decks would be unaffected.
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On the Bridge, the Enterprise dropped out of Warp to find the USS Berlin was alone.
An uneasy silence fell on the Bridge as they waited in anticipation.
"Lieutenant, open a channel to the Berlin," Data said.
If the Romulans had not yet arrived, they would be able to beam over the relief team.
"Commander," Captain Donovan greeted as the viewscreen came up.
"Captain," Data acknowledged. "We are ready to receive the relief team."
Captain Donovan shook her head.
"I'm sorry, Commander. I wish I could send them," she explained. "But I can't risk dropping our shields."
Captain Donovan went on to explain that based on the last sensor detection readings, the Romulan ships were likely waiting in the vicinity.
"We think they're cloaked," she explained. "Listening and waiting in the tall grass for us to make the first move."
Data's positronic brain whirled as he sought to distinguish the meaning of her idiom within the context of the situation.
"Acknowledged," he replied after a short pause.
Data blinked twice, abruptly struck by an idea.
"Captain, I believe we may have a way to detect the Romulan ships," Data informed her. "It will take approximately twenty minutes to setup the detection system."
"I've heard a great deal about you, Commander," Captain Donovan said with a smile. "May I say I'm not at all disappointed."
Once they had closed the channel, Data set to work.
"Computer, what is the location of Lieutenant Yar?" Data asked.
---------
Thirty-six decks down, Tasha's feet finally hit solid ground.
Panting heavily, she leaned back against the wall as she caught her breath.
Glancing around, she realised the entire place was abandoned.
In a way, it was spooky – not unlike the horror novellas that she read with Data.
However, it also provided her with an advantage.
Unzipping her jumpsuit to the waist, Tasha tied the sleeves around her waist and grinned as she felt the cool air of the lower deck on her arms.
It wasn't perfect, but the sleeveless undershirt was a lot more comfortable than the long sleeves of her standard uniform jumpsuit.
Tasha made her way over to the storage locker.
Locating the necessary supplies, she activated the antigrav unit and got to work loading the reserve photon torpedoes.
"Bridge to Lieutenant Yar," Data's voice rang out from her combadge.
"Go ahead," Tasha responded.
"Please reconfigure the photon torpedo warhead yields on deck thirty-six," Data ordered. "Set for high energy burst level six."
Tasha's brow furrowed.
She wasn't sure what Data's plan was, but she trusted him.
"Two torpedoes should be sufficient," Data added.
Tasha replied in the affirmative.
Stepping up to the first torpedo, she opened the console on the side.
Next, she typed in her Security Chief access code and then began to reprogramme the warhead yield to Data's specifications.
Tasha loaded it into the appropriate torpedo tube.
After the first torpedo was set, Tasha used the antigrav unit to pull a second torpedo down from the secure storage rack.
Delicately, she lowered it to a height where she could access the control panel and repeated the same steps.
Once that was done, she tapped her combadge to notify the Bridge.
"All set, sir," Tasha informed the Bridge.
Back on the Bridge, Data took a heavy, artificial breath.
"We are about to attempt to target one of the Romulan ships," Data informed the crew.
Had the Romulans truly uncloaked?
Tasha was in disbelief. Uncloaked Romulan vessels in Federation space was an overt act of aggression.
A sinking feeling settled in the back of Tasha's mind.
"Sir, a high energy blast won't penetrate Romulan shields," Tasha responded.
She was confused as to why Data would have her lower the output of the torpedo and she couldn't fathom a diplomatic reason to shoot a blast at one the Romulan ships.
"Using the tachyon signature as a guide, I believe we can detect their cloaked vessels," Data explained. "The signatures will not last long."
Tasha still didn't comprehend his end goal.
She wasn't sure if it was the virus or the situation that made her nauseas.
Tasha put her hands on her hips and dropped her head as she tried to fight back the urge to vomit.
Data ordered Worf to be prepared to initiate radiation protocols on the lower decks.
"Tasha, this will flood decks thirty-one through thirty-eight with radiation," Data warned.
"Understood, sir," Tasha responded.
It certainly wasn't the first time she'd been in a torpedo bay that was active.
They both knew it wouldn't be deadly – but it would hurt.
Well, the radiation impact itself wouldn't hurt, but the effects would.
Tasha sat down against the wall and braced herself for what was to come.
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"Sir, how do we know the Romulans won't open fire in response?" Worf inquired.
"We don't, Lieutenant," Data replied. "But I do not believe they will."
Data was taking a serious gamble with an opponent that was more devious and strategically minded than any other Empire Starfleet had ever faced.
It was his hope that detection – and detection only – would be enough to turn them back.
Data knew the Romulans didn't want to be responsible for starting another war.
However, he knew they would be eager to respond to one if they could draw the Federation into making the first move.
By firing a high energy, non-destructive blast, Data was hoping to send a message that they were spotted crossing into Federation space.
"We're ready, sir," Worf advised.
"Fire," Data ordered.
Tapping the Tactical station, Worf launched the two reconfigured torpedoes.
Approximately 200 kilometres ahead, they impacted the cloaked Romulan shields.
The high energy burst temporarily made the cruiser visible as the blast rippled and dissipated over the shield.
A moment later, the crew watched in awe as a Romulan battlecruiser decloaked ahead.
For most, it was the first time they had ever seen such a ship.
---------
Guinan froze. She squeezed her eyes shut and clutched her stomach as an unnerving chill gripped her.
Glancing out the window, she watched as a Romulan battlecruiser decloaked ahead of the Enterprise.
A collective gasp went around Ten Forward as those who were still conscious noticed the vessel.
With the lack of Sickbay beds available, Ten Forward had been temporarily converted into an extra space to house patients. It allowed the limited medical staff to focus their efforts rather than running from one person's quarters to the next.
Guinan put her hand on the wall to steady herself.
She couldn't explain it, but she could sense resentment and anger radiating through the atmosphere – like a bitterness that had grown out of a festering emotional wound.
Equally as powerful was an aura of fear and longing. It was similar to the kind of ache Guinan had picked up on from former Bajoran prisoners of war that had spent years yearning for freedom.
Guinan had survived the Earth-Romulan war more than a century earlier.
She had seen first-hand how strict Romulan imperialism could be.
Most of all, she understood that if this conflict escalated, the Romulans would leave no survivors.
But there was a sick, sinking feeling that had settled in the forefront of her mind that left her questioning that assessment.
It was as if there was a shadow that had converged in this place, a spectre that was out of alignment.
And she couldn't shake the feeling that somehow this had a ripple effect on the universe.
"Guinan?" Doctor Crusher asked. "Are you alright?"
She had seen Guinan steady herself against the wall and was concerned that the barkeep had fallen ill with the virus.
A part of her wanted to contact the Bridge.
But she had no inkling of what she would say.
Furthermore, she knew they would be occupied.
"I'm fine," Guinan said. "I just need some air."
---------
"Take weapons systems offline, Lieutenant," Data ordered.
"Sir?" Worf asked, concerned by Data's command.
"A sign that our intentions are not aggressive," Data explained.
With great reluctance, Worf powered down the phasers and deactivated the torpedo bays.
"They are hailing us, sir," Deanna advised.
"On screen," Data acknowledged.
The viewscreen activated as the Romulans began to transmit video feed from their own vessel.
Data gripped the armrest of the chair tightly.
This was a moment in which he considered emotion to be a weakness.
He was keenly aware of how important the next few minutes could be to history.
"This is Commander Data, acting Captain of the USS Enterprise," Data began. "Romulan vessel, you have entered Federation space in violation of the Treaty of Algeron. Please withdraw back across the Neutral Zone."
The Romulan onscreen seemed unphased by Data's statement.
He cocked his head to the side.
"It would seem your ship's complement is looking a little sparse these days," the Romulan commented as he observed the bridge.
Data kept his face neutral. He did not want to react.
"The Android in command, the Empath running Operations, a child at the helm," the Romulan said with an air of disdain. "And do my eyes deceive me or is the Klingon running your Tactical operations?"
Data's ultra-sensory hearing allowed him to pick up on a faint growl from Worf.
They were both thinking the same thing.
This Romulan's statement seemed to confirm the suspicions Tasha had held for months.
There was undoubtedly a Romulan spy, or spies, onboard.
Given the Romulan's ability to identify the bridge officers, it was clear the Romulans had been receiving communications about the Enterprise, her crew, and her missions.
"Should I be insulted that Jean-Luc Picard is not here?" the Romulan inquired. "Is a Romulan fleet of such little importance to the Federation's Flagship captain?"
Data determined it would be best not to acknowledge the comment.
"You are in Federation space," Data repeated. "Withdraw back across the Neutral Zone."
"No Commander Riker?" the Romulan shrugged.
Data considered the possibility that the Romulan was attempting a strategy of delay in order to power weapons or complete some act of deception.
"And what of Natasha Yar?" the Romulan asked.
---------
Tasha rested her head back against the wall and took a series of slow, deep breaths.
She was going to be sick.
But we're still here. She mused.
Tasha knew from her Academy studies that during the last Earth-Romulan War, the Romulans had used crude atomic weapons to wipe out millions of people.
While their arsenal had advanced, their predilection for total annihilation had not changed.
Thus far, the Enterprise had not taken any hits from Romulan weaponry.
However, the klaxons were still blaring, signifying the ship was still at Red Alert.
Which likely meant the Enterprise and the Romulans were talking.
Tasha shivered.
She was suddenly so cold she wanted to pull her jumpsuit sleeves back on.
It had to be the fever.
And Tasha predicted that by the time she got them back up, she'd be overheated again. After all, one of the radiation side effects was supposed to be overheating - not the chill she was experiencing.
She would have to stand up – and at the moment she was far too dizzy to make that happen.
Tasha turned her head to the side just in time as her body was rocked by another wave of sickness, this one too powerful to choke down.
She sputtered and coughed as she tried to think about anything other than the putrid smell.
Carefully, she scooted about a metre away from the spot and turned her head in the opposite direction.
With a groan, she closed her eyes in an effort to stop the room from spinning.
---------
"Identify yourself," Data demanded.
"General Morak," the Romulan stated. "Supreme Commander of the Fleet of the Romulan Star Empire."
"Your presence could be considered an act of aggression," Data warned.
He was mindful to keep his tone polite, but firm.
"But it is you who have fired upon us," Morak retorted.
"A non-destructive high-energy burst to inform you that we are aware of your presence," Data countered. "Our capabilities allow us to confirm that you have experienced no damage to your vessel."
There was a tense pause.
"Withdraw back across the Neutral Zone," Data ordered.
Taking a page from his study of human body language, Data rose from the Command chair in an effort to reinforce that his statement was a command and not a request.
"Fear," Morak remarked. "Your ship is rank with it."
Although Data physically remained indifferent, Deanna could sense just how unnerved he was.
"As I am sure your rudimentary understanding of our ways has taught you, conflict is not our way," Morak sneered. "If it were our intention to destroy you, we would have done so by now."
Data knew the Romulan General was right.
"That is correct," Data said simply.
Unknowingly, the General's words had confirmed Data's earlier suspicion.
Data felt that it would be best to exploit this.
Turning on his best Sherlock Holmes impression, Data went to work.
"I do not believe it is your intention to start an open conflict today," Data explained. "It is my belief that your presence in this location is for the purpose of an informational exchange with a Romulan agent aboard this vessel."
General Morak did not respond verbally.
However, Data's optical receptors were able to pick up on the minute change in his facial expression.
Simultaneously, Deanna could sense the General had been caught off guard.
From behind the Operations Console, she flashed Data a thumbs up.
"And your conversation is nothing more than an attempt to buy time," Data concluded.
Without turning away from the General, Data ordered Lieutenant Worf to institute an emergency override of the Enterprise system that would block any material from being ejected– waste, weapons, or otherwise.
"I'm afraid you are too late, Commander," Morak informed him.
Morak grinned.
"But I do look forward to our next meeting," Morak said, bidding them farewell.
The transmission was terminated and the Romulan ship cloaked, disappearing from sight.
"I've lost visual and sensory scans," Worf advised.
"Sir?" Wesley asked.
It took Data less than a second to complete the necessary calculations.
"The Romulans have likely obtained what they came for," Data said. "Although they have cloaked, I believe they are headed back to Romulan space."
Data resumed his position in the Command chair.
"Counsellor?" he asked as he looked to Deanna for her opinion.
Deanna turned around and shook her head slowly.
"When we first arrived, I sensed great bitterness and a hint of curiosity," Deanna advised. "But I no longer pick up on these feelings."
"Lieutenant, please run a scan to see if any objects were ejected from the Enterprise," Data ordered. "Cross reference locations with personnel access."
"Aye, sir," Worf responded.
Someone from the ship had been in contact with the Romulans – and they could very possibly still be aboard.
There was a spy in their midst, and this may be their best chance to identify them.
"Notify the USS Berlin and send a message to the fleet," Data commanded. "Ensign Crusher, maintain our position for the time being."
---------
As the minutes ticked by, it seemed to support their theory that the Romulan fleet had retreated back across the Neutral Zone.
Forty minutes later, Federation long-range sensors identified the trace tachyon signatures that were consistent with Romulan vessels travelling at Warp.
The Enterprise dropped its shields and the relief team beamed aboard to assist.
"Take us to Yellow Alert," Data instructed.
The small relief team included two Bridge officers.
Now fully staffed on the Bridge, Data informed the crew he was going to check in with Captain Picard.
Stepping into the Ready Room, Data paused before entering the Captain's personal quarters.
He tapped his combadge.
"Lieutenant Yar?" Data questioned.
His artificial respiratory system paused as he waited for a response.
Each second felt like an eternity.
Data knew the radiation was mild and that the virus was not deadly.
That aside, the virus had caused hundreds of patients to lose consciousness and she had been on her feet for hours fighting against its symptoms.
"Yes, sir," she responded.
"Have you completed radiation protocol yet?" Data inquired.
"Sir, this deck has been sealed because of the Red Alert," Tasha reminded him.
Data cocked his head to the side.
Internally, he felt awful.
In all the commotion, he had forgotten that the torpedo bays had been sealed and that there were no Operations personnel available to begin the protocols.
"Are you capable of reaching the Operations station on deck thirty-one?" Data asked.
It was a secondary subcommand station that housed the appropriate medical kit radiation treatment. Although Starfleet regulation required affected personnel to remain in place until protocol could be initiated, Data recognised the circumstances warranted a breach of standard operating procedure.
There was no response.
"Tasha?" Data prompted.
"Negative, sir," Tasha said a moment later.
What Data couldn't see was that Tasha had made an effort to get to her feet – only to be brought right back down by an overwhelming sense of disorientation.
As reckless as she could be at times, Tasha knew she was liable to injure herself if she tried to make it up six decks. It was safer to stay in place on the floor of the torpedo bay.
She would need treatment for the radiation exposure (and the virus) but there was time.
The nausea, fever, and respiratory symptoms were annoying.
But they weren't deadly.
"Data to Doctor Crusher," Data said as he tapped his combadge. "I need a medical officer to the reserve torpedo bay on deck thirty-six for radiation treatment."
"How serious?" Crusher inquired.
Even though the relief team was now aboard, it only contained three medical officers. Beverly was still dangerously understaffed, and the priority was the inoculant.
Deck thirty-six was also at the very back and bottom of the Enterprise. It would mean taking one of her medical officers away from the crisis for almost ninety minutes to get down there, treat the patient, return them to a safe location, and get back.
To Beverly's relief, Data explained it was only typical Operational exposure from being inside the torpedo bay while it was online.
"I'll get someone down there as soon as I can," Beverly advised. "Crusher out."
---------
The door to Captain Picard's personal quarters slid open.
"Come," Picard rasped as he sat up in bed.
Data stepped into the Captain's bedroom.
"Sir, we believe the Romulans have retreated back to Romulan space," Data said. "Doctor Crusher is still working to develop an inoculate for the virus. I have ordered us to remain in the area for the time being until we are certain the threat is gone."
Captain Picard nodded.
"Very good," he said in a strained whisper.
"I will complete a full log of the events once we are clear of the area," Data explained.
In spite of the chills and his queasy stomach, Captain Picard flashed Data a weak smile.
He was incredibly proud of his Second Officer. Captain Picard knew exactly how dangerous and historic this meeting had been.
Commanding the Flagship during such a tense scenario was no easy feat.
Data had proved his mettle as an officer and a diplomat.
"I look forward to reading it," Picard replied.
The Captain coughed hard.
"Do not strain your voice, sir," Data said.
The Captain took a sip of water and returned the glass back to his nightstand.
"Well done," he mouthed.
"Thank you, sir," Data said with a short nod.
---------
When he returned to the Bridge, Data and Worf conferred about the findings of his investigation.
"An object was launched as soon as we dropped out of Warp from the refuse lock on deck twelve," Worf explained.
Data scanned the results.
Deck twelve was one of the primary decks of the saucer section. It housed Sickbay, the Nursery, the physical therapy treatment centre, and several scientific labs.
All crewmembers had access to deck twelve.
And with the crisis onboard, most of the people on the ship had been in or out of the area in the last twenty-four hours.
It was perfect for hiding in plain sight.
Too perfect. Data thought.
"Sir, once the virus is under control, I recommend we have Doctor Crusher look for any evidence that this virus was intentionally introduced to the ship," Worf suggested.
Data followed his train of thought.
If someone were looking for an opportunity to pass information to the Romulans, a virus that overwhelmed Sickbay would provide excellent cover to keep deck twelve occupied while the infiltrator, or infiltrators, ejected the information into space.
The question that remained was in determining what exactly the Romulan agent had passed along.
Unfortunately, they didn't have the crew available to conduct the kind of investigation quickly.
They would need to sweep every scientific lab, armoury, Main Engineering, and storage facility for any missing inventory.
At the same time, they would have to check the informational computer records to determine if anyone had accessed restricted materials or communications.
The Romulans may have taken information, equipment, or experiments.
Worst of all, Worf was still suffering from the effects of the virus.
Data assumed his Klingon DNA must have granted him some form of immunity. Worf seemed to be less impacted than the other humanoid officers.
However, Worf was still ill and needed to rest.
As Data and Worf worked to outline the investigation plan, they reluctantly came to accept it would likely be a few days before they had more answers.
---------
"Crusher to Bridge," Beverly's voice echoed from the communication system.
Collectively, everyone on the Bridge held their breath in anticipation that it was good news.
"We've got it," Beverly said proudly.
Data felt like an enormous weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
He immediately inquired about the distribution plan.
Beverly walked him through it.
With the supplies available, they could produce and administer between sixty and seventy doses per hour. They weren't certain how long it would take for patients to recover. Beverly also noted that it would depend on each individual's personal physiology.
"With your approval, I'd like to start with the Captain, my medical officers, and some of the most heavily affected patients," Beverly explained.
Data considered her proposal as he prioritised the needs of the ship.
"Doctor, please standby," Data ordered. "I will transmit you a list of priority patients for inoculation. Please reserve twenty percent of your first available supply for Engineering and Operations personnel. We need officers on the Bridge and down in Engineering."
They had to get Geordi on his feet.
A ship like the Enterprise required constant maintenance in order to operate efficiently.
At any given moment they could be called away into an emergency and it was vital that they get back to some operational level in case a situation arose.
"Open a channel to the USS Berlin," Data ordered.
Now that a cure was available, the Berlin could send additional relief personnel to help with the medical crisis and ship's functions.
As soon as the channel was open, Data submitted a formal appeal.
Captain Donovan was more than happy to honour the request.
---------
Twenty minutes later, the Second Officer of the USS Berlin stepped onboard the bridge with a relief crew.
Doctor Crusher had administered the inoculant to Wesley, Deanna, Worf, the Captain, and Commander Riker. Commander Riker had been hit particularly hard by the virus.
Worf was still ill, but he was stubborn.
After discussing the matter with Data, Worf agreed to take Command for the time being so Data could check on the situation down in Engineering.
Geordi and Miles had been the first two to receive the inoculant following a handful of medical officers.
To Data's frustration, both men were still down in Main Engineering.
"Now the coil alignment on these Galaxy-class ships can be finicky," Data heard Geordi say. "I like to keep it between 0.47 and 0.78 tolerance for the main engine."
When Data turned the corner, he locked his gaze on Geordi.
The Engineer paused.
"And uh, 0.61 and 0.93 on the backup," Geordi finished.
As if on cue, Geordi sneezed violently.
"Lieutenant La Forge, the USS Berlin has sent a crew to relieve you and Chief O'Brien," Data said.
Geordi put his hands up.
"I know, Data. I know," he protested. "Just let me get them set up."
In the corner, Miles was showing one of the engineers from the other ship how to handle the deflector array induction stabiliser.
Data watched in exasperation as Miles and Geordi flitted about Engineering – showing the other ship where they kept spare wiring and tools, dictating the priority tasks, and treating the situation as if they were new parents leaving their baby with a sitter for the first time.
"Geordi," Data said firmly. "The crew of the USS Berlin are trained engineers capable of performing the tasks necessary to maintain this vessel."
"I'm almost done," Geordi said absentmindedly.
"You require rest," Data insisted.
Geordi put one finger up.
"In a minute, Data," Geordi replied.
Before Data could say anything, one very concerned botanist beat him to the punch.
"Miles Edward O'Brien," Keiko said from the doorframe.
Miles didn't need to turn around to recognise the look Keiko was giving him.
"Hello, sweetheart," Miles said as he turned around.
Keiko glared at him.
Miles O'Brien was great at many things.
Taking care of himself was not one of them.
Data could empathise. He knew precisely how Keiko felt.
"You've been on your feet for nearly eighteen hours," Keiko said in a worried voice. "You're going to work yourself to death if you don't slow down."
"Two minutes," Miles assured her. "I'm almost done."
"You are done," Keiko replied.
Miles pushed the coil scanner he was holding into the hands of the Engineering ensign that was standing next to him.
"Goodnight lads," Miles said awkwardly before he followed Keiko out into the corridor.
Deciding to take a page from Keiko's book, Data chose to take a firmer approach.
"Lieutenant La Forge, you are relieved," Data stated.
"Almost finished," Geordi objected before turning back to the console.
"That is an order," Data said in a commanding tone.
Geordi got the hint.
---------
As they made their way to his quarters, Geordi realised it was probably a good idea Data had ordered him to rest.
His legs felt heavy, and he needed Data's help to reach the door.
On top of the constant, dull pain caused by the visual input of his VISOR – the congestion from the virus had left Geordi with immense sinus pressure.
The swelling pain around his eyes meant he was having difficulties concentrating and interpreting the input from his VISOR.
With Data's assistance, Geordi got a cup of herbal tea and settled in on his sofa with a cosy blanket.
"Thanks, Data," Geordi said as he detached his VISOR and set it on the coffee table.
Geordi massaged his temples.
"Can I get you anything?" Data offered.
"A new body," Geordi joked.
Data understood this was intended to be humorous and responded with a short, forced laugh.
It had the desired effect of making Geordi laugh for real.
"Geordi, I wanted to commend you for your work during this situation," Data said. "It was exemplary."
Geordi grinned.
"Thanks, mate," Geordi replied. "Everybody really came through."
Data nodded in concurrence. Geordi's assessment was accurate.
Worf and Chief O'Brien in particular had truly risen to the occasion.
"Poor Doctor Crusher," Geordi remarked. "She's been going nonstop since this outbreak started."
"Indeed," Data agreed. "Her medical expertise is most impressive."
The two chit chat for a bit as Data explained the theory of the Romulan infiltration. He explained that once Geordi was feeling better, Data would like him to come up with a list of priority target Engineering technologies or experiments that the Romulans may have been interested in stealing.
Geordi responded with a long whistle.
"I gotcha," Geordi said. "But Romulans?"
Geordi shook his head.
"This is not good, Data," Geordi frowned.
A comfortable silence between the two friends.
"How's Tasha?" Geordi asked after a few moments.
"Doctor Crusher sent a medical officer down to treat her for radiation exposure earlier," Data explained. "I am going to stop by and check on her after I am finished here."
Based on the patient lists Data had seen, he suspected there was some correlation between the DNA of non-Earth and Earth-based colony humanoids and a natural immunity. Like Worf, Deanna, Tasha, and several other crew members had seemed to be less impacted by the worst symptoms of the virus.
Data surmised the subtle differences in Tasha's DNA from her Turkanan ancestors had boosted her immune system in fighting the virus.
"Data, go check on her," Geordi suggested.
"You are alright?" Data asked to clarify.
"Me? I just need some sleep and I'll be right as rain," Geordi assured him.
---------
Data stepped into Tasha's quarters only to find them empty.
He tapped his combadge.
"Data to Crusher. Is Lieutenant Yar in Sickbay or Ten Forward?" he inquired.
"No, Commander. I don't show her checked in at either of those locations," Beverly replied.
"Doctor, where was Lieutenant Yar taken following the radiation protocol?" Data asked.
Down in Sickbay, Beverly closed her eyes.
She felt terrible, but she hadn't yet reached the point of having anyone to spare.
"I'm sorry, Data," Beverly responded. "At this time, I still do not have the medical staff available to get down to deck thirty-six."
Data understood.
"Belay my previous order, Doctor," Data advised. "I will see to it."
---------
It took Data twenty-eight minutes to reach the reserve torpedo bay on deck thirty-six. He had stopped on his way down to retrieve a medical kit.
When the door slid open, Data spotted her against the wall approximately five metres away.
Kneeling down next to her, Data opened the kit and prepped the appropriate hypospray.
He could read her body temperature was elevated – likely from the virus.
She grimaced when he administered the hypospray.
Tasha turned her head to the side to look at him.
"Hey," she said lazily.
She grinned at him, eyes half-open as she registered who he was.
Data didn't say anything.
Rather, he reached out and cupped her face, stroking her cheek with his thumb.
Tasha coughed and Data offered her canteen from the medical kit.
She shook her head in response.
As much as she wanted something to drink, Tasha was worried she would only regurgitate it after a few seconds.
Her stomach was still quite squeamish.
Data sat down next to her with his back against the wall. Tasha let her head fall onto his shoulder.
"It will take several hours for the radiation treatment to work through your system," Data explained.
Tasha nodded.
She'd been through the drill plenty of times.
"You will likely be more comfortable in your quarters," Data suggested.
"In a minute," Tasha said.
She wasn't sure she could move without getting sick.
"You did good work today, Commander," Tasha told him.
Data smiled.
---------
It had been nearly twenty-four hours since the situation at the Neutral Zone and everyone had been eager to get back into a routine of normalcy.
Over the course of the last day, everyone aboard had been treated with the inoculant and most were making a steady recovery. Sore throats, respiratory congestion, and fatigue remained. Doctor Crusher had advised that these symptoms would likely go away over the next day or so.
From her chair, Deanna watched Tasha.
Since their mission on Angel One, Deanna had been picking up on a strong sense of guilt emanating from her friend. At first, Deanna had suspected it was because they were unsuccessful in fully obtaining rights for Ramsey and the other men.
But the more she was around Tasha, the more she suspected that was not the case.
This felt deeper, older.
Deanna had danced around it during their weekly session, attempting to allow Tasha to bring it up in her own time. But they were reaching the end of their allotted time and Deanna decided she would have to confront the issue directly.
"Tasha, why am I sensing a feeling of guilt?" Deanna inquired.
The conversation with Ramsey on Angel One had triggered strong feelings in Tasha about the planet of her birth.
Ever since the Romulan situation had ended, Tasha had been unable to push the memories from her mind.
Tasha looked down and picked at her fingernails.
It was hard to describe how she felt in a way that Deanna could comprehend.
Although Tasha would gladly sing the praises of therapy, a part of her knew that no amount of training could ever prepare the Betazoid counsellor to fully understand what she had experienced.
"I have a sister, Deanna," Tasha said bluntly.
Deanna blinked.
She was shocked.
In all of their counselling sessions, Tasha had never before mentioned having a sister. The information was not contained in her personnel file.
In fact, the only person Tasha had ever told about Ishara was Data. Not even Alfie had known about Ishara.
Deanna thought she understood now.
"And you're feeling guilty because she is still on Turkana?" Deanna pondered aloud.
Tasha shook her head.
"It's a lot more complicated than that," Tasha replied.
Tasha closed her eyes. She knew they only had about fifteen minutes left in their session.
And the saga of her relationship with Ishara would take much longer than fifteen minutes.
Tasha scratched her neck.
"Look, the short of it is the situation with Ramsey hit a little too close to home," Tasha explained.
Deanna could feel just how difficult it was for Tasha to continue.
"My sister is still on Turkana because she believed in fighting for it," Tasha went on.
Ishara had joined the Coalition shortly before Tasha had left. The last memories of her time with Ishara were not pleasant. The two Yar siblings had fought – relentlessly – over their opinions on the matter.
Ishara was determined that they had a responsibility to join the civil war.
Tasha was adamantly opposed. In her mind, Turkana was already a lost cause, and their only hope was to escape.
When Ramsey had passionately discussed his fervent desire to remain on Angel One, it had left Tasha feeling like she had been selfish.
"The only thing I ever cared about was getting off that planet," Tasha confessed. "I put everything I had into leaving. I only cared about myself."
Deanna was about to interject when Tasha continued.
"You have no idea what I did to get out of there," Tasha said.
She looked away to the wall and took a shaky breath.
"Terrible things, Deanna," Tasha said quietly.
In some way, Tasha had always felt an obligation to others because she reasoned she owed the universe.
At the worst of her self-doubt, Tasha considered it penance for the selfishness of having escaped. Her years of therapy had taught her that this wasn't the case.
But it didn't matter.
There were still days that crept back into her consciousness.
"Terrible things for entirely selfish reasons," Tasha shrugged. "I could have helped and instead I chose to save myself."
It was all out in the open now.
"You know there's a phrase on Turkana," Tasha paused and took a shaky breath. "Loosely translated, it means those who achieve do so by paying with a piece of their soul."
Tasha could feel her throat grow tight. She swallowed hard as she tried to stop herself from crying.
"I paid that price to leave, Deanna. I chose to run away," Tasha said. "And in doing so, I lost a part of myself."
Deanna reached across the coffee table and gripped her friend's hand.
"You risk your life every day in a way more dangerous and fantastic than any of us could ever dream," Deanna assured her.
With her free hand, Tasha thumbed away the tears that had started to fall.
She was embarrassed she was crying.
"There is no shame in seeking a better life," Deanna said hotly. "There is no reason to feel guilty. You were a child, Tasha. You fought to make a better life for yourself. You survived."
"I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't feel like this," Tasha said bitterly. "A lot of people have it worse."
"Stop," Deanna ordered. "Your feelings are valid and completely normal."
Deanna had assured her numerous times before that safety and stability were nothing to feel guilty about.
"You can't fight every battle," Deanna said. "And it is not your responsibility to save everyone."
---------
The next evening, the senior officers were in Ten Forward.
With everyone back up and healthy again, the investigation into the Romulan situation had been completed.
The results were less than satisfying.
The computer logs indicated that numerous Starfleet secure communication logs had been accessed in the weeks leading up to the Romulan encounter.
There was an experimental phaser coil and shield experiment missing from one of the labs. Several recent nanotechnology devices were also gone.
Based on the weight that was ejected from deck twelve during the encounter, Data and security team had deduced it was likely there had been a level one probe hidden in the waste.
Doctor Crusher's research led her to believe the virus was manufactured and intentionally introduced to the ship. The sequencing in the virus's RNA appeared to be constructed specifically to cause the exact symptoms the crew had experienced.
"I wouldn't consider a just virus," Beverly explained. "More like an airborne weapon designed to incapacitate our crew."
It was designed to be significant, but not lethal.
"If the Romulans could engineer a virus like that, why not just kill us with it?" Miles asked.
"The reaction it caused required vast medical resources and personnel over hours of treatment," Data theorised. "Had the patients died, it would not have kept us occupied for so long."
"The infiltrator or infiltrators likely used the time to cover their tracks," Tasha added.
Each lead they pursued had only led to a dead end.
"Alright I've got a Samarian Sunset for the Counsellor, another pint for you, Chief," Guinan said as she slid the drinks down the table.
She set a tall, blue drink down in front of Geordi before handing another glass of whiskey to Data.
"What have you learned about this General Morak?" Commander Riker inquired.
Tasha shuddered violently.
At the same time, Guinan dropped the glass of wine she had been about to pass to Beverly.
Guinan and Tasha locked eyes.
Tasha's chest felt tight.
Guinan was overcome with a weird sense of foreboding.
"Guinan? Are you alright?" Worf asked.
Data turned to Tasha and repeated the question.
Tasha set her drink down on the table and frowned, suddenly feeling sick to her stomach.
Beverly reached over and gripped Tasha's hand.
"You're as cold as ice," Beverly commented.
The Doctor pulled out her tricorder and quickly scanned the Security Chief and then Guinan.
"Sorry," Tasha shook her head. "I don't know what came over me."
"Yeah," Guinan seconded in a strange, faraway voice.
They hadn't stopped staring at one another.
Across the table, Deanna squeezed her eyes shut in an effort to try and shut Tasha and Guinan's emotions out of her mind.
There was pain.
Bitterness.
Fear.
While everyone was focused on one end of the table, Will Riker noticed Deanna was also struggling.
"Imzadi?" he whispered.
"This could be a residual side effect from the radiation," Beverly suggested. "Although if the three of you are experiencing it, I'm inclined to surmise it's the virus."
Beverly repacked her tricorder.
"I'll need to do some tests," Beverly concluded.
"I think I'm going to go to bed," Tasha announced, still maintaining eye contact with Guinan.
"Goodnight, Tasha," Guinan replied with a small nod.
Data left with Tasha, feeling she shouldn't be alone.
Guinan stayed for a moment, looking at nothing as if she were lost in thought.
As soon as they were gone, a collective look of confusion went around the table.
In the short time they had known Guinan, they had all picked up on her ability to seemingly read people and situations with an extrasensory perception.
"That was spooky," Miles commented.
"Ya think?" Geordi asked.
---------
As soon as they reached Tasha's quarters, she ordered the computer to put a level one security lock on the door.
Data was temporarily taken aback as she lunged at him, pushing him back against the door, her lips pressed against his own.
A look of confusion crossed Data's face.
Given her momentary flash of illness in Ten Forward, his neural net was struggling to resolve the discrepancy between that incident and her current actions.
The illness and abrupt change in her behaviour had been genuine. Data's sensors had registered the drop in her body temperature.
All of the evidence had indicated her desire to leave was motivated by the need for rest rather than feigning tiredness to slip away for the purposes of coupling under the guise of an early night.
"Don't overthink it," Tasha said as she nuzzled against him.
She snaked her arms around him and fumbled with the zipper on his jumpsuit, before hastily pulling it down to his waist.
Tasha traced over his shoulders and looked up at him.
"Data, please," she said.
There was an urgency in her voice that Data had not heard since their reunion following the Edo incident.
Tasha couldn't explain it.
But there was an overwhelming need to reassure herself that they had each other.
That she was alive.
And that they were together.
She needed the kind of reassurance that could only come from soft words, gentle touches, and physical intimacy with the tender-hearted android that had captured her heart.
"Tasha are you feeling-" Data started to ask.
"Shhh," she said before silencing him with a kiss.
After a few seconds, Data put his hands on her biceps and gently pushed her off of him.
"Something is wrong," he commented.
Tasha stared up at him, unblinking.
"So much has happened. So much could happen," Tasha stated. "And with you, I feel like even forever wouldn't be enough time."
Her comment struck a chord deep in Data's psyche.
"Forever would never be enough time," Data replied regrettably. "Because theoretically, I will have forever and you will-"
He couldn't bring himself to finish the statement.
Instead, he rested his forehead against Tasha's.
Tasha closed her eyes.
She hadn't meant it in that way.
It was a subject they'd talked about before and Tasha knew just how heavily it weighed on Data.
He feared the feeling of emptiness that would inevitably come someday when her human life expired and he would be left alone.
"We have now," Tasha whispered.
Data did not respond.
Tasha cupped his face and placed a tender kiss on his jawline.
"We have right now," Tasha repeated.
"If that is your wish," Data replied in a low voice.
Tasha tucked an errant strand of hair behind his ear and nodded.
Data nodded.
He scooped her up into his arms and carried her into bed.
When they reached her room, he set Tasha down and then turned her around.
Data's fingers clasped the zipper at the nape of her neck.
"Then I shall endeavour to fulfil your request," he promised.
He unzipped the top of her jumpsuit and delicately slid it down her arms just far enough to expose her shoulders.
"For gentleness," he said before placing a kiss on the spot where her left shoulder met her neck.
Tasha closed her eyes, taking solace in the feel of his breath against her skin.
"And joy," he went on, kissing the same spot on the right side of her neck.
"And love," Tasha finished.
"And love," Data repeated as he embraced her, resting his chin on her shoulder.