r_scribbles (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
r_scribbles) wrote2008-10-25 09:52 pm
r_scribbles) wrote2008-10-25 09:52 pm
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Will, why do you think it's "adorable" every time that guy gets laid...?
Some more Rollercoaster for you, my lovelies!
Set during 'In Theory'. Another Blonde Security officer makes her move on the Electronic Gentleman. This should be fun. First half only, you can have the second after the ever delicious![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
realmlife has cast a Betaing eye over it.
ROLLERCOASTER
-x-
The Other Woman
-x-
‘Hey, Geordi.’
‘Hey.’ LaForge looked up from his monitor to see Tasha scuffing slightly aimlessly into Engineering, peering about herself, as though lost. ‘You’re back. How was the seminar?’
‘Oh,’ Tasha replied, vaguely, ‘y’know. Invaluable. Tedious. The usual.’ She craned her neck up to get a better look at the upper gantry.
‘You looking for something, Tasha?’
‘Computer said Data was in here…’ muttered Yar, half to herself.
‘He was,’ Geordi replied, ‘about a minute ago. You just missed them.’
‘”Them”?’ Tasha repeated. She leaned against a computer bank with a grin. ‘What, are there two of him now?’
‘He just left with D’Sora.’ Geordi reached across to her and gently guided her away from the bank she was leaning against. ‘Please don’t touch that.’
‘Sorry.’ Tasha clasped her hands in front of her. ‘He is off duty though, right?’
‘Sure.’
‘I’ll catch up with him,’ Tasha decided. ‘Thought it might be nice to spend some Holodeck time together, following my triumphant return from my five-day snooze-fest. Which way did they go?’
Geordi arched an eyebrow.
‘What?’ Tasha asked.
‘I don’t think Lieutenant D’Sora’d be too happy with you suggesting that.’
Tasha furrowed her forehead. ‘This my D’Sora we’re talking about? Blonde – blue eyes?’
‘So I’m told,’ Geordi replied, getting back to his work.
‘Huh. They’re spending a lot of time together since she split up with Whatsisname, aren’t they?’ She snorted a small laugh. ‘Need I be jealous?’
Geordi looked up at her again with a slight frown. ‘Why would you be jealous?’
Tasha paused for a moment. ‘I’m kidding.’
‘Sure…’ replied Geordi. ‘Your face is getting kinda hot,’ he added, conversationally. ‘Do you want a glass of water?’
Tasha pressed the backs of her hands against her cheeks. ‘No hiding anything from that VISOR of yours, is there?’
‘No,’ Geordi pointedly replied, ‘there certainly is not.’
Tasha stared at him for a second, gnawing on her bottom lip. ‘You still haven’t told me which way they went.’
‘I really don’t think you should go after them, Tasha.’
‘Why?’
‘Nobody’s told you yet?’
‘Told me what?’
‘Tasha…’ Geordi shook his head a little. ‘They’re kinda… dating now.’
Tasha blinked. ‘Huh?’
‘As in, boyfriend and girlfriend.’
Tasha blinked again. ‘I’m gone for five days and he goes and gets himself a girlfriend?’
‘But you’ve got no cause to be upset about it,’ Geordi reminded her, ‘right?’
‘Right,’ Tasha agreed, ‘absolutely right.’ She fiddled with her hands a little. ‘Um. OK… I… guess I’ll just go unpack, then.’
Geordi nodded. ‘Good to see you back, Tasha.’
He watched her as she wandered out of Engineering, just as aimlessly as before.
‘…a girlfriend…?’ he caught her muttering to herself as she left. ‘Of all the lousy, rotten…’
She dropped out of earshot before he could hear the rest. He shook his head again as he set back to his work.
‘”Just kidding”, my ass,’ he mumbled to himself. He paused. ‘You realise what this means,’ he addressed himself under his breath. ‘It means Data’s now officially got a more hectic love life than you do.’ He paused again. ‘Aaaaand, you’re talking to yourself.’ He sighed. ‘Great. That’s just great.’
-x-
Why was it, she asked herself, that whenever she had something important and a little awkward to say to anybody these days, she’d find herself bumping into them in Ten Forward, instead of somewhere more discreet?
Nevertheless, there Data was – alone, it appeared – and Tasha really didn’t want to go through a whole shift on the Bridge with him without talking things through first. She marched over to him hastily and surprised herself with the force with which she grabbed his arm and pulled him aside.
‘Tasha,’ greeted the android, similarly surprised, it seemed. ‘How was the seminar?’
‘Never mind that,’ she blustered. ‘Data… what the Hell’s going on?’
Data frowned. ‘I do not understand…’
‘I come back after a few days and all of a sudden you’re in a relationship with D’Sora…’
‘Jenna usually prefers to be referred to by her forename in informal situations,’ Data reminded her.
‘But you’re in a relationship with her. A romantic relationship.’
‘That is what I am attempting…’
Tasha cast a gaze towards the ceiling. ‘This “experiment” of yours again, is it?’
Data opened his mouth to reply, but paused, watching her with a growing frown. ‘You appear angered by this discovery, is that correct?’
Tasha tried to stare him straight in the eye and deny his accusation but, for some reason she couldn’t explain to herself, found that she couldn’t do so. ‘I just… don’t approve.’
‘Why not?’
‘Why not?!?’ Tasha let out a short, mirthless laugh. ‘Data, it wasn’t long ago that you asked me to marry you…’
‘But you refused all of my proposals for any formal romantic arrangements. I do not believe that I am obliged to continue to pursue you, following your rejection. As I understand it, I am free to seek alternative relationships with whoever is suitable to me. Whether or not you give your approval is irrelevant.’
‘That’s not the point!’ Tasha paused. ‘Does D’Sora know about the history we have – about the suggestions you made only a few months ago?’
‘She is aware that we have been involved in the past,’ Data admitted.
‘And she’s happy with that, is she?’
‘That I have been in a…’ Data paused, searching for a suitable description, ‘…in a recurring series of intimate situations with another woman does not distress her. In fact, she herself has only recently terminated a lengthy monogamous relationship.’
‘Exactly, Data. She’s on the rebound.’
‘”Rebound”…?’
‘It’s how a lot of people deal with a break-up,’ Tasha explained. ‘They’ve been scared off commitment by the long relationship that’s just fallen to pieces around their ears, but they want validation after all that time with the same one person that they’re still attractive to others. So they jump headfirst into a mismatched relationship that they know will never last. Sex and attention. That’s all it is they’re ever after.’
Data shook his head with a faint frown. ‘I do not believe that those are Jenna’s objectives. I also disagree that she and I are “mismatched” as you describe. Jenna and I share many interests, and socialise frequently…’
‘Do you?’ Tasha snapped. ‘It’s news to me.’
‘You never did attend any of our woodwind ensemble recitals,’ Data calmly replied. ‘Is it possible, in fact, Tasha, that it is you and Jenna who are “mismatched”?’
‘Don’t be ridiculous, Data. She’s worked under my command for years. She’s an attentive junior Officer, keeps herself to herself… we get along fine.’
‘Professionally, perhaps,’ Data added, ‘but have you ever spoken with her socially? Is it the woman who you know, or the Officer?’
Tasha folded her arms tightly about herself. ‘Um… I think I got her a drink once… of course, that was a group social…’
‘Perhaps,’ Data continued, ‘you lack social understanding of Jenna, thus enabling you to treat her as an abstract – reacting to her with unwarranted anger and creating fanciful accusations about her interest in me, based not upon the woman herself, but upon your general mistrust in the conventions of formal human sexual and romantic interrelationships…’
‘There you go again,’ replied Tasha, ‘throwing everything back on to me. I always have to be the bad guy, don’t I? You’re making me out to be some misanthropic hermit who resents any two people who are lucky enough to fall in love…’
‘It was not my intention to imply such a thing,’ Data told her. ‘However, you do appear to be resentful of my relationship with Jenna.’
‘That’s because it’s you, Data! It’s you. You’re different.’
Data cocked his head a little at her. ‘Do you believe that, as an android, I am less deserving than others of attempting a monogamous relationship? That, somehow, it is wrong for me to do so?’
‘You’re just not ready,’ Tasha told him. ‘I know it, and I think she should know it too, if you really are as close as you say you are.’
Data looked up suddenly as though hit with a sudden wave of recognition, and opened his mouth to speak, but Tasha continued before he could utter a word.
‘Think about it, Data. Think about what you represent to a girl like her; a girl whose emotions are all over the place, who needs to pander to somebody else’s feelings right now like she needs a hole in the head. She’s using you. She’s…’
‘She’s… um… standing right here,’ added a familiar female voice from behind her right shoulder.
Tasha froze, biting her lip, mortified.
‘Hello, Jenna,’ Data greeted, finally able to get a word in edgeways.
‘Sorry I’m late,’ D’Sora added, stepping politely around Tasha to rest a hand gently on the android’s elbow.
Tasha forced herself to push back her embarrassment and meet eyes with the young Lieutenant she had just been caught out badmouthing. She had been expecting D’Sora to be wearing the same expression of cold, scornful defiance that her sister had when demanding Data’s attention, and so was surprised to see in Jenna no aggressive disdain. D’Sora appeared nervous, almost apologetic, in fact. It seemed that she was as embarrassed about their awkward encounter as Tasha was.
‘There is no need for you to apologise, Jenna,’ Data told her. ‘In fact, it may be most fortunate that you have happened to join me while I was in conversation with Tasha.’
Jenna gave a small cough and presented Tasha with a brief, courteous nod of greeting. ‘Commander Yar. How was the seminar?’
Tasha returned the nod, unaware that she had folded her arms defensively about her chest. ‘Evidently far duller than it’s been round here.’
D’Sora twisted her lips around her mouth, as though trying to come up with a response, but remained silent.
‘I believe that there have been misjudgements made on both of your parts about one another,’ Data explained to the two women, ‘as a result of the two of you not being in full social communication. Perhaps we can take steps to rectify that oversight now.’
‘Um…’ muttered Tasha. From D’Sora’s expression, it didn’t seem as though she would be any happier about a pally note-swapping session.
‘I am certain,’ the android continued, unabashed, ‘that it would be beneficial not only to the continuation of your professional relationship, but also to your informal relationships with myself and one another if we should discuss these issues.’
‘Um,’ Tasha repeated. ‘You know what, Data…? Maybe another time.’
‘But I believe that this is important…’
‘I’m sure that Commander Yar has a lot to catch up on,’ interjected D’Sora, ‘having been away, and all.’
‘That’s true,’ added Tasha, quickly. ‘I have to get back to work. Maybe another time, huh?’
She turned and hurried off before anybody could detain her further.
-x-
It wasn’t that she was entirely lying – she did have a lot of work to get on with. But, she’d reminded herself, as she’d found her arms and legs growing ever more twitchy and irritable while trying to catch up on the last few days’ logs, keeping up with her exercise regime was as much part of a Security Officer’s work as anything else. As luck would have it, she’d noticed that she was just in time for one of Worf’s Mok’Bara classes. She had swiftly changed, and joined in.
Glad as she was to find the usual peace of mind that came with her physical exertions, she clearly wasn’t capable of completely emptying her thoughts of what was bothering her. Deanna Troi, two rows in front of her, cast several worried glances over her shoulder during the class, before a barked reprimand from the Klingon forced the Counsellor to concentrate on her exercises. As fast as Tasha tried to leave the class after it had finished, she still found Deanna blocking her way.
Troi put a hand on her shoulder, further preventing her from getting away. ‘Tasha…’
‘Don’t,’ Tasha warned. ‘It’s nothing. I’m just a little… surprised, that's all.’
‘I don’t think that is all,’ Deanna replied. ‘You’re deeply concerned, and hurt. You feel… betrayed, somehow.’
Tasha rolled her eyes. ‘Knock it off, Deanna. Ixnay on the athy-empay.’ She held out a hand, jabbing Riker in the chest as he tried to get past the women into the corridor. ‘Did I get that right?’
‘I inkthay osay,’ Will replied, before shrugging happily at Troi’s bemused expression. ‘Pig Latin – just trying to keep the embers of a dying language alight.’
Troi pursed her lips at him. ‘Ouryay othbay utsnay.’
‘Atta girl,’ beamed Riker. ‘So what are we talking about here – Data’s girlfriend?’ His grin widened further. ‘Data with a girlfriend – it’s pretty much on the same level of adorability as a puppy peeking out of a man’s shoe… or maybe a duckling wearing a teeny-tiny hat.’
Tasha narrowed her eyes at him. ‘Will,’ she asked him in a hushed, annoyed tone, ‘why do you think it’s “adorable” every time that guy gets laid?’
‘It just is!’ Riker blinked at her, his smile fading. ‘Um… have I misread this situation or something, Tasha? I thought you and he were just friends nowadays.’
‘We are!’
‘Then why the long face?’
‘Will!’ Deanna warned.
Will opened his mouth in indignation, thought better of it and shook his head. ‘Women,’ he muttered, wandering off.
Deanna took both of Tasha’s hands, with a concerned expression. ‘You still feel a strong attachment to him. I think you’re taking this… experimental relationship of his much harder than you’re allowing yourself to admit…’
Tasha pulled her hands away from her friend’s grasp. ‘Would everyone please just shut up about Data and D’Sora? At least Will was trying to make me laugh about it, Deanna – all you’re giving me is the Big, Sad Eyes treatment. If you’re trying to force pity on me, then you can think again.’
‘I’m just trying to show a little sympathy.’
‘Well, I don’t want your sympathy.’
‘Really?’ Deanna gave her a small, mischievous smile. ‘Not even if that sympathy was chocolate flavoured?’
Tasha glared at her friend, seriously. ‘Make it mocha and I’ll consider it.’
‘Deal,’ nodded Troi. ‘Give me ten minutes to shower and change, then I’ll expect to see you in my quarters for some intense Counselling, courtesy of our friend the cocoa bean.’
Tasha looked down at her own sweat-covered tunic. ‘Guess I’d better freshen up for the occasion myself.’
She left Deanna, and started heading towards her own quarters. She did not, however, get far. No sooner had she turned the first corner than she heard an unwelcome voice calling her name.
‘Commander Yar…? Commander…?’
Tasha sighed resolutely, and slowed her pace, allowing D’Sora to catch up with her.
‘Can I help you, Lieutenant?’
D’Sora pressed her lips together, with that apologetic expression again. ‘It’s… a personal matter.’
‘I imagined as such,’ Tasha replied, quietly. ‘Listen, I really am pretty busy right now…’
‘I understand that, Commander,’ D’Sora told her, ‘but I really feel we should talk. Your reaction in Ten Forward made me feel that maybe…’ D’Sora squeezed her hands together. ‘If there’s something going on…’
Tasha sighed again. ‘There isn’t.’
D’Sora nodded, relieved. ‘I didn’t think so.’
‘So why follow me and ask me in the first place?’
D’Sora gave her a little, nervous shrug. ‘You did come across as a bit... aggressive…?’
‘I’m just looking out for him.’
‘You don’t really think that I’m going to use him,’ D’Sora faintly frowned, ‘do you? What have ever I done to give you that impression, Sir?’
Tasha stopped walking, guiding D’Sora to one side.
‘I know that he seems like this wonderful carte blanche,’ Tasha told her, quietly, ‘malleable, eager, trusting, baggage-free…’
‘I know he’s got baggage,’ D’Sora retorted. ‘Doesn’t everybody? And I certainly don’t see him as “malleable”. I’m not trying to turn him into something he isn’t…’
‘You’re trying to turn him into a Boyfriend,’ Tasha replied. ‘He’s just not the Boyfriend type.’
‘For some people,’ D’Sora responded quietly, ‘perhaps. I can’t help if no one’s ever attempted a normal relationship with him before.’
Tasha snorted. ‘Define “normal”.’
‘Well,’ D’Sora replied, her initial nervousness now almost completely faded and replaced with a growing annoyance, ‘not trying to hide being with him, for starters; not sneaking around until rumours spring up, and then getting upset when they do.’
‘Hey!’ Tasha protested, but it seemed that D’Sora was on a roll now.
‘I happen to be proud of him, Commander. I’m proud to be seen in a relationship with him.’
‘It isn’t a relationship,’ blurted Tasha. ‘It’s an experiment.’
‘Just because he’s never done this before doesn’t mean…’
‘He proposed performing the same experiment with me, only a matter of months ago,’ Tasha replied, ‘only I knew him well enough to understand it was a bad idea. He’s just reaching out for the next available guinea pig. That’s all.’
D’Sora gazed at her for a moment, dumbstruck.
‘But then,’ added Tasha, taking advantage of D’Sora’s silence, ‘I suppose that’ll be fine by you; I mean, it’s an experiment as far as you’re concerned too, isn’t it? You split up with your boyfriend, you decide to show him what for… you throw yourself at a guy who is, superficially, the biggest challenge on board… although you know well enough that he’s actually a pushover. And then you get to explore a little uncharted territory, like a real pioneer; with the handy get-out clause once the novelty’s worn off that, hey,’ Tasha shrugged sarcastically at D’Sora, ‘he’s just a machine, after all.’
D’Sora blinked at her, still flabbergasted. ‘Wow,’ she uttered after a moment. ‘Wow. You know, if I didn’t believe it was the height of unprofessionalism to badmouth my commanding Officer…’
‘Don’t let my pips hold you back, D’Sora. Let’s hear what you’ve got to say. Off the record.’
‘Well, then…’ D’Sora folded her arms. ‘I’m surprised at you. I always had you pegged as a cynic, but to be able to twist something as innocent as what’s going on between Data and I into what you just described… how does your mind work? Just how paranoid are you?’ She paused, momentarily. ‘You know, I was actually worried about you when I started thinking that something might happen between him and me – I knew you two were close, I thought you might possibly have feelings for him. I even felt a little sorry for you.’
Tasha scowled.
‘But I don’t any more,’ D’Sora continued. ‘The only person I feel sorry for now is him. Because he still thinks a lot of you. He thinks you’re friends. But friends respect one another, Commander Yar, and I don’t think you have the slightest little bit of respect for him, whatsoever.’
There was an awkward pause as Tasha tried to think of a biting response.
She couldn’t.
‘Are you done?’ was all she could muster.
‘Guess so.’
Tasha nodded, stony faced. ‘Well, I bet you’re glad you took the time to straighten this out, Lieutenant.’
‘I think we both said what needed to be said,’ D’Sora replied. She took a step away from Tasha, without breaking eye contact. ‘Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to spend some time with my boyfriend.’
Tasha nodded again, bitterly, as D’Sora turned and walked away from her. ‘Have fun.’
Set during 'In Theory'. Another Blonde Security officer makes her move on the Electronic Gentleman. This should be fun. First half only, you can have the second after the ever delicious
realmlife has cast a Betaing eye over it.ROLLERCOASTER
-x-
The Other Woman
-x-
‘Hey, Geordi.’
‘Hey.’ LaForge looked up from his monitor to see Tasha scuffing slightly aimlessly into Engineering, peering about herself, as though lost. ‘You’re back. How was the seminar?’
‘Oh,’ Tasha replied, vaguely, ‘y’know. Invaluable. Tedious. The usual.’ She craned her neck up to get a better look at the upper gantry.
‘You looking for something, Tasha?’
‘Computer said Data was in here…’ muttered Yar, half to herself.
‘He was,’ Geordi replied, ‘about a minute ago. You just missed them.’
‘”Them”?’ Tasha repeated. She leaned against a computer bank with a grin. ‘What, are there two of him now?’
‘He just left with D’Sora.’ Geordi reached across to her and gently guided her away from the bank she was leaning against. ‘Please don’t touch that.’
‘Sorry.’ Tasha clasped her hands in front of her. ‘He is off duty though, right?’
‘Sure.’
‘I’ll catch up with him,’ Tasha decided. ‘Thought it might be nice to spend some Holodeck time together, following my triumphant return from my five-day snooze-fest. Which way did they go?’
Geordi arched an eyebrow.
‘What?’ Tasha asked.
‘I don’t think Lieutenant D’Sora’d be too happy with you suggesting that.’
Tasha furrowed her forehead. ‘This my D’Sora we’re talking about? Blonde – blue eyes?’
‘So I’m told,’ Geordi replied, getting back to his work.
‘Huh. They’re spending a lot of time together since she split up with Whatsisname, aren’t they?’ She snorted a small laugh. ‘Need I be jealous?’
Geordi looked up at her again with a slight frown. ‘Why would you be jealous?’
Tasha paused for a moment. ‘I’m kidding.’
‘Sure…’ replied Geordi. ‘Your face is getting kinda hot,’ he added, conversationally. ‘Do you want a glass of water?’
Tasha pressed the backs of her hands against her cheeks. ‘No hiding anything from that VISOR of yours, is there?’
‘No,’ Geordi pointedly replied, ‘there certainly is not.’
Tasha stared at him for a second, gnawing on her bottom lip. ‘You still haven’t told me which way they went.’
‘I really don’t think you should go after them, Tasha.’
‘Why?’
‘Nobody’s told you yet?’
‘Told me what?’
‘Tasha…’ Geordi shook his head a little. ‘They’re kinda… dating now.’
Tasha blinked. ‘Huh?’
‘As in, boyfriend and girlfriend.’
Tasha blinked again. ‘I’m gone for five days and he goes and gets himself a girlfriend?’
‘But you’ve got no cause to be upset about it,’ Geordi reminded her, ‘right?’
‘Right,’ Tasha agreed, ‘absolutely right.’ She fiddled with her hands a little. ‘Um. OK… I… guess I’ll just go unpack, then.’
Geordi nodded. ‘Good to see you back, Tasha.’
He watched her as she wandered out of Engineering, just as aimlessly as before.
‘…a girlfriend…?’ he caught her muttering to herself as she left. ‘Of all the lousy, rotten…’
She dropped out of earshot before he could hear the rest. He shook his head again as he set back to his work.
‘”Just kidding”, my ass,’ he mumbled to himself. He paused. ‘You realise what this means,’ he addressed himself under his breath. ‘It means Data’s now officially got a more hectic love life than you do.’ He paused again. ‘Aaaaand, you’re talking to yourself.’ He sighed. ‘Great. That’s just great.’
-x-
Why was it, she asked herself, that whenever she had something important and a little awkward to say to anybody these days, she’d find herself bumping into them in Ten Forward, instead of somewhere more discreet?
Nevertheless, there Data was – alone, it appeared – and Tasha really didn’t want to go through a whole shift on the Bridge with him without talking things through first. She marched over to him hastily and surprised herself with the force with which she grabbed his arm and pulled him aside.
‘Tasha,’ greeted the android, similarly surprised, it seemed. ‘How was the seminar?’
‘Never mind that,’ she blustered. ‘Data… what the Hell’s going on?’
Data frowned. ‘I do not understand…’
‘I come back after a few days and all of a sudden you’re in a relationship with D’Sora…’
‘Jenna usually prefers to be referred to by her forename in informal situations,’ Data reminded her.
‘But you’re in a relationship with her. A romantic relationship.’
‘That is what I am attempting…’
Tasha cast a gaze towards the ceiling. ‘This “experiment” of yours again, is it?’
Data opened his mouth to reply, but paused, watching her with a growing frown. ‘You appear angered by this discovery, is that correct?’
Tasha tried to stare him straight in the eye and deny his accusation but, for some reason she couldn’t explain to herself, found that she couldn’t do so. ‘I just… don’t approve.’
‘Why not?’
‘Why not?!?’ Tasha let out a short, mirthless laugh. ‘Data, it wasn’t long ago that you asked me to marry you…’
‘But you refused all of my proposals for any formal romantic arrangements. I do not believe that I am obliged to continue to pursue you, following your rejection. As I understand it, I am free to seek alternative relationships with whoever is suitable to me. Whether or not you give your approval is irrelevant.’
‘That’s not the point!’ Tasha paused. ‘Does D’Sora know about the history we have – about the suggestions you made only a few months ago?’
‘She is aware that we have been involved in the past,’ Data admitted.
‘And she’s happy with that, is she?’
‘That I have been in a…’ Data paused, searching for a suitable description, ‘…in a recurring series of intimate situations with another woman does not distress her. In fact, she herself has only recently terminated a lengthy monogamous relationship.’
‘Exactly, Data. She’s on the rebound.’
‘”Rebound”…?’
‘It’s how a lot of people deal with a break-up,’ Tasha explained. ‘They’ve been scared off commitment by the long relationship that’s just fallen to pieces around their ears, but they want validation after all that time with the same one person that they’re still attractive to others. So they jump headfirst into a mismatched relationship that they know will never last. Sex and attention. That’s all it is they’re ever after.’
Data shook his head with a faint frown. ‘I do not believe that those are Jenna’s objectives. I also disagree that she and I are “mismatched” as you describe. Jenna and I share many interests, and socialise frequently…’
‘Do you?’ Tasha snapped. ‘It’s news to me.’
‘You never did attend any of our woodwind ensemble recitals,’ Data calmly replied. ‘Is it possible, in fact, Tasha, that it is you and Jenna who are “mismatched”?’
‘Don’t be ridiculous, Data. She’s worked under my command for years. She’s an attentive junior Officer, keeps herself to herself… we get along fine.’
‘Professionally, perhaps,’ Data added, ‘but have you ever spoken with her socially? Is it the woman who you know, or the Officer?’
Tasha folded her arms tightly about herself. ‘Um… I think I got her a drink once… of course, that was a group social…’
‘Perhaps,’ Data continued, ‘you lack social understanding of Jenna, thus enabling you to treat her as an abstract – reacting to her with unwarranted anger and creating fanciful accusations about her interest in me, based not upon the woman herself, but upon your general mistrust in the conventions of formal human sexual and romantic interrelationships…’
‘There you go again,’ replied Tasha, ‘throwing everything back on to me. I always have to be the bad guy, don’t I? You’re making me out to be some misanthropic hermit who resents any two people who are lucky enough to fall in love…’
‘It was not my intention to imply such a thing,’ Data told her. ‘However, you do appear to be resentful of my relationship with Jenna.’
‘That’s because it’s you, Data! It’s you. You’re different.’
Data cocked his head a little at her. ‘Do you believe that, as an android, I am less deserving than others of attempting a monogamous relationship? That, somehow, it is wrong for me to do so?’
‘You’re just not ready,’ Tasha told him. ‘I know it, and I think she should know it too, if you really are as close as you say you are.’
Data looked up suddenly as though hit with a sudden wave of recognition, and opened his mouth to speak, but Tasha continued before he could utter a word.
‘Think about it, Data. Think about what you represent to a girl like her; a girl whose emotions are all over the place, who needs to pander to somebody else’s feelings right now like she needs a hole in the head. She’s using you. She’s…’
‘She’s… um… standing right here,’ added a familiar female voice from behind her right shoulder.
Tasha froze, biting her lip, mortified.
‘Hello, Jenna,’ Data greeted, finally able to get a word in edgeways.
‘Sorry I’m late,’ D’Sora added, stepping politely around Tasha to rest a hand gently on the android’s elbow.
Tasha forced herself to push back her embarrassment and meet eyes with the young Lieutenant she had just been caught out badmouthing. She had been expecting D’Sora to be wearing the same expression of cold, scornful defiance that her sister had when demanding Data’s attention, and so was surprised to see in Jenna no aggressive disdain. D’Sora appeared nervous, almost apologetic, in fact. It seemed that she was as embarrassed about their awkward encounter as Tasha was.
‘There is no need for you to apologise, Jenna,’ Data told her. ‘In fact, it may be most fortunate that you have happened to join me while I was in conversation with Tasha.’
Jenna gave a small cough and presented Tasha with a brief, courteous nod of greeting. ‘Commander Yar. How was the seminar?’
Tasha returned the nod, unaware that she had folded her arms defensively about her chest. ‘Evidently far duller than it’s been round here.’
D’Sora twisted her lips around her mouth, as though trying to come up with a response, but remained silent.
‘I believe that there have been misjudgements made on both of your parts about one another,’ Data explained to the two women, ‘as a result of the two of you not being in full social communication. Perhaps we can take steps to rectify that oversight now.’
‘Um…’ muttered Tasha. From D’Sora’s expression, it didn’t seem as though she would be any happier about a pally note-swapping session.
‘I am certain,’ the android continued, unabashed, ‘that it would be beneficial not only to the continuation of your professional relationship, but also to your informal relationships with myself and one another if we should discuss these issues.’
‘Um,’ Tasha repeated. ‘You know what, Data…? Maybe another time.’
‘But I believe that this is important…’
‘I’m sure that Commander Yar has a lot to catch up on,’ interjected D’Sora, ‘having been away, and all.’
‘That’s true,’ added Tasha, quickly. ‘I have to get back to work. Maybe another time, huh?’
She turned and hurried off before anybody could detain her further.
-x-
It wasn’t that she was entirely lying – she did have a lot of work to get on with. But, she’d reminded herself, as she’d found her arms and legs growing ever more twitchy and irritable while trying to catch up on the last few days’ logs, keeping up with her exercise regime was as much part of a Security Officer’s work as anything else. As luck would have it, she’d noticed that she was just in time for one of Worf’s Mok’Bara classes. She had swiftly changed, and joined in.
Glad as she was to find the usual peace of mind that came with her physical exertions, she clearly wasn’t capable of completely emptying her thoughts of what was bothering her. Deanna Troi, two rows in front of her, cast several worried glances over her shoulder during the class, before a barked reprimand from the Klingon forced the Counsellor to concentrate on her exercises. As fast as Tasha tried to leave the class after it had finished, she still found Deanna blocking her way.
Troi put a hand on her shoulder, further preventing her from getting away. ‘Tasha…’
‘Don’t,’ Tasha warned. ‘It’s nothing. I’m just a little… surprised, that's all.’
‘I don’t think that is all,’ Deanna replied. ‘You’re deeply concerned, and hurt. You feel… betrayed, somehow.’
Tasha rolled her eyes. ‘Knock it off, Deanna. Ixnay on the athy-empay.’ She held out a hand, jabbing Riker in the chest as he tried to get past the women into the corridor. ‘Did I get that right?’
‘I inkthay osay,’ Will replied, before shrugging happily at Troi’s bemused expression. ‘Pig Latin – just trying to keep the embers of a dying language alight.’
Troi pursed her lips at him. ‘Ouryay othbay utsnay.’
‘Atta girl,’ beamed Riker. ‘So what are we talking about here – Data’s girlfriend?’ His grin widened further. ‘Data with a girlfriend – it’s pretty much on the same level of adorability as a puppy peeking out of a man’s shoe… or maybe a duckling wearing a teeny-tiny hat.’
Tasha narrowed her eyes at him. ‘Will,’ she asked him in a hushed, annoyed tone, ‘why do you think it’s “adorable” every time that guy gets laid?’
‘It just is!’ Riker blinked at her, his smile fading. ‘Um… have I misread this situation or something, Tasha? I thought you and he were just friends nowadays.’
‘We are!’
‘Then why the long face?’
‘Will!’ Deanna warned.
Will opened his mouth in indignation, thought better of it and shook his head. ‘Women,’ he muttered, wandering off.
Deanna took both of Tasha’s hands, with a concerned expression. ‘You still feel a strong attachment to him. I think you’re taking this… experimental relationship of his much harder than you’re allowing yourself to admit…’
Tasha pulled her hands away from her friend’s grasp. ‘Would everyone please just shut up about Data and D’Sora? At least Will was trying to make me laugh about it, Deanna – all you’re giving me is the Big, Sad Eyes treatment. If you’re trying to force pity on me, then you can think again.’
‘I’m just trying to show a little sympathy.’
‘Well, I don’t want your sympathy.’
‘Really?’ Deanna gave her a small, mischievous smile. ‘Not even if that sympathy was chocolate flavoured?’
Tasha glared at her friend, seriously. ‘Make it mocha and I’ll consider it.’
‘Deal,’ nodded Troi. ‘Give me ten minutes to shower and change, then I’ll expect to see you in my quarters for some intense Counselling, courtesy of our friend the cocoa bean.’
Tasha looked down at her own sweat-covered tunic. ‘Guess I’d better freshen up for the occasion myself.’
She left Deanna, and started heading towards her own quarters. She did not, however, get far. No sooner had she turned the first corner than she heard an unwelcome voice calling her name.
‘Commander Yar…? Commander…?’
Tasha sighed resolutely, and slowed her pace, allowing D’Sora to catch up with her.
‘Can I help you, Lieutenant?’
D’Sora pressed her lips together, with that apologetic expression again. ‘It’s… a personal matter.’
‘I imagined as such,’ Tasha replied, quietly. ‘Listen, I really am pretty busy right now…’
‘I understand that, Commander,’ D’Sora told her, ‘but I really feel we should talk. Your reaction in Ten Forward made me feel that maybe…’ D’Sora squeezed her hands together. ‘If there’s something going on…’
Tasha sighed again. ‘There isn’t.’
D’Sora nodded, relieved. ‘I didn’t think so.’
‘So why follow me and ask me in the first place?’
D’Sora gave her a little, nervous shrug. ‘You did come across as a bit... aggressive…?’
‘I’m just looking out for him.’
‘You don’t really think that I’m going to use him,’ D’Sora faintly frowned, ‘do you? What have ever I done to give you that impression, Sir?’
Tasha stopped walking, guiding D’Sora to one side.
‘I know that he seems like this wonderful carte blanche,’ Tasha told her, quietly, ‘malleable, eager, trusting, baggage-free…’
‘I know he’s got baggage,’ D’Sora retorted. ‘Doesn’t everybody? And I certainly don’t see him as “malleable”. I’m not trying to turn him into something he isn’t…’
‘You’re trying to turn him into a Boyfriend,’ Tasha replied. ‘He’s just not the Boyfriend type.’
‘For some people,’ D’Sora responded quietly, ‘perhaps. I can’t help if no one’s ever attempted a normal relationship with him before.’
Tasha snorted. ‘Define “normal”.’
‘Well,’ D’Sora replied, her initial nervousness now almost completely faded and replaced with a growing annoyance, ‘not trying to hide being with him, for starters; not sneaking around until rumours spring up, and then getting upset when they do.’
‘Hey!’ Tasha protested, but it seemed that D’Sora was on a roll now.
‘I happen to be proud of him, Commander. I’m proud to be seen in a relationship with him.’
‘It isn’t a relationship,’ blurted Tasha. ‘It’s an experiment.’
‘Just because he’s never done this before doesn’t mean…’
‘He proposed performing the same experiment with me, only a matter of months ago,’ Tasha replied, ‘only I knew him well enough to understand it was a bad idea. He’s just reaching out for the next available guinea pig. That’s all.’
D’Sora gazed at her for a moment, dumbstruck.
‘But then,’ added Tasha, taking advantage of D’Sora’s silence, ‘I suppose that’ll be fine by you; I mean, it’s an experiment as far as you’re concerned too, isn’t it? You split up with your boyfriend, you decide to show him what for… you throw yourself at a guy who is, superficially, the biggest challenge on board… although you know well enough that he’s actually a pushover. And then you get to explore a little uncharted territory, like a real pioneer; with the handy get-out clause once the novelty’s worn off that, hey,’ Tasha shrugged sarcastically at D’Sora, ‘he’s just a machine, after all.’
D’Sora blinked at her, still flabbergasted. ‘Wow,’ she uttered after a moment. ‘Wow. You know, if I didn’t believe it was the height of unprofessionalism to badmouth my commanding Officer…’
‘Don’t let my pips hold you back, D’Sora. Let’s hear what you’ve got to say. Off the record.’
‘Well, then…’ D’Sora folded her arms. ‘I’m surprised at you. I always had you pegged as a cynic, but to be able to twist something as innocent as what’s going on between Data and I into what you just described… how does your mind work? Just how paranoid are you?’ She paused, momentarily. ‘You know, I was actually worried about you when I started thinking that something might happen between him and me – I knew you two were close, I thought you might possibly have feelings for him. I even felt a little sorry for you.’
Tasha scowled.
‘But I don’t any more,’ D’Sora continued. ‘The only person I feel sorry for now is him. Because he still thinks a lot of you. He thinks you’re friends. But friends respect one another, Commander Yar, and I don’t think you have the slightest little bit of respect for him, whatsoever.’
There was an awkward pause as Tasha tried to think of a biting response.
She couldn’t.
‘Are you done?’ was all she could muster.
‘Guess so.’
Tasha nodded, stony faced. ‘Well, I bet you’re glad you took the time to straighten this out, Lieutenant.’
‘I think we both said what needed to be said,’ D’Sora replied. She took a step away from Tasha, without breaking eye contact. ‘Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to spend some time with my boyfriend.’
Tasha nodded again, bitterly, as D’Sora turned and walked away from her. ‘Have fun.’