Another bit of Rollercoaster.

[r_scribbles]

ROLLERCOASTER

-x-

Interference

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Four

-x-

Data was sitting at his desk when Tasha ventured into his quarters. He was frowning down at the tiny emotion chip that they had salvaged from Lore before sending his remains to the Daystrom Institute for disassembly. For a moment, Tasha almost believed that he was too distracted by the tiny piece of life-altering technology to have noticed her enter. She was just about to clear her throat and alert him to her presence when he addressed her, without looking up.

‘Hello, Tasha.’
‘Hi.’ She leaned against a wall and watched him continue to stare at the chip.
‘How is Geordi?’
‘He’s gonna be OK.’ She paused. You should get to Sickbay and visit him yourself.
Data shook his head. ‘I believe, since it is I who caused him such damage, that I should… “make myself scarce” for the time being. He has not yet returned my gift, which I take as an encouraging sign that I am to be forgiven, however…’
‘He thinks the sculpture’s wonderful,’ Tasha replied, ‘it’s pride of place next to his bed. He’s already forgiven you, Data. He knows it wasn’t your fault.’
‘Was it not?’ asked Data, quietly.

‘You two have a bond that’s unconditional,’ Tasha continued to reassure him. ‘You shouldn’t worry about how he’ll react to you – I think he wants to see you…’
‘That does not answer whether or not I was truly to blame for the injury I caused him,’ Data interrupted, ‘or the distress that I caused to so many of my crewmates, or…’ he trailed off. ‘The last words my brother ever spoke were to tell me that he loved me.’
‘Ishara said the same thing to me,’ Tasha replied, ‘and then she tried to kill us all.’
‘You did not terminate your sister.’
‘Sent her back to Turkana,’ shrugged Tasha. ‘Same difference. Please don’t beat yourself up over Lore. You weren’t given a choice.’

‘I could have atomised him,’ Data told her.
‘But, you didn’t,’ Tasha replied, cheerily, ‘so that’s something, isn’t it?’
Data finally looked up to meet her gaze. ‘You believe that shipping him to the Daystrom Institute is a more dignified end? He would have preferred to have been atomised than to have been stripped by Starfleet…’ he looked back down at the chip again. ‘Scavenged for parts,’ he muttered.

‘Don’t you dare,’ Tasha snapped. ‘That emotion chip is yours. Soong always wanted you to have it – it was never meant for Lore, but he stole it anyway. You were just given back what was yours all along…’ She paused, watching him. ‘And now, you don’t want it, do you? Emotional response – one of the human instincts that you’ve spent your life coveting most of all – now that you have it in your hands, you’re going to turn it away, aren’t you? Why?’

‘Why?’ Data echoed. He stared up at her again. ‘You must recall our conversation at your cell…’
‘Damn right I do,’ Tasha replied. ‘That’s one of the reasons I came here – I’m still concerned about what that drone said. I think you should be particularly cautious about engaging with the Borg from now on – I’m very worried about your safety.’
‘Tasha, we are all “unsafe” when engaging with the Borg. I shall be as cautious as I ever have been. That was not what I was alluding to, as well, I believe, you know.’ Data paused again. ‘I told you that I despised you, and that I wished you were dead.’
‘Lore was forcing his own hatred for humanity upon you. I knew you didn’t really mean it.’
‘But, I did mean it,’ Data replied.
‘Only because he made you.’
‘I cannot be certain of that,’ retorted Data. ‘If I were to use this chip to give myself emotions once more, I run the risk of being filled yet again with those negative responses.’
‘I can’t imagine that you would.’ Tasha paused. ‘Do you really think that’s a likely outcome – that you could be so angry and bitter without Lore’s influence?’
‘I believe that it is possible,’ Data told her. ‘And, while it is possible, it would be irresponsible of me to keep an object that could turn me into a potential threat to my crewmates.’

‘And what’s that supposed to mean?’ Tasha asked. ‘Don’t tell me you’re thinking of destroying that chip.’
‘I believe that I must. After what I did to Geordi…’
‘If Geordi found out you’d destroyed an irreplaceable object that might help you achieve your dreams for his sake, he’d never forgive himself!’
‘It is not merely for his sake, Tasha. My feelings towards you were furious and murderous.’
‘You’re not the first person I’ve made feel that way about me,’ smiled Tasha, stoically, ‘and you won’t be the last.’
‘I might have killed you, also.’
‘But you didn’t,’ Tasha replied. ‘You couldn’t. I think that’s a really great sign, don’t you?’
Data cocked his head at her. ‘A positive sign for my potential to be able to safely use the emotion chip, or a positive sign for our future relationship?’
‘Both.’

Data stared at her for a moment. ‘You see the fact that I did not murder you, despite being sorely tempted, as a step forward for our friendship as it currently stands?’
Tasha didn’t answer.
‘There is much that I have yet to learn about human relationships – especially those of a sexual or romantic nature – but I do not believe that the situation you have just outlined is a particularly… healthy… state of affairs.’
‘You’re probably right,’ Tasha conceded, ‘but destroying your chance for ever having emotions again won’t help that.’ She paused. ‘I’m not the best person to talk to about this… do me a favour and promise you won’t do anything hasty with that chip until you’ve spoken with Geordi at least. Or Deanna, or… someone who’s better at putting things in perspective than I am.’

Data gazed at her for a moment more, then nodded. ‘Very well.’
‘You promise?’
‘I do.’
She turned to go, then turned back to him once more. ‘I think you just need time, you know? Time and distance from what happened to you with Lore. I think if you let yourself enter into the world of emotions with a clear, open mind…’ she trailed off, and tried a different tack. ‘I already think that you’re a wonderful person, and I know you’ll deny it, but already I see someone with great capacity for affection and compassion whenever I see you with Geordi, or helping out some clueless Ensign, or when I think of how you looked after your daughter, or the times we had together… I think if you let yourself have emotions, they could only add to that aspect of you. I can’t believe that you’d naturally become an angry, spiteful person. You’re too… nice.’
She cut herself off, wincing a little at her final adjective.
‘”Nice”,’ echoed Data, emptily.

Tasha tried yet again to change the subject from her hash of an attempted pep-talk.

‘I still love you, you know.’
‘I still advise against that.’
‘And I still can’t help it. Maybe if you did ever let yourself feel emotions without Lore’s control, you’d understand that. Maybe you could fall in love too.’
‘With you, you mean?’
‘That would be the preferable outcome for me,’ smiled Tasha, ‘yes.’
‘So,’ Data reasoned, ‘my retaining and eventually activating my emotion chip could prove beneficial to you.’

Tasha’s smile fell. ‘You think I’m being self-centred, don’t you?’
‘A little,’ Data conceded, ‘but your comment does shed an interesting perspective upon my dilemma. Many others could potentially benefit from my emotion chip; I could better reciprocate Geordi’s friendship; Counsellor Troi and I would have a better understanding of one another; I might be able to laugh genuinely at Commander Riker’s jokes or appreciate Klingon Opera on what Lieutenant Worf refers to as “gut level”… were I to create another child, I would be capable of loving them… this is not merely about me.’ He offered a half-smile to Tasha. ‘Thank you, Tasha. Your comments have been most helpful.’
‘So you’re gonna keep the chip?’
‘I have not yet resolved upon that,’ Data replied. ‘However, I am now more in favour of taking that action than I was prior to our conversation.’
Tasha nodded, with another smile. ‘Good.’ She took a few more steps towards the door. ‘Oh, and if or when you do ever activate your own emotions… you know where to find me. I’ll be waiting for you.’

-x-

‘Oh God!’

Dr Kwon rolled his eyes. He’d been hoping to get the shipment safely squirreled away somewhere secure yet inconspicuous before its contents were spotted. No such luck with you-know-who up and about out of his sickbed.

‘What happened?’ The younger scientist clamoured about the shipment. For pity’s sake, he was still sweating like a hog. He should never have been allowed back to work so soon.

‘Calm down.’ Kwon tried to push past the other man.
‘No, I will not calm down!’ The sickly scientist clawed at his feverish head in panic. ‘What happened? Why wasn’t I informed?’
‘You’ve been sick.’
‘Sick?’ gaped the unwell man, ‘SICK? This is my life’s work we’re talking about. My life’s work, gone!’
‘Maddox’ sighed Kwon.
‘Oh God,’ repeated Maddox, pawing the shipment as if it were the newly lifeless body of a much loved pet. ‘What have they done to you? How did this happen? How could they let me find out like this…?’
‘Bruce…’ tried Kwon again, but Maddox was lost in his own hysteria.

Maddox started pulling at the sheets that had been used to cover up the shipment – poking at the lifeless form underneath.
‘I can’t see any outward signs of any irreparable damage,’ Maddox muttered as Kwon struggled to keep the shipment covered. ‘Let’s get him to my Lab, straight away. I might be able to fix him…’
‘You’ll do no such thing, Bruce,’ Kwon ordered him.
‘But…’
‘Will you just stop and listen to me, Maddox? This isn’t Data.’

Maddox breathed out a heavy sigh. ‘It’s not?’
‘Well… we hope not.’ Kwon watched the hefty sweat drops on Maddox’s brow with concern. ‘The Enterprise crew had a run-in with Lore…’
Maddox’s eyes widened. ‘This is Lore? I never thought I’d get the chance to lay eyes on him, let alone have him to…’
‘Would you let me finish, Maddox?’ Kwon snapped. ‘There was a fracas; both Soong models disappeared and only one walked back. The other was found in an empty chamber, in this state. Now, Picard and that Betazoid Counsellor are satisfied that Data is the one on their ship and not on this slab, but Starfleet command are being a little more cautious. They need more than just gut feeling that they don’t now have a psychotic, genocidal megalomaniac pushing buttons on the Bridge of their flagship. They were able to talk Picard and the operational android into handing this model over to us – as far as the Captain of the Enterprise and his crew are concerned, we are simply going to safely dismantle and secure this model. The reality, I have to inform you, Bruce, isn’t actually going to deviate from that line too much. There’ll be a brief study of the shipment, to ensure that it really is the android it’s supposed to be…’

‘And then what?’ Maddox demanded. ‘If this really is Lore, we have a once in a lifetime opportunity…’
‘It was you who lost the tribunal a few years ago, Bruce,’ Kwon reminded him. ‘Thanks to that, we have to treat the Soong models as if they were human beings…’
‘But he’s terminated,’ Maddox excitedly interjected. ‘Surely that makes what we have here no different than a cadaver donated to scientific research.’

Kwon sighed. ‘If anybody were to find out…’
‘Nobody will,’ Maddox assured him. ‘My team are very fast and very discreet.’
Kwon shook his head. ‘I had a feeling you’d assume you’d be getting this assignment.’

Maddox turned a whole new shade of pink – quite a feat, since he was flushed to begin with.

‘You mean, I’m not?’
‘You’re already busy enough studying Data as far as he’ll allow you, as well as trying to unlock the secrets of Graves’ machine,’ Kwon reminded Maddox. ‘Besides which, Bruce, don’t take this personally, but I don’t think you’re fit for work yet, and this assignment has to be dealt with as soon as possible.’
‘I’m the most qualified person for this job, Kwon,’ retorted Maddox. ‘My ongoing studies are testament to that, thank you very much. And how dare you suggest I’m unfit for work – I was signed out of quarantine three days ago!’
‘You’re supposed to take at least a week’s bedrest after that,’ Kwon countered. ‘Bojo Fever’s a serious illness. If you develop complications…’

‘I feel fine, Kwon,’ Maddox replied. ‘I’m just a little edgier than usual. It would be more stressful for me to not be working and thinking about somebody with less expertise than me being allowed to make a hash of the greatest opportunity to study Soong’s work that we’ve ever been given. God knows with the Borg still out there, we need to push for every possible technological advancement that we can while we still have the chance.’ Maddox wiped the sweat from his brow again. ‘Come on, Kwon! I’m the best person for this assignment, and you know it.’

Kwon sighed again. ‘You’ll make it quick, Maddox, and you’ll make it neat, and when you’re done you’ll dismantle it and secure it where it’ll never be found. I’ll assign you some extra security officers, just in case.’ He paused. ‘I’m sure I don’t need to tell you this, but under no circumstances is it to be reactivated. The first sign I get that you’ve lost control of the assignment and I’m pulling you and getting Melak to supervise instead. Understood?’
Maddox grinned, moistly, and took the shipment from Kwon. ‘You won’t regret this.’
Kwon frowned as he watched him go.
‘I’ve got a horrible feeling,’ he muttered, ‘that I already do.’