Memory
Title: Memory
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: ST:TNG
Pairing: Tasha/Data
Summary: Memories sometimes cause problems.
Author's Note: I'm going to be doing a bit more with relationship in short stories so I thought I would put this up. If anyone has seen "The Child" 2x1 and would like to have a short discussion about how I'm going to screw that up...please feel free to drop a note. Thanks! Enjoy
“Lieutenant…open a secure channel with StarFleet. I’ll take it in my Ready Room.”
Tasha nodded and tapped out the instructions and patched through to the Captain’s personal console. As the Captain strode from the bridge, he tapped Data on the shoulder. With a nod, and like clockwork, the Second Officer rose and nodded to the Ops Ensign. She took the Ops/Comm station as Data walked back to the Captain’s chair. Before the Captain had entered the Ready Room, command had changed hands smoothly.
In the month since the ‘incident’, Tasha found she often thought of Data. She was very careful to be only professional with him. Very occasionally, she would analyze what little she knew about that night. Apparently, she had been out walking the corridors of the ship and yet it was only Data she had taken back to her room. Why had she chosen him? She accepted him as a friend, and liked him as an officer as well. However, she liked quite a few others and counted many as her friends.
Her gaze moved to watch the slight sway of his shoulders, and as he turned, her gaze drifted down to his buttocks. The Starfleet uniform was always just…tight…enough on Data to show his lines, but not tight enough to be obscene. His chest and shoulders were defined as were his ass and thighs. He was made very concisely to be very pleasing to the eye…dressed and naked. It wasn’t the first time she had indulged in watching him on the bridge.
“Lieutenant Yar?” Worf intruded on her reverie and she quickly moved her gaze from the Commander to her second in command.
“What is it, Worf?”
His bulk joined her at the Tactical Station. “I read the report that you gave the Captain about Security.”
She nodded and turned to lean against the console. “And you disagree or agree with my assessment?”
“I agree with the assessment,” Worf offered. Although he didn’t smile, the straightening of his spine and the set of his shoulders were what she considered ‘Worfese’ for pride. “And I….appreciate…you recommending me for promotion.”
“Well, Worf…” Tasha said warmly. “It was time you were promoted to full Lieutenant. And, on a ship this large, it is both Riker’s and my assessment that we need a separate Tactical and Security detail. And you are just as knowledgeable as I about both Tactical and Security issues. You would be a shoe in as a Tactical Officer.”
“Shoe in?”
“Perfect for it, Worf,” she clarified. “You and I could be interchangeable for the positions. Besides, you’ve been at this as long as I have.” She checked the sensor sweep again. “Do you have a problem with a dual command in the Security and Tactical divisions? We could do some amazing things with training…”
“Indeed. No.” Worf shifted his weight and let his gaze drift to the scene out the viewport. “I do not have a problem with that.”
“It will have to come up for a view and vote at Starfleet Command,” Tasha reassured. “By this time, next year, we’ll know. The Captain, Commander Riker and Commander Data all agree that it is something that should be instituted on Galaxy and Nebula class starships.” She traced her hand down the console and then held it up. “What with all the dignitary ferrying, diplomatic missions we do and as the Flag Ship of the Line-“
“It makes very good sense,” Data interjected from the floor. He had returned to the Captain’s chair and was perusing the ship’s communications. “We may be asked to involve ourselves in both military and peace missions. A Tactical Officer and a Security Officer would be extremely useful.” He nodded to Worf and then Tasha before returning to his task.
Worf nodded and returned to his position in front of the Engineering panel.
Tasha sighed and perused the sensor sweep again. Her interactions with Data were often on par with the exchange that had just occurred. There were no harsh words or looks exchanged. He, and Geordi LaForge, often still joined Worf, Deanna and her for drinks after missions. Sometimes Commander Riker, to Deanna’s chagrin, would join them. The camaraderie was missing with the Omicron Theta native Lieutenant Commander, however.
The young new ops Ensign turned slightly from the station to look at Data.
“Sir…”
Data immediately reacted. “Yes, Ensign?”
“We are receiving a distress call. A freighter…the Trinity…it is a Sydney class ship…” The youngish man responded. A few more taps on the console and there was more to report. “They were under attack. Their engineering reports severe problems…an overload in their warp engines.”
“How many aboard?” Data asked in a clipped manner. “State the nature of the overload.”
“Four hundred and fifty colonists aboard…slow coolant leak. Sir…the leak is approaching critical levels. Estimate two hours to warp core breach.”
“Change course to intercept,” Data ordered and turned to stride to the Captain’s seat. “Increase speed to warp nine.” He tapped his combadge. “Captain to the bridge.” He pivoted and sat in the chair; his fingers danced across the access screens. “We will intercept in 20 minutes. They are in an ion field…transporters will be useless.”
Tasha drilled her station for information. She calculated the number and speed of the available transports. “It will take approximately 1 hour to transfer the members and sir,” Tasha said quietly.
Data glanced up at her and she continued. “This also puts us dangerously close to Cardassian space.”
He nodded. “I know, Lieutenant.”
**
“Shuttle 5 docking, port side of the Trinity,” Tasha said into the comlink.
“Acknowledged!” Data called back. “Stablizers are beginning to fail, Tasha. Adjust your approach accordingly!”
She bit her lip and concentrated. Within three minutes, she was able to land the shuttle in the bay. Quickly, she unbuckled her flight harness and was down the ramp. Just stepping onto the ship was like taking a bath in stress. Tasha didn’t have to be a Betazoid to feel her own psyche react. Worf had left the Trinity with 20 colonists as Tasha had landed. O’Brien was probably at the Enterprise already.
With a hop and a jog, she ran across the cargo bay to Riker. “How many more groups, sir?”
“Just this one!” He yelled back. “All right, everyone! We are going to take the rest of you in this transport. Please file onboard and find a place to sit. It is going to be a full flight so please, move as far in as you can.”
“How full?!” Tasha asked.
“Exactly at maximum,” Riker replied, “with you, Data and me on board.”
“Nothing like cutting it close.” She smiled at him. “So are we flipping a coin as to the pilot?” As she spoke, the deck began to list to the starboard. She adjusted her stance and grabbed ahold of the command console. It stopped at a twenty percent incline. “Where’s Commander Data?”
“Doing a last survivor sweep,” Riker responded and frowned. “He should be back- Data!” He ordered on the combadge. “Where are you?”
“Approaching cargo bay. I have more survivors, Commander!” Data’s clear, clipped voice sounded over the badge.
Tasha and Riker glanced at each other. “Understood, Data,” he responded and ended the conversation on the badge. “Options?”
“We can put 25 at most in the shuttle including pilot, if there are children…” Tasha supplied. “That’s 5 over the standard complement.” She shook her head. “If he brings back more than 3, we’ll have to send for another shuttle.”
As she spoke, the deck listed more to the starboard. “Not enough time,” Riker growled. “This ship will begin to spin any moment. Stabilizers won’t do a bit of good then. Warp core breach will occur in the next 20 minutes.”
“True!” Data called as he came around the corner into the cargo bay. “Actually, it is 19 minutes, 49 seconds.” In his arms he carried two children, and had two teenagers. “These are the last of the colonists, Commander.”
The deck began to tilt a little more. Data adjusted his stance, helped the two teenagers keep their balance and charged across the floor towards the transport. “We are out of time, I believe, sir. Spin is imminent.”
“And with the full complement, we would be too heavy to maneuver out of here, Data,” Riker called.
“Again, you are correct, sir,” Data stated as he set the children down on the deck outside of the shuttle. He patted the small toddler on the backside to get her moving toward the interior. The other teenager picked the girl up and disappeared inside. “I have found another method of transport: a single seat flyer. Two of us can use that to leave here.”
“Understood,” Riker said. The deck tilted another three degrees. “We’re out of time. Data, you’re cleared on advanced tactical flying, are you not?”
Data nodded. “Yes, sir, I am-“
“Take the shuttle.”
With a frown, Data shook his head. “Sir, I believe that you should take the shuttle. You have higher clearance on larger vehicles. Likewise, it is a Bellesian flyer…”
“And you can translate faster to fly it,” Riker nodded. “Make it so. Tasha, you’re with Data.”
“But sir…” Tasha began, but at a look from Will, she quieted. There were some times to argue with the Commander, and definitely some times not to. The transport would be too close to overweight with Riker…she would only put it over the mark. “Aye, sir.”
“Good luck,” Riker shouted as he turned to jog to the shuttle. “See you on the Enterprise!”
Data nodded in response and turned to Tasha. “This way!” He turned to run out of the cargo bay. “It is in Cargo Bay 2.”
“But that one is full of debris,” she yelled as she ran up the inclined deck towards the corridor.
“Yes. That is why we missed it previously.” He charged up the corridor, leaning heavily into the list.
“How the hell are we going to fly in it?”
“It can fly with our combined weight. We must hurry.”
Tasha didn’t need to be told twice. She struggled after Data, relying on her strength to keep up with the Commander. She thanked her luck that she was in excellent shape. It helped as well that Data was moving and securing pieces of metal ahead of her. She could see the small flyer ahead of them, and as the deck started to list more, she scrabbled after Data.
“Holy…” Tasha cursed as she grabbed the support and clung as the deck began to turn slowly. She realized that the internal stablizers were fried. The flyer was secured, but other things were not. With horror, she realized that the cargo bay was going to become a closed shooting gallery with her and Data as easy targets. “Not good,” she growled. With a surge of strength, she clawed up side scaffolding another three meters. She was only about 10 meters from the ship. Data was ahead of her, almost to the flyer.
“Hang on!” He called. In the next moment, as she slipped her arm through the scaffolding, her feet left the floor and she dangled. Everything that wasn’t nailed down sailed past her and around her to the far wall and then the ceiling. “The cycle of turn is 30 seconds!”
Tasha nodded. “The problem won’t be this turn,” she shouted in return. “It’s the next one when all of the material in here-“
“Yes.” Data said, his feet dangling only a half a meter away from her head. “That is an astute observation.”
The deck continued its slope until she was able to lower her feet to the deck. It immediately began to roll. Data’s hand closed on hers and she was pulled up the sloped deck and braced when it sloped away from them. They were six meters from the flyer as the floor sloped again. Data lunged another meter and Tasha yelled as he looped his arm around her waist and pulled her hard towards him. He pushed her into one of the supports and wrapped his body around hers.
“What?!”
“Hold on!” He warned, as his hands framed her on the support. The back of her thighs were hit with something warm and very solid and his feet connected with the bottom of hers. In one millisecond, she realized what he was doing.
“Data!”
“My body can handle hits from this debris,” he answered in a low voice. “Hold on!” He pushed his legs up into the back of hers; bending her knees until both hers and his legs were nearing the support. Understanding what he wanted, she pulled her legs up and hooked them into metal support. His legs mirrored hers in a split second as the floor completely tilted away from them.
“You aren’t indestructible!” Tasha yelled. He pulled up with his arms and legs and at the press of his body, she did similarly.
“I am more indestructible than you,” he returned. “Excuse me…Tasha…” he said as he pressed his chin into her shoulderl. She drew in a breath and held it as she concentrated on holding still, holding her body up and off of Data. The room spun; she could feel vibrations and the tensing of Data’s muscles as a container hit his back.
“Data!” She yelled.
“I am fine!” He responded as she felt him adjust his stance. “My skeletal structure can withstand much more than this! Bring your head back!”
Tasha leaned her head back against his chest as he pulled up closer. She realized that she was now a sliver of person between a metallic support and Data’s body. Several containers rolled down the wall and then shifted. They missed them. But she watched as the pile in the corner increased. “Data…”
He pulled up hard, his legs and arms tightening. She was pressed hard against the support. “Debris incoming,” Data said quietly.
Tasha closed her eyes as she felt Data’s body vibrate with hits. “Are you all right?!”
There were no sounds or movement from behind her; there was only the steel strength of his body against hers. She bit her lip and waited until the room slid a little bit more and the floor was within reach. Data, obviously, had the same idea. His legs relaxed and released. She followed suit, dangling, bumping into him. He dropped to the ground first, his hands landing her hips as her feet hit the deck a moment later.
“Run!” Data instructed as he pushed passed her towards the transport only five meters away. As the deck sloped down, she slid and stumbled and as it began to slope up, Data ran to the door of the flyer.
Tasha felt her hand grabbed as the floor began to roll again. Data braced in the flyer’s interior and pulled hard on her hand. She rocketed up the meter to stand on the exoskeleton of the ship. There was only one seat. Data glanced at her quickly and then sat down in the seat. “Oh hell…” she breathed.
The turn began to become almost unmanageable as he pulled her down onto the seat, across his lap and tapped the mechanism to close the cockpit. As it slid closed, Data’s fingers danced over the controls and lights began to illuminate on the flight screen to her right. “My apologies, Lieutenant. I could not sit on top of you: my weight would exceed your comfort levels…” The launch restraints descended from the seat. They secured over Data’s shoulders and he clamped his hand on her shoulder and laid his arm across her legs.
She gripped the back of the seat. “Could this get any worse?”
Data’s head tilted as the flyer, cockpit and most of the world turned upside down. “There is insufficient information to respond to that question, Tasha.” He studied the control panel. She watched his gold eyes flicker, his lips slightly curled as he ingested the information. “Ah. Simple translation from Ralian. It is a standard layout. We have full power.”
“Data…” Tasha groaned.
“As soon as the bay approaches a sixty degree incline, I will release the clamps. I should be able to pilot the flyer out by the sixty degree incline on the other roll. I would recommend bracing yourself.” She tried to adjust in the seat as the clamps were removed and pressed against Data’s chest as the flyer released. “Ooof!”
His right arm behind her shoulders adjusted the thrusters as the other one, over her knees, expertly and with minute control, began to pilot the directionals. His left brow arched over his very active eyes. She held onto his shoulder as the flyer rolled slightly to match the roll of the freighter. “Just five…seconds…more…”
The flyer exited the Bay at a ninety degree angle. As Data rolled the flyer back down to its normal flight pattern, he glanced at Tasha. “We will be balanced in a moment. Confer with the Enterprise, intercept in 15 minutes.”
Half laid, half seated on Data’s lap, Tasha decided it was going to be the longest fifteen minutes of her life. She knew there was no other way to be in the flyer with Data and moving about would disturb the weight balance in the vehicle. She knew he had her weight distributed counter to his. But still, knowing that logic, didn’t change the fact that her ass was against Data’s hard thighs. It was the closest, physically, she had been to him in a month. The only thing she could think of was how warm he was.
Warm and gentle and erotic… Warm hands moving down her thighs, tickling her sensitive skin…
She clamped down on the stray memory.
“We are moving at full impulse. We will clear the minimum distance before warp core breach,” he intoned. He moved his hands over the controls. “Your facial expression shows uneasiness, Tasha. We will be fine with the explosion.”
“It’s not that, Data,” she groused. “This isn’t a great position for the Chief of Security, or a Starfleet officer for that matter, to be in. I mean, look at me, draped across your lap!”
“There was no other applicable way for all of us to leave the freighter. This flyer was able to handle a maximum just exceeding our combined weight, Tasha, and the distribution is amiable to steady navigation. The addition of you to the shuttle would have put it over maximum weight to allow proper calculation of trajectory.”
“I know, Data, but still…” She sighed with a bit of anger. “How will this look to the Captain, to Riker?”
“I doubt they will harshly judge you in the matter. Survival far outweighs the possibility of embarrassment.”
“That coming from a man that can’t feel embarrassment,” Tasha interjected. “That’s hardly reassuring. Damn, I should have received my auxiliary combat piloting training before now.”
“Is it not better,” Data pressed, “to be alive to feel the embarrassment than to be dead? In addition, I do not believe this position warrants embarrassment. There is no other possible seating arrangement. Our heights are too properly matched to allow you to sit forward and there is no other place for you in the back that would not elicit injury to your person. This is the only possible arrangement.”
“I hate when you are right,” she grunted.
“I am not often wrong,” Data said with a slight tilt of his head. His mouth opened a little as he processed information. “Does this mean that you often hate me?”
“It’s a saying, Data,” she sighed with exasperation.
“Intriguing.” After a moment, he shifted his leg and she was more comfortably settled between his now spread thighs. “I believe that will be more comfortable and will not allow for lack of circulation.” She had to agree that she felt more comfortable, however, this placed her face a little lower than his and made her feel…uneasy. Other women might have felt protected; she didn’t. She stared at him in the red light of the cockpit interior. With the gold of his skin and eyes, the red ambiance almost made his coloring almost look human.
And he almost looked sad.
He turned his head suddenly to meet her glance, but she looked away quickly.
“I am used to scrutiny,” he said quietly. “I do not mind.”
“I don’t hate you,” she offered instead of following the conversation as it stood.
“I am relieved,” Data stated.
“Simply because of what I said? You actually thought I hated you?” Tasha pressed.
“No,” Data corrected. “However, in conjunction with your avoidance of me other than in group gatherings and at work, I did, wonder…” He drew out the word and Tasha was surprised. She detected…a bit of emotion, she thought. A very little, like a tasting of wine; so little, in fact, that she couldn’t even name what she thought she heard. “…if I had done something to offend you.”
“Why would you think that?”
His gaze met hers and she blinked her eyes closed. “Never mind, no you haven’t…offended…me, Data.”
“Then I must assume that your avoidance of me is from our…interaction…” Data frowned slightly and turned his head with a jerk. Tasha sighed, but his voice sounded again, almost controlling in its gentleness. It made her NOT want to talk over his words…damn it. “This is not a usual reaction to a liaison. Unless, of course…”
“Data, I hadn’t wanted to discuss this again!” She began, her voice raised and clipped.
“Then I will cease,” Data replied quietly.
A simple look at his expression, with its perfect lack of emotion, made her feel guilty beyond if he had offered up a sacrificial emotion at her feet. With a groan, she said: “All right, Data. Yes, people react like that sometimes to sex. Especially after a one night stand.”
“Ah…” Data said with a nod. “One-night stand, a fling: a one time sex interaction between two people who usually have no prior knowledge or attachment to one another. However, we are known to each other. We are friends, are we not?”
“Well, of course we’re friends,” she said exasperatedly. He plowed ahead even as she felt uneasy and she promised that she would set a phaser on kill and shoot the next time she felt bad about not discussing something with Data that was personal.
“Additionally, I was aware through introspection, that when you told me that it never happened, it meant that I was not to talk about the instance. I may have to assume that you think I have told someone about our time. I have not.”
Tasha’s hands had balled in fists. “Damn it, Data! The main reason I’ve been staying away from you is because I felt like I used you! I can’t remember what I did…what we did. For all I know…oh to hell with it.”
Data became silent. His left hand moved quietly and efficiently over the control panel. After a moment, he spoke.
“You did not use me, Tasha. I was a participant that was willing. I am quite capable of saying no to something in which I do not wish to be involved and I do have a sense of self respect and self worth. I agreed to the liaison.” After a moment, he drew a breath. “It was an exceedingly intriguing and…special.”
Tasha looked beyond him, moving her gaze from his eyes to the starfield as he finished speaking. There was a ticking of emotion in her at his last sentence, but she didn’t want to examine it, not right then. Not on his lap, for Gods’ sake! “I don’t want to talk about this, Data.”
“And I will not mention it again,” he reassured. “However, I had to know if I had done something to cause this reaction, or if it was our interaction. Do you wish to cease being friends?”
“God, no. No, I…” Tasha bit out. She gave a sour laugh. “I just need…time. There are other issues that go beyond this, Data. All right?”
“As you wish,” he intoned. “But, you should know: I do not think ill of you. I wish to remain friends. And I have been told that I am a good listener, if you need to talk. ”
Tasha kept her gaze out the viewport and slowly nodded. “I’ll…keep that in mind.”
She lapsed into silence as Data piloted the ship. She could feel his hard thighs beneath hers…hard in both structure and memory.
Strong muscles, yet soft against the interior of her thighs…a strong hand, soft palm against her chin, tilting her head up to meet a kiss. Gentle, easy, loving…warm lips and warm tongue… warm hands turning her to her stomach, leading her to rise on her knees…kisses on the nape of her neck…long fingers massaging, feeling his way…
Tasha turned her gaze completely away from the warped space and found her gaze on Data’s profile.
…his hands kept her in position as he rubbed himself against her and then pistoned into her. Her hands gathered the material under her into fists of pleasure, hearing a small masculine grunt behind her, her name…gentle fingers…warm palms…leading her into a tempo.
Christ, she thought. Had it been that good?
Was she ever going to remember more of it?
She clamped down on that thought as she felt a rush of warmth. This was not the place to think about any of that. She needed to forget about it…and work on being…friends…she didn’t want all this…baggage.
**
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: ST:TNG
Pairing: Tasha/Data
Summary: Memories sometimes cause problems.
Author's Note: I'm going to be doing a bit more with relationship in short stories so I thought I would put this up. If anyone has seen "The Child" 2x1 and would like to have a short discussion about how I'm going to screw that up...please feel free to drop a note. Thanks! Enjoy
“Lieutenant…open a secure channel with StarFleet. I’ll take it in my Ready Room.”
Tasha nodded and tapped out the instructions and patched through to the Captain’s personal console. As the Captain strode from the bridge, he tapped Data on the shoulder. With a nod, and like clockwork, the Second Officer rose and nodded to the Ops Ensign. She took the Ops/Comm station as Data walked back to the Captain’s chair. Before the Captain had entered the Ready Room, command had changed hands smoothly.
In the month since the ‘incident’, Tasha found she often thought of Data. She was very careful to be only professional with him. Very occasionally, she would analyze what little she knew about that night. Apparently, she had been out walking the corridors of the ship and yet it was only Data she had taken back to her room. Why had she chosen him? She accepted him as a friend, and liked him as an officer as well. However, she liked quite a few others and counted many as her friends.
Her gaze moved to watch the slight sway of his shoulders, and as he turned, her gaze drifted down to his buttocks. The Starfleet uniform was always just…tight…enough on Data to show his lines, but not tight enough to be obscene. His chest and shoulders were defined as were his ass and thighs. He was made very concisely to be very pleasing to the eye…dressed and naked. It wasn’t the first time she had indulged in watching him on the bridge.
“Lieutenant Yar?” Worf intruded on her reverie and she quickly moved her gaze from the Commander to her second in command.
“What is it, Worf?”
His bulk joined her at the Tactical Station. “I read the report that you gave the Captain about Security.”
She nodded and turned to lean against the console. “And you disagree or agree with my assessment?”
“I agree with the assessment,” Worf offered. Although he didn’t smile, the straightening of his spine and the set of his shoulders were what she considered ‘Worfese’ for pride. “And I….appreciate…you recommending me for promotion.”
“Well, Worf…” Tasha said warmly. “It was time you were promoted to full Lieutenant. And, on a ship this large, it is both Riker’s and my assessment that we need a separate Tactical and Security detail. And you are just as knowledgeable as I about both Tactical and Security issues. You would be a shoe in as a Tactical Officer.”
“Shoe in?”
“Perfect for it, Worf,” she clarified. “You and I could be interchangeable for the positions. Besides, you’ve been at this as long as I have.” She checked the sensor sweep again. “Do you have a problem with a dual command in the Security and Tactical divisions? We could do some amazing things with training…”
“Indeed. No.” Worf shifted his weight and let his gaze drift to the scene out the viewport. “I do not have a problem with that.”
“It will have to come up for a view and vote at Starfleet Command,” Tasha reassured. “By this time, next year, we’ll know. The Captain, Commander Riker and Commander Data all agree that it is something that should be instituted on Galaxy and Nebula class starships.” She traced her hand down the console and then held it up. “What with all the dignitary ferrying, diplomatic missions we do and as the Flag Ship of the Line-“
“It makes very good sense,” Data interjected from the floor. He had returned to the Captain’s chair and was perusing the ship’s communications. “We may be asked to involve ourselves in both military and peace missions. A Tactical Officer and a Security Officer would be extremely useful.” He nodded to Worf and then Tasha before returning to his task.
Worf nodded and returned to his position in front of the Engineering panel.
Tasha sighed and perused the sensor sweep again. Her interactions with Data were often on par with the exchange that had just occurred. There were no harsh words or looks exchanged. He, and Geordi LaForge, often still joined Worf, Deanna and her for drinks after missions. Sometimes Commander Riker, to Deanna’s chagrin, would join them. The camaraderie was missing with the Omicron Theta native Lieutenant Commander, however.
The young new ops Ensign turned slightly from the station to look at Data.
“Sir…”
Data immediately reacted. “Yes, Ensign?”
“We are receiving a distress call. A freighter…the Trinity…it is a Sydney class ship…” The youngish man responded. A few more taps on the console and there was more to report. “They were under attack. Their engineering reports severe problems…an overload in their warp engines.”
“How many aboard?” Data asked in a clipped manner. “State the nature of the overload.”
“Four hundred and fifty colonists aboard…slow coolant leak. Sir…the leak is approaching critical levels. Estimate two hours to warp core breach.”
“Change course to intercept,” Data ordered and turned to stride to the Captain’s seat. “Increase speed to warp nine.” He tapped his combadge. “Captain to the bridge.” He pivoted and sat in the chair; his fingers danced across the access screens. “We will intercept in 20 minutes. They are in an ion field…transporters will be useless.”
Tasha drilled her station for information. She calculated the number and speed of the available transports. “It will take approximately 1 hour to transfer the members and sir,” Tasha said quietly.
Data glanced up at her and she continued. “This also puts us dangerously close to Cardassian space.”
He nodded. “I know, Lieutenant.”
**
“Shuttle 5 docking, port side of the Trinity,” Tasha said into the comlink.
“Acknowledged!” Data called back. “Stablizers are beginning to fail, Tasha. Adjust your approach accordingly!”
She bit her lip and concentrated. Within three minutes, she was able to land the shuttle in the bay. Quickly, she unbuckled her flight harness and was down the ramp. Just stepping onto the ship was like taking a bath in stress. Tasha didn’t have to be a Betazoid to feel her own psyche react. Worf had left the Trinity with 20 colonists as Tasha had landed. O’Brien was probably at the Enterprise already.
With a hop and a jog, she ran across the cargo bay to Riker. “How many more groups, sir?”
“Just this one!” He yelled back. “All right, everyone! We are going to take the rest of you in this transport. Please file onboard and find a place to sit. It is going to be a full flight so please, move as far in as you can.”
“How full?!” Tasha asked.
“Exactly at maximum,” Riker replied, “with you, Data and me on board.”
“Nothing like cutting it close.” She smiled at him. “So are we flipping a coin as to the pilot?” As she spoke, the deck began to list to the starboard. She adjusted her stance and grabbed ahold of the command console. It stopped at a twenty percent incline. “Where’s Commander Data?”
“Doing a last survivor sweep,” Riker responded and frowned. “He should be back- Data!” He ordered on the combadge. “Where are you?”
“Approaching cargo bay. I have more survivors, Commander!” Data’s clear, clipped voice sounded over the badge.
Tasha and Riker glanced at each other. “Understood, Data,” he responded and ended the conversation on the badge. “Options?”
“We can put 25 at most in the shuttle including pilot, if there are children…” Tasha supplied. “That’s 5 over the standard complement.” She shook her head. “If he brings back more than 3, we’ll have to send for another shuttle.”
As she spoke, the deck listed more to the starboard. “Not enough time,” Riker growled. “This ship will begin to spin any moment. Stabilizers won’t do a bit of good then. Warp core breach will occur in the next 20 minutes.”
“True!” Data called as he came around the corner into the cargo bay. “Actually, it is 19 minutes, 49 seconds.” In his arms he carried two children, and had two teenagers. “These are the last of the colonists, Commander.”
The deck began to tilt a little more. Data adjusted his stance, helped the two teenagers keep their balance and charged across the floor towards the transport. “We are out of time, I believe, sir. Spin is imminent.”
“And with the full complement, we would be too heavy to maneuver out of here, Data,” Riker called.
“Again, you are correct, sir,” Data stated as he set the children down on the deck outside of the shuttle. He patted the small toddler on the backside to get her moving toward the interior. The other teenager picked the girl up and disappeared inside. “I have found another method of transport: a single seat flyer. Two of us can use that to leave here.”
“Understood,” Riker said. The deck tilted another three degrees. “We’re out of time. Data, you’re cleared on advanced tactical flying, are you not?”
Data nodded. “Yes, sir, I am-“
“Take the shuttle.”
With a frown, Data shook his head. “Sir, I believe that you should take the shuttle. You have higher clearance on larger vehicles. Likewise, it is a Bellesian flyer…”
“And you can translate faster to fly it,” Riker nodded. “Make it so. Tasha, you’re with Data.”
“But sir…” Tasha began, but at a look from Will, she quieted. There were some times to argue with the Commander, and definitely some times not to. The transport would be too close to overweight with Riker…she would only put it over the mark. “Aye, sir.”
“Good luck,” Riker shouted as he turned to jog to the shuttle. “See you on the Enterprise!”
Data nodded in response and turned to Tasha. “This way!” He turned to run out of the cargo bay. “It is in Cargo Bay 2.”
“But that one is full of debris,” she yelled as she ran up the inclined deck towards the corridor.
“Yes. That is why we missed it previously.” He charged up the corridor, leaning heavily into the list.
“How the hell are we going to fly in it?”
“It can fly with our combined weight. We must hurry.”
Tasha didn’t need to be told twice. She struggled after Data, relying on her strength to keep up with the Commander. She thanked her luck that she was in excellent shape. It helped as well that Data was moving and securing pieces of metal ahead of her. She could see the small flyer ahead of them, and as the deck started to list more, she scrabbled after Data.
“Holy…” Tasha cursed as she grabbed the support and clung as the deck began to turn slowly. She realized that the internal stablizers were fried. The flyer was secured, but other things were not. With horror, she realized that the cargo bay was going to become a closed shooting gallery with her and Data as easy targets. “Not good,” she growled. With a surge of strength, she clawed up side scaffolding another three meters. She was only about 10 meters from the ship. Data was ahead of her, almost to the flyer.
“Hang on!” He called. In the next moment, as she slipped her arm through the scaffolding, her feet left the floor and she dangled. Everything that wasn’t nailed down sailed past her and around her to the far wall and then the ceiling. “The cycle of turn is 30 seconds!”
Tasha nodded. “The problem won’t be this turn,” she shouted in return. “It’s the next one when all of the material in here-“
“Yes.” Data said, his feet dangling only a half a meter away from her head. “That is an astute observation.”
The deck continued its slope until she was able to lower her feet to the deck. It immediately began to roll. Data’s hand closed on hers and she was pulled up the sloped deck and braced when it sloped away from them. They were six meters from the flyer as the floor sloped again. Data lunged another meter and Tasha yelled as he looped his arm around her waist and pulled her hard towards him. He pushed her into one of the supports and wrapped his body around hers.
“What?!”
“Hold on!” He warned, as his hands framed her on the support. The back of her thighs were hit with something warm and very solid and his feet connected with the bottom of hers. In one millisecond, she realized what he was doing.
“Data!”
“My body can handle hits from this debris,” he answered in a low voice. “Hold on!” He pushed his legs up into the back of hers; bending her knees until both hers and his legs were nearing the support. Understanding what he wanted, she pulled her legs up and hooked them into metal support. His legs mirrored hers in a split second as the floor completely tilted away from them.
“You aren’t indestructible!” Tasha yelled. He pulled up with his arms and legs and at the press of his body, she did similarly.
“I am more indestructible than you,” he returned. “Excuse me…Tasha…” he said as he pressed his chin into her shoulderl. She drew in a breath and held it as she concentrated on holding still, holding her body up and off of Data. The room spun; she could feel vibrations and the tensing of Data’s muscles as a container hit his back.
“Data!” She yelled.
“I am fine!” He responded as she felt him adjust his stance. “My skeletal structure can withstand much more than this! Bring your head back!”
Tasha leaned her head back against his chest as he pulled up closer. She realized that she was now a sliver of person between a metallic support and Data’s body. Several containers rolled down the wall and then shifted. They missed them. But she watched as the pile in the corner increased. “Data…”
He pulled up hard, his legs and arms tightening. She was pressed hard against the support. “Debris incoming,” Data said quietly.
Tasha closed her eyes as she felt Data’s body vibrate with hits. “Are you all right?!”
There were no sounds or movement from behind her; there was only the steel strength of his body against hers. She bit her lip and waited until the room slid a little bit more and the floor was within reach. Data, obviously, had the same idea. His legs relaxed and released. She followed suit, dangling, bumping into him. He dropped to the ground first, his hands landing her hips as her feet hit the deck a moment later.
“Run!” Data instructed as he pushed passed her towards the transport only five meters away. As the deck sloped down, she slid and stumbled and as it began to slope up, Data ran to the door of the flyer.
Tasha felt her hand grabbed as the floor began to roll again. Data braced in the flyer’s interior and pulled hard on her hand. She rocketed up the meter to stand on the exoskeleton of the ship. There was only one seat. Data glanced at her quickly and then sat down in the seat. “Oh hell…” she breathed.
The turn began to become almost unmanageable as he pulled her down onto the seat, across his lap and tapped the mechanism to close the cockpit. As it slid closed, Data’s fingers danced over the controls and lights began to illuminate on the flight screen to her right. “My apologies, Lieutenant. I could not sit on top of you: my weight would exceed your comfort levels…” The launch restraints descended from the seat. They secured over Data’s shoulders and he clamped his hand on her shoulder and laid his arm across her legs.
She gripped the back of the seat. “Could this get any worse?”
Data’s head tilted as the flyer, cockpit and most of the world turned upside down. “There is insufficient information to respond to that question, Tasha.” He studied the control panel. She watched his gold eyes flicker, his lips slightly curled as he ingested the information. “Ah. Simple translation from Ralian. It is a standard layout. We have full power.”
“Data…” Tasha groaned.
“As soon as the bay approaches a sixty degree incline, I will release the clamps. I should be able to pilot the flyer out by the sixty degree incline on the other roll. I would recommend bracing yourself.” She tried to adjust in the seat as the clamps were removed and pressed against Data’s chest as the flyer released. “Ooof!”
His right arm behind her shoulders adjusted the thrusters as the other one, over her knees, expertly and with minute control, began to pilot the directionals. His left brow arched over his very active eyes. She held onto his shoulder as the flyer rolled slightly to match the roll of the freighter. “Just five…seconds…more…”
The flyer exited the Bay at a ninety degree angle. As Data rolled the flyer back down to its normal flight pattern, he glanced at Tasha. “We will be balanced in a moment. Confer with the Enterprise, intercept in 15 minutes.”
Half laid, half seated on Data’s lap, Tasha decided it was going to be the longest fifteen minutes of her life. She knew there was no other way to be in the flyer with Data and moving about would disturb the weight balance in the vehicle. She knew he had her weight distributed counter to his. But still, knowing that logic, didn’t change the fact that her ass was against Data’s hard thighs. It was the closest, physically, she had been to him in a month. The only thing she could think of was how warm he was.
Warm and gentle and erotic… Warm hands moving down her thighs, tickling her sensitive skin…
She clamped down on the stray memory.
“We are moving at full impulse. We will clear the minimum distance before warp core breach,” he intoned. He moved his hands over the controls. “Your facial expression shows uneasiness, Tasha. We will be fine with the explosion.”
“It’s not that, Data,” she groused. “This isn’t a great position for the Chief of Security, or a Starfleet officer for that matter, to be in. I mean, look at me, draped across your lap!”
“There was no other applicable way for all of us to leave the freighter. This flyer was able to handle a maximum just exceeding our combined weight, Tasha, and the distribution is amiable to steady navigation. The addition of you to the shuttle would have put it over maximum weight to allow proper calculation of trajectory.”
“I know, Data, but still…” She sighed with a bit of anger. “How will this look to the Captain, to Riker?”
“I doubt they will harshly judge you in the matter. Survival far outweighs the possibility of embarrassment.”
“That coming from a man that can’t feel embarrassment,” Tasha interjected. “That’s hardly reassuring. Damn, I should have received my auxiliary combat piloting training before now.”
“Is it not better,” Data pressed, “to be alive to feel the embarrassment than to be dead? In addition, I do not believe this position warrants embarrassment. There is no other possible seating arrangement. Our heights are too properly matched to allow you to sit forward and there is no other place for you in the back that would not elicit injury to your person. This is the only possible arrangement.”
“I hate when you are right,” she grunted.
“I am not often wrong,” Data said with a slight tilt of his head. His mouth opened a little as he processed information. “Does this mean that you often hate me?”
“It’s a saying, Data,” she sighed with exasperation.
“Intriguing.” After a moment, he shifted his leg and she was more comfortably settled between his now spread thighs. “I believe that will be more comfortable and will not allow for lack of circulation.” She had to agree that she felt more comfortable, however, this placed her face a little lower than his and made her feel…uneasy. Other women might have felt protected; she didn’t. She stared at him in the red light of the cockpit interior. With the gold of his skin and eyes, the red ambiance almost made his coloring almost look human.
And he almost looked sad.
He turned his head suddenly to meet her glance, but she looked away quickly.
“I am used to scrutiny,” he said quietly. “I do not mind.”
“I don’t hate you,” she offered instead of following the conversation as it stood.
“I am relieved,” Data stated.
“Simply because of what I said? You actually thought I hated you?” Tasha pressed.
“No,” Data corrected. “However, in conjunction with your avoidance of me other than in group gatherings and at work, I did, wonder…” He drew out the word and Tasha was surprised. She detected…a bit of emotion, she thought. A very little, like a tasting of wine; so little, in fact, that she couldn’t even name what she thought she heard. “…if I had done something to offend you.”
“Why would you think that?”
His gaze met hers and she blinked her eyes closed. “Never mind, no you haven’t…offended…me, Data.”
“Then I must assume that your avoidance of me is from our…interaction…” Data frowned slightly and turned his head with a jerk. Tasha sighed, but his voice sounded again, almost controlling in its gentleness. It made her NOT want to talk over his words…damn it. “This is not a usual reaction to a liaison. Unless, of course…”
“Data, I hadn’t wanted to discuss this again!” She began, her voice raised and clipped.
“Then I will cease,” Data replied quietly.
A simple look at his expression, with its perfect lack of emotion, made her feel guilty beyond if he had offered up a sacrificial emotion at her feet. With a groan, she said: “All right, Data. Yes, people react like that sometimes to sex. Especially after a one night stand.”
“Ah…” Data said with a nod. “One-night stand, a fling: a one time sex interaction between two people who usually have no prior knowledge or attachment to one another. However, we are known to each other. We are friends, are we not?”
“Well, of course we’re friends,” she said exasperatedly. He plowed ahead even as she felt uneasy and she promised that she would set a phaser on kill and shoot the next time she felt bad about not discussing something with Data that was personal.
“Additionally, I was aware through introspection, that when you told me that it never happened, it meant that I was not to talk about the instance. I may have to assume that you think I have told someone about our time. I have not.”
Tasha’s hands had balled in fists. “Damn it, Data! The main reason I’ve been staying away from you is because I felt like I used you! I can’t remember what I did…what we did. For all I know…oh to hell with it.”
Data became silent. His left hand moved quietly and efficiently over the control panel. After a moment, he spoke.
“You did not use me, Tasha. I was a participant that was willing. I am quite capable of saying no to something in which I do not wish to be involved and I do have a sense of self respect and self worth. I agreed to the liaison.” After a moment, he drew a breath. “It was an exceedingly intriguing and…special.”
Tasha looked beyond him, moving her gaze from his eyes to the starfield as he finished speaking. There was a ticking of emotion in her at his last sentence, but she didn’t want to examine it, not right then. Not on his lap, for Gods’ sake! “I don’t want to talk about this, Data.”
“And I will not mention it again,” he reassured. “However, I had to know if I had done something to cause this reaction, or if it was our interaction. Do you wish to cease being friends?”
“God, no. No, I…” Tasha bit out. She gave a sour laugh. “I just need…time. There are other issues that go beyond this, Data. All right?”
“As you wish,” he intoned. “But, you should know: I do not think ill of you. I wish to remain friends. And I have been told that I am a good listener, if you need to talk. ”
Tasha kept her gaze out the viewport and slowly nodded. “I’ll…keep that in mind.”
She lapsed into silence as Data piloted the ship. She could feel his hard thighs beneath hers…hard in both structure and memory.
Strong muscles, yet soft against the interior of her thighs…a strong hand, soft palm against her chin, tilting her head up to meet a kiss. Gentle, easy, loving…warm lips and warm tongue… warm hands turning her to her stomach, leading her to rise on her knees…kisses on the nape of her neck…long fingers massaging, feeling his way…
Tasha turned her gaze completely away from the warped space and found her gaze on Data’s profile.
…his hands kept her in position as he rubbed himself against her and then pistoned into her. Her hands gathered the material under her into fists of pleasure, hearing a small masculine grunt behind her, her name…gentle fingers…warm palms…leading her into a tempo.
Christ, she thought. Had it been that good?
Was she ever going to remember more of it?
She clamped down on that thought as she felt a rush of warmth. This was not the place to think about any of that. She needed to forget about it…and work on being…friends…she didn’t want all this…baggage.
**