A/N: So I guess my creative writing ain't so good with fanfics, huh? I hope this chapter is okay for you guys! It was hard to get back into it and try and write other characters because I've spent 3 years producing me own! Mind the typos, too - I fell out with my spellcheck. Enjoy! Better chapters to come! This is just an icebreaker, haha.

EDIT: Guys, my line breaks have failed on this software. Please bare wit' me!


Details were never necessary. A job had to be done in such ferocity and style only the Imperial could deliver. The details of the reckless torture of their crew and a boy weren't necessary to highlight in logs. As long as the punishment reduce them to cringing masses of hopeless useless fruitless pieces of anti-matter sludge then the job was finished.

Tasha had taken the punishment hard. She barely survived, in fact, thrown back into the brig half dead and unconscious with no medical treatment given to her broken arm or burns. The boy and Data took it well - as well as they could, but barely able to continue gritting their teeth. The boy didn't speak at all.

When he was at the Captain's feet, this young child with no real identity to go with that bloodied burnt face... the Captain grinned. The boy kept his head down and let the sweat drip from his nose and let his ribcage burn with each shaky cracking breath. Picard always believed that the making of the man was the breaking of the man; he was certainly looking forward to breaking this boy into little pieces.

Picard shoved the boy's chin with his well-polished boots. He fell back and closed his eyes. Picard thought he perhaps uttered something from his bruised lips, but it wasn't audible. And it wasn't important.

The details weren't necessary and they were sent back to the brig in confinement. Not even an android could work after that punishment.


They were placed at the bottom end of the brig where the lights were dim and the cells hadn't been cleaned since - well, since the ship left the bay on its first mission. The stink of damp walls, sweat and blood was sickening; the flies nudged against dying prisoner's legs, nuzzling them almost in the last moments of their lives. The stench alone was punishment enough and often used to induce sickness in misbehaving crew members - a few days in that brig and they never went back to their old ways. Just straight back to duty after a quick hypo for the disease and sickness.

Data sat in the corner. His android body was involuntary jerking against the wall, an eye twitch now and again from the fired circuits. They couldn't make an android feel pain but they could certainly prolong the discomfort and shock the system to believe pain existed; Data hated it. His circuits couldn't even calculate a single mathematical problem in this state.

Tasha lay exactly where they had flung her after the treatment. She was breathing lightly and burnt across the face and neck, stinking like smoky ashes.

And the boy, Sin... Data was intrigued, to say the least. He didn't cry like a boy from the punishment and he didn't die like a worthless heap of Romulan in the brig. He sat quietly looking around every so often, winching a little, but he didn't complain. His neck was inflicted with phaser burns and his hands were given the same treatment; a part from the intense physical agony he didn't look too shaken at all. But the Imperial had made a statement with the boy; his left ear was cut from the top, removing the point and leaving a gaudy scar struggling to heal. He touched his ear every now and again with a murmur but didn't complain - he was thankful they didn't take the entire thing off.

His blue gaze was intently focused on Tasha's breathing. He tried to match it every now and again but found it difficult and could only wonder what they had actually done to her to leave her in such as a state.

"Will she die?"

Data turned his head slightly to Sin. He had spoke for the first time with such fluency of English and a almost deep, threatening tone in his voice, too threatening for a boy. The boy looked over to Data and matched the android's gaze.

"No," Data replied sternly, "why should it matter to you?"

Sin lay back and twirled a rag between his fingers. He closed his eyes slightly and sighed a little but didn't push for a prompt reply.

"It's a waste." He mumbled. "Freedom has no value if violence is the price."

Data forced himself to smile through his involuntary twitches. It was that half-smirk he always sported, akin to his creator, and the only real smile he could actually produce. He looked at the boy.

"I agree."


When they were realised they were escorted to Beverly. She paid little attention to their wounds but gave them the necessities to perform their duties. Tasha was frighteningly weak but insisted she needed no help, having only a sling for her arm and a few swabs for the burns.

The Captain had ordered all three to the briefing lounge. When they stood in the turbolift together, silent, Data noticed a look of fear on Tasha's face. She tried to keep herself looking brave and emotionless but only an android could truly do that. He laughed a little, gaining Tasha's fierce look. Data countered with a lobsided smirk until she turned away.

"You're an arsehole Data." She sneered.

"Tell it to the Captain, Lieutenant Yar."

"So we're onto formalities now, sir?"

Data didn't reply.

They entered the briefing room with Data leading the procession. Picard sat at the head of the table, with Will at his side and Deanna the other. Deanna's present normally indicated the matter was not closed and the punishment may not be over. As they say, "heads will roll," Data thought sarcastically.

They sat on Deanna's side. She smiled at them but they saw right through it; that wasn't a smile of comfort or kindness, it was a sinister smile of "I'm really going to enjoy this" leaking from the corners of her black lipstick. Data kept his head high almost arrogant and sat between Sin and Tasha, who didn't look so confident in themselves.

"The first matter at hand," began Will, "is the boy. We have reason to believe he may have caused distractions and hindered your performance, Lieutenants."

"I disagree, Commander." Data interjected.

Picard raised his eyebrow. "Elaborate."

"The attack was not anticipated. The Klingons were even concerned at the timing of the assault, and I quote - 'You said they wouldn't attack this soon'." He accurately reproduced the Klingon's voice and continued factually. "The boy was not involved in the attack in any way. Nor was he a distraction for myself or Lieutenant Yar."

"Do you agree, Tasha?" Will asked.

Tasha looked away and sighed. "I agree the attack was a surprise, Commander."

"But you disagree about the boy?" Will asked with a smile.

Data looked over at Tasha. He silently warned her to watch her words carefully.

"He should not have been on the ship. He was a liability." Tasha said avoiding Data's gaze. "There's no use for him on this ship or any Imperial ship. He should be discarded."

"Discarded? In what manner?" Will asked with a slight twitching grin on his face.

"Removed from the ship. Sent somewhere else."

Picard looked from Tasha and then to Data. As always the android was emotionless and unreadable with his poker face, careful not to look a single superior in the eye and careful to keep his head held high.

"Deanna, can you provide a little detail into this..." Picard trailed off searching for the right words but Deanna cleanly took over the conversation.

"Fear. Replacement. Anger." She smirked.

"From whom, Deanna?"

"Tasha. As usual Data I can never tell, but the boy. Well, he's not projecting much. He's very guarded. Strong, I would say, Captain."

Tasha lowered her head and breathed in heavily. Data looked towards the boy and gave a lobsided grin too brief for anyone to notice.

"So the matter has become this half-breed mutt. What are your reasons for keeping him, Data?" Will Riker raised his eyebrows again at Data, who replied factually as if the matter was nothing more than a data analysis.

"He survived a shuttle crash and bore the brunt of the planets elements, Commander. He also took his punishment well - as your recall he uttered not a single cry during or after his punishment." Data paused and glanced at Tasha. "There is something to be said for a boy who is physically stronger than one of our Lieutenants."

"Are you referring to Lieutenant Yar, Data?" asked the Captain.

"Indirectly."

The Captain had to contain his laughter at the android's honesty. Tasha paled from the comment and felt her guts spill on the floor like she was a slaughter hung from the hook and slashed down from the throat for a little steak dinner. She cleared her throat and tried to compose herself.

"I have to speak with the Admiral for further orders. Your punishment may continue at his discretion." The Captain rise to leave.

"And the boy?" Will asked.

Picard glared at Will. "As I was just about to say, the boy may stay. Commander Data will report back to me within two weeks exercising the boy's right to stay on this ship in terms of usefulness. The boy will be executed otherwise." Picard turned to Data and Tasha. "We'll all be keeping a very, very close eye on you two and your performance. Any problems will be reported straight to me and you will be relieved of your rank."

"Or executed." Will added.

"Deanna Troi will report at the next meeting - should there be one - and assess your mental capacity for further missions." Picard nodded and indicated for them to rise. "If you are not fit for duty then you're not fit for the Imperial."

They stood motionless like lost little sheep waiting for the slaughter. Eyes flickered back and forth between the three wondering what to do next, unsure who would make the first move.

"Well?" Picard looked up at them. "Piss off!"


Data was back on duty the next day and on the way up to the bridge. One of the turbolift was having "issues", as Geordi put it, and wasn't making good speed up to the bridge. A 20 second journey turned into 2 minutes… much to the android's annoyance.

He was standing with his arms folded waiting for the lift and thinking about the boy. Sin. He must have some use - he was obviously a smart child and had a high tolerance for pain but a willingness to live and fight, hidden deep beneath his mass of mixed DNA. He had to find a purpose for the boy. Data toyed in his mind with some kind of experiment to test the boy's strength and mental capacity - he was curious to know why the child was so complex and why he was the product of so many species. Was it intentional? Was he a secret Romulan weapon? These questions, in Data's mind, must be immediately addressed.

The turbolift stopped to pick up another crewmember. When the doors swung open the stumbling image of Tasha Yar caught Data's eye. He loosened his arms a little and smiled sarcastically at her.

"Bridge." She mumbled to the turbolift.

Data mimicked the sound of clearing his throat and looked over at her, still grinning. She looked over at him and bit her lips.

"You look upset, Tasha." Data said. "Perhaps you should speak to Deanna. Or the Doctor. You seem fati -"

"Fuck off Data. You want to try and show me up in front of every again, huh?"

"Ah," Data wiped the smile off his face, "the briefing lounge. You were dissatisfied at my response."

"No, really?"

Data frowned at her sarcasm. "I will not leave the child to the mercy of the Imperial. I believe he can be useful to us - it would be illogical to eradicate such -"

In a flash Tasha was up in the android's face, the annoyance of the slow turbolift and the very sound of his arrogance coming out of his smug little face causing her voice to shake with violent rage. She pointed at him and spoke through gritted teeth unaware of the danger she was putting herself in.

"You shut up right now. Don't play games with me, Data. This was fuck all to do with that boy - it was you making me look like an idiot because I won't play your game. Because you got rejected for the fuckin' sleaze you are."

Data grinned. "Sleaze? Many would disagree. That is anger talking, Tasha. I merely spoke the truth to the Captain."

"I'll see you're used for spare parts, Data." She came right close his face and spat the words at him. Data's grin failed into a frown and in a swoop he grabbed her arm and swung her into the turbolift wall, crushing his body against her and pinning her down.

"I do not like threats." He whispered in her face. "I do not like threats at all, Tasha. I enjoy your company and I like you. But I will not -" he squeezed her uninjured arm and came nose to nose with her, "- tolerate threats. Be cautious with your words, Tasha, as I am sure you cannot perform your duties with two broken arms."

She didn't reply. She was trying so hard to turn her face away from him and wriggle out that she couldn't fathom even a little squeal.

"Can you perform without the use of your arms, Tasha? Or must I test my hypothesis?"

He squeezed harder and she gasped. She thought that maybe he was going to do some real damage to her bones, some real damage to her in right there in the turbolift. For an android he displayed too much anger and madness for anyone to be comfortable with; he wasn't programmed for compassion, so any compassion he did display was out of choice and imitation. He narrowed his eyes at her and deliberately breathed in her face, revelling in the fear on her face and the agony of her predicament. But he let her go in a second before the turbolift door opened, smiling down at her in a swift change of personality; he touched the side of her face delicately and turned to the Bridge.

"…I would never hurt you, Tasha." He muttered to her as they walked off.

She rubbed her wrists awkwardly from her sling and stood at her station with a blank composition. Data removed to the station behind her with the same passive face and began typing onto his console with lightning speed, letting his madness wander a little in the back of his circuits about his next move. It was a well-calculated game of chess to Data - but he didn't want a checkmate. He wanted to take it all.

Tasha's console suddenly flashed indicating an internal message. She clicked it without a thought:

I would never hurt you, Tasha. But I always get want I want.

She deleted the message with a nervous sigh.