A/N: Wow you all are making me feel so loved with these comments! Thank you!
C/W: Contains abusive behaviour, smut, and dub con/rape. Will contain Data/Tasha fluff and eventual smut. Lore is a master of manipulation. Lore/Beverly (but it's not what it seems).
This is a fic in which Lore (still his lovably flawed, chaotic self) plays the long con before showing his true colours. Also, Lore and Data have significantly greater capacity to feel than canon suggests.
It rained the entire day.
Data and Tasha didn't mind in the slightest.
Feeling a newfound sense of energy and freedom, Tasha was keen to reclaim her life.
They pushed the furniture in the main room of their quarters out of the way and sat down around the coffee table to play cards.
It was a lazy morning, and they wouldn't have had it any other way.
By the early afternoon, Tasha was feeling the itch to do something active. While she spent some time doing Klingon yoga, Data read through a series of scientific journals on a project working to save the Tauphin whales.
From his spot on the sofa in the corner, Data watched as Tasha went through her movements with the kind of grace and discipline that years of practice had perfected.
As the rain beat against the window, Tasha let herself slip into the comfort of the familiar.
Across the corridor, Beverly got the distinct impression Lore wasn't mentally there with her.
He'd been polite enough during their breakfast - but detached.
And Beverly had the distinct feeling he was working through some things mentally.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Beverly offered.
"Hmm?" Lore inquired.
"Would you like to talk about what happened yesterday?" Beverly repeated.
She thumbed her necklace and took hold of his hand.
"You risked your safety to save this for me. Something that was a part of my relationship with Jack," Beverly said. "I really don't know how to thank you for that."
Lore brought her hand to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss to the back of it.
"You do not need to thank me," Lore responded.
Without another word he turned his attention back to the rain outside the window.
It wasn't that he meant to ignore Beverly, but he was consumed with his own thoughts.
Omicron Theta Colony | 2335
Juliana was in her garden tending to her chard and peppers with the help of her boys.
"Mother," Data said.
Juliana stopped pruning and looked up at Data for an explanation.
He did not respond verbally. Instead, he offered her his hand.
With her son's assistance, Juliana got to her feet.
Her breath stopped.
"Brother," B-4 commented.
Standing at the end of the path that led to the Soong compound was Lore.
Even from a distance, Juliana could sense there was something wrong.
"Data, you boys stay here," Juliana instructed.
When she reached the end of the path, Juliana pulled Lore into a warm embrace. She was slightly put off when he stiffened at the touch.
After a few moments, Lore relaxed a little. He didn't quite return the embrace, but he did pat his Mother on the back.
"I'm so relieved you're alright," Juliana said in the soft, reassuring lilt that Lore had missed.
She was doing her best to maintain her composure in spite of her desire to break down and cry. Her mother's instinct told her that her boy needed her soothing voice and not her tears.
"Come now," Juliana said.
She took Lore's bag from him and slung it over her shoulder. Next, she looped her arm through his and guided him toward the house.
On the way inside, Lore eyed Data and B-4 as they watched from the garden.
"Brother," B-4 said with his typically friendly manner.
"I believe they wish to be alone right now," Data advised.
Juliana led Lore inside and guided him to take a seat at the table.
"You just sit right there," Juliana said as scurried about.
She put on the kettle and began to set the table for tea.
Lore had been gone for over a year, but Juliana was keen to act like nothing had changed between them.
She set a plate of biscuits down and then stroked her son's hair for a second before turning to grab a tray of sandwiches from the cold statis storage.
Lastly, she wet a flannel and knelt down beside her son.
Wordlessly, Juliana wiped the dirt and grime from his face and hands. The warm water felt nice. Yet, there was a part of Lore that felt like he didn't deserve such kindness – not after the things he had done.
As she cleaned away the filth, Lore felt horribly out of place. Juliana could sense he was about to cry.
"There," she said warmly.
She kissed his forehead and then went to fetch the kettle.
Juliana sat down next to Lore and fixed his tea for him – just like she had done when he was still struggling to learn how to use his extremities.
When she was finished, Lore glanced over at her but said nothing.
"My dear, sweet boy," Juliana said as she cupped his face. "I'm so glad you are home."
She had worried every night for his safety. At first, Juliana had been distraught. As time went on, it transmuted into a kind of emptiness that she carried with her.
He had left and it didn't feel right to grieve a loss when Lore had chosen to leave.
Juliana felt like she had failed as a parent.
Lore wanted to tell her about where he had gone. He wanted to share with her the great many things he had experienced. And he longed to ease the burden of the things he had been forced to endure.
He was about to speak when he heard a familiar laugh from the doorframe.
Noonian had heard the commotion and had come to see it for himself.
"Please not now," Juliana asked.
Noonian shook his head laughing.
"I knew you'd come back," Noonian chuckled as he wagged his finger at Lore.
Something dark flashed in Lore as his Father continued to mock him.
"Nothing to say then, huh?" Noonian went on.
Lore did not answer.
It wasn't because he had no response. It was because a part of Lore was afraid of what he might do to Noonian were he to let himself say what he wanted to.
His Father had no inkling of what Lore was capable of.
Lore reminded himself that he was superior in every way – mentally, physically, and, in Lore's opinion, emotionally as well. It was only by Lore's good graces that Noonian wasn't lying on the floor with his head split open.
Noonian had often joked that he was lucky that Juliana still loved him – and he had no idea how much that very notion had saved his own life.
Lore couldn't hurt Juliana like that.
He loved Juliana.
"Wasn't all it was cracked up to be, eh?" Noonian teased.
Juliana rubbed Lore's back.
"It's alright. You're home now," Juliana said softly.
She turned back to her husband.
"Make yourself scarce," Juliana said in a warning voice.
"You spoil him," Noonian said before leaving them alone.
As soon as he was gone, Juliana turned her attention back to her son.
"Would you like to talk about it?" Juliana asked.
Lore did not respond.
"Tell me about your travels?" Juliana pressed.
Lore said nothing.
Lore dropped his head and wept.
Lore was aghast to learn that Data had been given his old room.
It was as if Lore had been so unimportant that they had simply erased his very existence.
Lore felt betrayed. Abandoned.
Data had offered to give Lore his room back. He could easily share with B-4.
This only served to make Lore feel worse as Juliana and Noonian praised Data for his noble sacrifice.
"You should tell your brother thank you," Noonian remarked.
Lore eyed Data with disgust.
There was a visible tension between the brothers, but that was nothing new.
"Well, at least one of my boys has manners," Noonian growled.
"It's alright," Juliana said.
That night, she had encouraged Lore to activate his dream programme and get a few hours of rest.
She sat down on the edge of his bed where Lore was lying curled up and facing the wall.
But Lore didn't want to activate his dream programme. He was terrified of the thoughts that would slip into his mind. Lore felt like they consumed him.
It was easier to simply shut down and go through the motions without the need to feel.
"I do not wish to dream," Lore shared.
He had so very little since returning.
"Your dream programme is a necessary part of processing your emotions," Juliana reminded him.
"I do not want these emotions," Lore replied coldly.
Present
"Is there something I can do for you?" Beverly asked.
She was growing increasingly concerned about Lore's behaviour.
It was like all the spark within him had gone out.
Lore recognised his detachment was starting to impact their shore leave. It wasn't that he meant to be disinterested in Beverly.
It was the fact that he had lost all faith in himself.
His confidence was shattered.
Things had been going so well. In an instant, it had all vanished.
So instead of focusing on the matter, Lore decided it was time to shut down and simply go through the motions. He could feign interest.
He didn't want to hurt Beverly any more than he already had.
"Why don't we go check out the casino?" Lore suggested.
Beverly's eyes lit up.
"Try our luck at the tables," Lore said as he kissed the back of her hand.
"A-are you sure?" Beverly asked.
It seemed like such a drastic shift to go from a laid-back, melancholic cuddle to the lively action of the casino next door.
"Absolutely," Lore lied, putting on a façade of feeling adventuresome.
He reasoned that going all-in to the excitement of gambling, music, and cocktails would provide a welcome distraction.
Lore felt like he had regained a small sliver of himself as he slipped into a nice silky shirt and jacket.
"Someone looks nice," Beverly said as she came up behind him.
"My dear doctor," Lore said.
He spun her around and then pulled her into a tight embrace.
"You look lovely," Lore growled against her ear.
Lore experienced a small surge of satisfaction in knowing that they were stepping out together and that she would be on his arm.
There was a skyway that led from the Starfleet guest resort to the casino next door. Because of the rain, the casino was packed.
It was type of atmosphere that Lore would normally love to get lost in.
Surrounded by the Dabo tables, blackjack, and craps, it was a lively place. It was a prime location for people watching as people from all over the galaxy crowded around the tables.
The aromas of aftershave, sweat, and smoke from the different pipes mingled together in a hedonistic mix.
Lore's keen olfactory sensors were able to detect eighteen different types of substances being used on the casino floor including the highly-illegal and virtually undetectable Ferengi Ooolag – a substance known for its hallucinogenic properties.
With a sigh of regret, Lore silently bemoaned the fact that such substances had no effect on him. There was no release or high that he could gain from it.
No, Lore needed to seek his deliverance elsewhere.
Beverly cheered and clapped with enthusiasm as she won at the Dabo table.
Lore stroked the length of her spine and kissed her temple to show his support.
He was going through the motions, taking the necessary physical steps in order to give the illusion of being present.
But his thoughts were in another place.
As Lore scanned the casino floor, he was looking for his next fix.
With his android abilities, there was little that Lore missed. Lore spied a man reach over and snag a small stack of latinum strips from another man's bag while his back was turned.
Petty theft had never held much appeal for Lore.
It was too risky for such a small reward. Worst of all, the high that Lore got from such a small act didn't last long.
Lore needed the thrill of planning and executing the perfect con. He also too immense pleasure in watching his victims suffer.
Noonian had identified such behaviour from the earliest days of Lore's activation. He noticed that his son seemed to crave the mischievous and malicious.
It was like a drug.
Noonian had called it a malfunction.
Lore felt like it wasn't his fault his Father had created him in that way.
Juliana had often remarked how Lore was 'so very Soong.'
"Well, I think I'm going to try my luck at the slots," Beverly surmised aloud after losing another spin. "But first, I need a little juice to get going."
She grinned mischievously and made a beeline for the bar.
A little juice to get going.
If only it were that easy. Lore lamented.
By 17:00 hours, Beverly was feeling delightfully buzzed. The rain deluge outside had lightened up. It was still sprinkling, but not enough to dampen the spirits of those on shore leave.
Beverly had suggested that they go out once it got dark.
There was a dance club that she had visited years earlier and she was feeling just loose enough to step back onto a dance floor.
But first she needed a nap.
Arm in arm, Lore and Beverly stepped onto the lift to return to their room.
They'd take a quick rest and then get dressed up to go out for the evening.
In the corridor, Lore and Beverly ran into Data and Tasha who were on their way out.
There was a brief, tense moment between the two brothers.
"Oh! Are you going out?" Beverly asked brightly in an attempt to smooth things over.
"Now that the weather has let up, we are going out for the evening," Data explained.
"Let's go, Data," Tasha said as she pulled him along.
She didn't want to waste one moment of her time with two of them.
As Lore and Beverly stepped into their rooms, Lore felt a shiver of anticipation.
Data and Tasha were going out.
Beverly was going to sleep.
Just a little juice to get me going.
Lore's face twitched.
He shuddered and grinned to himself.
Lore stepped into the bedroom where Beverly was preparing for her nap.
She reached up to unclasp her dress at the nape of her neck.
Lore caught her hands and did it for her.
Beverly giggled as Lore snuggled against her.
It was a welcome change from earlier in the day.
"Are you going to join me?" Beverly asked playfully.
"You rest up and when you wake, we're going to have a splendid evening," Lore assured her.
"What time do you want to leave?" Beverly questioned as Lore slipped out of the room.
He returned a moment later with a cuppa tea in hand.
"It will help with the hangover," Lore advised.
Beverly flashed him a smile.
"That's my girl," Lore replied affectionately as he stroked her hair while she drank the tea.
He waited until she was sound asleep and then crept across the hallway.
As soon as Beverly had passed out, Lore had used his hypospray to administer a mild sedative. It would keep her asleep for at least the next four hours.
To his dismay, their room featured a lock that Lore could not override.
Lore grumbled. He swung his fist, stopping himself just shy of punching the wall.
You cannot afford any mistakes. Lore reminded himself.
He just needed a way into his brother's room.
Lore turned toward the window as he tried to formulate the next move of the plan.
Of course.
Lore smiled as he caught sight of his reflection in the glass.
It couldn't possibly be easier.
"I cannot thank you enough," Lore said. "She doesn't know that I'm setting up this little surprise, so I really appreciate your help.
Lore had convinced the team of Ensigns at the front desk that he was trying to sneak in a surprise for his guest. They had actually bought into Lore's request. It would give him a chance to slip and out without being noticed.
The only record that would exist would be the staff entering the room.
"Anytime, Commander," a young Ensign replied as he let Lore in.
"Oh and one more thing before you go," Lore said.
"Sir?" the Ensign inquired.
"My guest and I intend to have a rather long evening together. Would you send over a bottle of your finest champagne and caviar to the room across the hallway?" Lore requested. "Say around 21:30 hours? A peace offering in case we get carried away."
Lore winked.
"And some of those chocolate covered strawberries," Lore added. "Charge it with my Federation Credits. Lieutenant Commander Data."
"Of course, sir," the Ensign acknowledged before leaving Lore alone.
Lore slipped into his brother's room. He could barely contain his excitement.
He surveyed the room and found himself overwhelmed with possibilities.
Lore considered that he could open the door to the balcony. With the direction of the wind, it would easily flood the carpet.
Unfortunately, Lore was worried that would be far too obvious a sign that someone had broken in.
No, he needed something more subtle.
Lore ran his hand along the table as he considered his options.
If only his brother didn't have an automated oral hygiene programme. Lore mused.
If it weren't for that, Lore had plenty of ideas about where to stick his toothbrush before the next use.
He could always reprogramme the garment reprocessor to destroy whatever they put in there. That would certainly come as a nasty surprise.
Lore spied his brother's dressing gown hanging on the back of the door. He knew it was a gift from Geordi. His brother had few personal possessions, but this was one that Data treasured.
"Computer, what was the last information request to your terminal?" Lore inquired.
"Hours of operation for the Tauphi Bay Lighthouse and Museum," the computer responded.
Lore threw his head back and chuckled.
He stripped out of his clothes and threw on his brother's treasured dressing gown.
Lore tied the sash around the waist and studied his appearance in the mirror.
Baby brother may have been a dullard, but he certainly had good taste in dressing gowns.
Lore suspected such a garment was likely part of his brother's childish Sherlock Holmes fantasy. Nonetheless, it was a fine, silky material and it felt nice against his bioplast.
Next, he helped himself to a bottle of a Chateau Picard '39 that was already open and sitting in statis on a table in the main room.
While Lore couldn't become intoxicated from alcohol, he could still enjoy the sensation of drinking something real and rare. The fact it was his brother's only added to the experience.
Lore flopped down on their bed and sighed.
In two short days they would be back aboard the Enterprise.
Data and Tasha had no idea what was waiting for them upon their return. Lore was looking forward to using the Ferengi Thought Maker device.
Lore was also curious to know why Captain Picard had not yet contacted Beverly about young Mr Crusher's condition.
Unless. Lore thought with wicked delight.
If they hadn't discovered the Crusher boy, it was possible that he had succumbed to his injuries.
Or perhaps they had found him, and he was being held in the brig.
Lore's whole body tingled with anticipation.
If young Wesley was in the brig, that would only drive his mother closer to Lore. He could play the shoulder to cry on, her confidant.
And then there was the mess in dear Tasha's rooms – her personal quarters were completely trashed. She would come back from shore leave to find her home violated.
Best of all, there was nothing that could tie Lore to it.
To Lore's delight he felt a familiar stir between his legs. Lore glanced down and smiled as he saw the proof necessary to reassert his own image.
He just needed the right motivation.
Some juice to get going.
Lore reached down between his legs. His fingers closed around his cock. He closed his eyes and let his head fall back against the pillows.
Last night had been nothing more than a hiccup.
In a few hours, Lore would be stepping out with a beautiful woman on his arm – a woman who made Lore feel like the centre of attention.
And his brother would be putzing about a museum.
They'd probably come back to this very bed and go to sleep early.
Lore wondered if she even let him hold her in that capacity or if she was still too terrified.
He was suddenly struck with a terribly sinful thought.
A thought that played right into his brother's lack of action and Tasha's insecurities.
A plan that, if properly executed, would be an excellent way to drive a wedge between them.
A plan that Lore had unknowingly already planted the seed for back on the Enterprise.
Lore sat up. His eyes fell on the luggage bag on top of the dresser. It was Starfleet standard issue and had Lieutenant Natasha Yar's name engraved on a small plate on the front of it.
With his cock in hand, Lore got out of bed and opened it up.
He was amused to find that she had packed something a little more becoming for the trip. Lore grabbed a pair of lacy purple knickers and wrapped them around his cock.
He closed his eyes and rubbed himself against them, relishing in the feel of something soft and feminine, savouring the act of defiling them, taking something from his brother before Data had the chance to enjoy it.
Lore could just picture Tasha finding them.
He couldn't predict whether she would have the nerve to even ask Data about it. If she did, Data would undoubtedly deny it.
There would be no evidence to tie Lore back to the crime. Most importantly, Lore had an alibi.
He imagined how violated she would feel knowing that her very luggage had been nothing more than an object for his pleasure.
It was possible that she wouldn't believe Data capable of such a thing.
But there was another surprise just waiting to be discovered back in her quarters.
Whether she thought it was Data or Lore was immaterial – the sense of infringement on her personal space, her very being, would remain the same.
Lore set his hand down on the top of the dresser as he plunged himself into his clenched fist.
She'd have to touch it.
She'd be rummaging around her luggage. Sooner or later, her fingers would make contact with his sticky biofluid. Lore imagined she'd destroy them – but she'd have to handle them regardless.
His face twitched.
It might be exactly what his brother's plucky little Lieutenant needed. A reminder of what she really was. Bait for the sexual kitten inside just waiting to be sprung from her cage.
A little juice to get started. Laugh laughed to himself.
He was going to ruin her.
And in doing so, destroy his brother.
Lore was going to break each and every one of Data's precious things one by one until he had nothing left.
The storm had knocked out the generators at the museum and it was temporarily closed for repairs.
So instead of checking out the lighthouse, Data and Tasha had gone for a spontaneous romantic dinner together along the pier.
It wasn't anything fancy.
They had simply slipped into a nearby outdoor café that was situated under a canopy that overlooked the water. They sat at a small, round iron table next to the balcony. There was a small candle floating in a glass fishbowl in the middle of the table.
Sitting under the soft glow of string lights, they had a quiet dinner. There was an acoustic band playing nearby on the pier. They stayed and had dessert as they watched the sunset on the water.
"Deanna would be so jealous," Tasha remarked as she fed Data a spoonful of fudge.
"Mmm hmm," Data agreed as he licked his lips.
Tasha was beaming.
Data felt relieved to see her so at ease again.
"What?" Tasha asked as she caught him staring.
"You make me very happy," Data replied honestly.
Ninety minutes later, Data and Tasha returned to their room.
"Computer, illumination," Data ordered.
As soon as they were inside, Data pulled the bottle of wine out of statis and poured them both a glass.
"Thank you," Tasha said as Data handed her a glass.
Lore had returned his used glass to the replicator and replaced it so as not to leave any obvious clues to his presence.
From his hiding spot, Lore grinned as he watched Tasha step into the bedroom. In inspecting the room, Lore had discovered a maintenance access panel in the wall between the bedroom and the lavvy. It was a crawlspace that led to a shaft between floors.
He could exit easily into the maintenance closet near the lift.
It was designed to allow the staff to service the replicator and other systems in the room without disturbing the guests.
Lore was able to remove the backing on the consoles. It enabled him to watch them through the backside of the computer screen.
And they were none the wiser.
Tasha set her wine glass down on the dresser.
Lore's heart skipped a beat in anticipation of her discovering the soiled knickers in her luggage.
But Tasha didn't get into the bag. Rather, she pulled off her shoes and stretched.
A moment later, Data entered the bedroom and sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Would you like to play cards? Or perhaps listen to one of the music programmes on file?" Data inquired.
Typical. Lore thought.
Tasha turned around and studied Data.
He was sitting on the bed. His back was ramrod straight, his hands resting on the top of his knees. To anyone else, it may have looked overly formal. But Tasha could recognise that he was relaxed.
She also knew that he had no expectations about what might happen.
And that was freeing.
Tasha sat down next to Data on the edge of the bed. She looped her fingers through his.
"Are you feeling tired? Would you prefer to go to bed early?" Data offered.
"No, Data," Tasha said. "I don't want to go to bed."
She cupped his face and turned it so that she could look at him properly.
Data made no move. He understood it was important to let her explore this at her own pace.
When she kissed him, it was soft and uncertain.
Tasha was going slow as she evaluated whether she wanted to proceed.
They were alone in bed. This wasn't a beach where the possibility of discovery prevented anything from escalating.
His lips were soft and warm. Data stroked his thumb across her hand. It was a small move, but it made Tasha feel appreciated.
Data was so kind and patient. Tasha knew that he would never hurt her.
She loved him.
He respected her. He understood her boundaries. And their lovemaking was always mutual.
Tasha resolved that she wanted to move forward.
She wanted to give this to him, to reclaim this part of their relationship.
When they broke apart, Tasha nuzzled against his face.
"Data," she whispered. "Will you take me to bed?"
"Are you certain?" Data inquired.
He didn't want her to feel obligated to perform for his benefit.
"Yes," Tasha assured him.
"You will not hesitate to tell me should you wish to stop?" Data pressed.
"Please no more questions," Tasha answered.
She was terrified she would lose her resolve.
"You always make me feel so beautiful," Tasha said with a hint of urgency. "I want to make you feel good too."
"Because you are," Data responded. "And you do."
He pressed a series of small kisses along her jawline.
"Please," Tasha insisted.
Greedy little thing. Lore mused.
She needed more than his brother could provide.
Lore could feel himself becoming aroused as he watched her pull her jumpsuit down over her shoulders.
Data tentatively caressed the exposed flesh.
Lore shook his head.
His brother had no instinct for such things. Lore would have turned his attention there, nipping at her bare skin and showing it the kind of fondness it merited.
A woman like that deserved to be ravaged.
Thoroughly fucked.
Lore knew she had it in her.
Their encounter on the holodeck had proved as much.
She just needed the proper stimulation – soft words to encourage her to let go of herself and a hard cock to work it out on.
As they moved further onto the bed, Tasha knew she was pushing herself.
Tasha convinced herself that she could tolerate it for Data. She wanted to reassure him that they could move forward together – even if that meant pretending she could go through with sex.
After all, she was no stranger to dissociating from her own body.
At the same time, sex with Data reminded Tasha that she was desirable. He didn't see her as unworthy of love.
Upon Tasha's insistence, she got on her knees and requested Data take her from behind.
It was less intimate and that was the point.
She didn't want to look at him.
She couldn't stomach the idea of his breath against her body.
In fact, she wanted to put as much distance between them as possible.
Tasha tensed as she felt Data's hand between her legs.
"Are you alright?" Data inquired.
"Don't," Tasha requested.
Data pulled away immediately.
"No, I mean just get on with it," Tasha explained. "I don't want to waste time with foreplay. I'm ready."
Data frowned.
Her statement sounded like it was to reassure herself rather than him.
"Tasha, I-" Data began to say.
"Please," Tasha said, cutting him off.
She rolled her hips, attempting to demonstrate her desire.
Tasha sat back on her knees. She reached behind her and grabbed Data's cock, stroking it firmly.
"Data," Tasha pleaded.
When she felt him react, Tasha smiled.
Data reached for her, keen to hold her against him.
To his dismay, Tasha leaned forward.
She didn't want intimacy. She merely desired to perform what she felt was a necessary act of service.
She wanted to get this done and over with.
Tasha gasped as she felt the head of Data's cock slip inside of her.
He was going slow, mindful of the fact there had been little preparation and that she didn't feel particularly eager.
Tasha pushed back against him, hissing at the stretch as she forced him the rest of the way in.
She wasn't ready, but she didn't want to stop.
Data leaned over her body, his chest pressed against her back. Balanced on one hand, his other found her clit.
Data began to rub slow, tender circles with his agile fingers.
But he wasn't moving otherwise.
"No," Tasha said.
She pushed away his hand, guiding it to take hold of her hips instead.
"Like this," Tasha requested.
It wasn't quite the intimacy Data had hoped for. But he wanted to oblige Tasha.
Data finally began to move, rocking his hips at an easy, languid pace.
"Is this acceptable?" Data asked softly as he stroked the length of her spine.
From his hiding position, Lore watched with giddy delight as he saw a look of fear in her eyes.
Is this acceptable?
Lore had asked the same question in the same way during her assault.
His fingers had ghosted up and down her back.
At the time, Tasha had assumed it was a reassuring gesture.
Now it was one of pain.
Lore was momentarily struck by how similar the two brothers were in that respect.
"Yes," Tasha lied as she fell back on an old coping mechanism.
As Data increased the tempo, Tasha completely detached from her body.
"Don't stop," Tasha panted.
It seemed his dear baby brother did know a thing or two more than Lore had previously given him credit for.
From the shadows, Lore smirked.
Lore knew that from Data's position, he couldn't see the full picture.
She was making all the appropriate noises, rocking against him as expected.
But Lore could see she was staring at nothing. Her eyes were wide open with a distant, glazed-over look.
Tasha's mind wasn't anywhere in the room.
She let her mind go blank. Everything about this was a performance for Data's benefit, an act that Tasha felt necessary in order to preserve a sense of normalcy.
It was like an out of body experience for Tasha.
Lore was so aroused in knowing that he had impacted her so. The cracks of their relationship were already forming.
He was about to take his leave when Data came.
Tasha froze when he leaned down over her to kiss the side of her face.
Data pulled Tasha back against him and held her tight.
"Would you like to come on my tongue?" Data asked.
"No," Tasha said as she got up quickly.
Data cocked his head to the side, concerned about her behaviour.
"Tasha, what can I do for you?" Data inquired.
"Nothing," Tasha answered, steeling her nerves.
She plastered a smile on her face. She gave Data a quick kiss and then grabbed a flannel from the dresser.
"Tasha?" Data prompted.
"It's just the wine," Tasha said with a feigned casual attitude. "I'm just going to take a shower."
She locked the door to the lavvy before Data could join her.
"Tasha? May we speak?" Data asked through the door.
"I'm fine, honey. Really," Tasha replied brightly.
She turned on the tap and then stopped.
In the crawlspace, Lore was stuck in place as he watched the scene unfold before him.
It was better than any kind of show they could catch at the theatre.
On one side of the door, Data was worried for Tasha. He strained his audio receptors for any sound or indication that she was alright.
On the other side, Tasha's lip quivered.
The shower had been intentional. Tasha knew that she needed to create interference lest Data hear her break down.
"Computer, music," Tasha instructed. "Increase volume."
In the bedroom, Data closed his eyes as a pained expression crossed his face.
Data sat down on the edge of the bed as he was unsure what to do.
Inside, Tasha dropped to her knees in front of the toilet.
Lore recognised his time was short. Beverly would be awake soon. But he didn't have it within him to pull himself away – not when Tasha was retching, gagging at the mere thought of Data's hands on her body.
She sat back and wiped her mouth with her wrist.
When she went to brush her teeth, Lore lamented not violating her toothbrush as a missed opportunity.
She climbed into the shower and immediately set to work vigorously scrubbing at her skin in a frantic effort to clean away the feeling of being violated.
Her skin was red. It was the fourth time she had filled a flannel with soap before cleaning her body again.
She suddenly stopped, sobbing, and sat down on the floor of the shower. She examined the ring on her finger. Tasha pulled her knees close to her chest and wept.
Eventually, Tasha sat back and rested her head against the cool tile wall.
You poor thing. Lore mused.
The evening had gone better than anticipated.
Lore checked time with his internal chronometer. Beverly's sedative was going to wear off soon. But he longed to see how this would play out.
Tasha turned off the tap.
When she emerged from the shower, Data was waiting patiently for her. He was perched on one side of the bed with his tablet in hand, reading through the news.
Data immediately dropped everything when she stepped into the bedroom.
"You have been crying," Data observed.
"No. It's the wine," Tasha said, dismissing his concern.
Data made to get up, but Tasha requested he stay in bed.
She made a beeline for her luggage. She just wanted to put on fresh nightclothes, slip into bed, and forget all about what had happened.
Lore's cock twitched as he saw her hand stop.
She pulled the pair of knickers up to inspect them. Tasha immediately recognised the substance on them.
She dropped them back into the bag. Tasha dropped her eyes and willed herself not to cry. Lore could tell she was trembling.
Data could too.
"Tasha?" Data asked as he got out of bed. "What is it?"
"Nothing," she said.
Tasha grabbed a pair of pyjamas and quickly shut her luggage.
When she slipped into bed with Data, Tasha turned away to face the wall.
Data reached out to stroke her hair.
A part of her wanted to flinch. Another part of her welcomed it.
"I really ought to get some sleep," Tasha said quietly.
"I will be here," Data assured her.
Beverly groaned and rolled over to find Lore sitting next to her on the bed.
It was dark outside.
"What time is it?" Beverly asked as she wiped the sleep from her eyes.
For some reason, she felt utterly wiped.
"Almost 21:30," Lore replied.
"What?" Beverly asked.
She was confused.
She couldn't understand how she had slept so late.
"You were very tired," Lore smiled as he glanced up from his tablet.
"But it's so late!" Beverly said.
She had slept right through dinner and felt horrible for leaving Lore alone for so long.
"It's alright," Lore assured her.
A moment later, there was a knock at the door.
"Do you want to get that, darling?" Lore inquired.
Beverly blinked, still trying to fully wake up.
"You might want to," Lore winked.
Trusting him, Beverly got out of bed and threw on her dressing gown.
She opened the door to find a young Ensign.
"Here you are ma'am," he said as he handed Beverly the controls for a hovering tray.
There was champagne, Ossetra caviar, dry toast, boiled eggs, and chocolate covered strawberries.
"You did this?" Beverly asked as she used the remote to set the tray down on the table in the main room of their quarters.
She was completely blown away.
Not only was it all real, but it was also incredibly thoughtful.
"Why go out when we can stay in?" Lore growled against her ear.
He snaked his arms around her and rocked them back and forth.
"I wanted to take you dancing," Beverly said.
"There will be other nights," Lore assured her.
An hour later, they were lying in a tangle of blankets as Lore poured them both another glass of champagne.
Lore was back.
And if Beverly's sounds of pleasure were any indication, he was better than ever.
"You know, I think I'm going to ask them to send one of these over to my brother's room. Maybe jump start things for them," Lore pondered aloud.
In truth, he was hoping such a gesture would serve as an uncomfortable reminder of the intimacy they were struggling with.
It was a way to retraumatise them all over again.
"Oh that's very thoughtful," Beverly said. "But Tasha doesn't really drink."
Lore's ears perked up.
"Really?" Lore inquired.
"Just synthehol and occasionally wine. If it's good wine," Beverly explained.
"Is that typical for humans?" Lore inquired, feigning ignorance in hopes of drawing out more information.
Beverly shrugged.
"All I know is that she's very careful. She said once that she had trouble with it when she was younger. But then again, many people do," Beverly sighed.
She didn't want to poke too far into her friends' past. Beverly understood addiction was a disease. After Tasha had made clear her boundaries with alcohol at one of their early poker nights, Beverly had respected that.
"What was her poison of choice?" Lore inquired.
"Bourbon," Beverly answered.
She had remembered that clearly.
Commander Riker had obtained a bottle of expensive, quality bourbon as a gift from a fellow officer. He had been keen to share it with the other bridge officers during a poker night.
Tasha had declined.
After some ribbing, she had confessed that she never touched the stuff after a sobriety struggle in her youth.
"Well then, I'll be sure not to mention it," Lore said.
Beverly settled against his chest, resting her head against the crook of his arm.
"I hope your brother appreciates just how thoughtful you are," Beverly remarked.
"I think that deep down he knows," Lore responded as he brushed the top of her head with a tender kiss.