Chapter Five
"Data?" Geordi prompted, setting his fork down beside his plate of half-eaten Georgia peach pie with cinnamon ice cream. "Data, I've been talking for the past ten minutes. Aren't you going to say anything?"
"You are exaggerating, Geordi," the android told him. "You have been talking for only two minutes, twenty-eight seconds."
"And now you're deflecting," Geordi said. "Will you get over this already? Whoever you saw back at that shuttle stop cannot have been Tasha Yar, and you know it."
"I admitted that, Geordi," Data said, and rested his chin on his palm. "I have merely been contemplating the fickle finger of fate."
Geordi raised his eyebrows, his expression a playful parody of Data's 'intrigued' look.
"Ah – an alliterative popular colloquialism," he said. "Please, explain its significance in this context."
"You are teasing me," Data said.
"I'm trying to cheer you up," Geordi told him. "Look, I know our situation sucks right now. We're all mourning the Enterprise."
"Hmm," Data grunted, and Geordi shook his head in frustration.
"Come on, Data – I was her Chief Engineer," he said. "That ship meant everything to me. But, we are where we are and there's no going back. So, how about you stop brooding and try some of that pie there before it grows a second crust."
Data's lips twitched upwards at that, and he chuckled despite himself.
"Fair enough, my friend," he said, and dug his fork into the flaky, cheddar-baked apple pie on his plate.
"Well?" Geordi asked curiously, as he watched Data take a bite. "What do you think?"
Data chewed the pie slowly, making a broad show of analyzing its ingredients, flavors, and textures. Finally, he swallowed, smacked his lips, and took a long, contemplative sip of coffee.
Recognizing Data was deliberately playing with his patience, Geordi shoved his shoulder, and the android broke out laughing into his cup.
"It is…interesting," Data allowed. "The savory cheese does compliment the tartness of the apples."
"But, do you like it?"
Data took another, larger, bite, and tilted his head.
"I can appreciate the combination," he said. "Apples are, after all, commonly used in savory dishes – baked with pork and cranberries, for example, or served as a condiment with turkey. I am certain the addition of such ingredients would enhance this pie. As a dessert, however, I—"
"We don't serve meat pies here, sailor," the waitress said cheerily, coming up beside them with a coffee pot in her hand. "Not part of the boss's vision." She smiled and held up the steaming pot. "More coffee?"
"Thanks," Geordi said, and slid his cup closer.
"I think I would actually prefer tea this time," Data said. "Black, with milk."
"No problem, cutie," she said, and smiled her broad, gleaming smile on her way to the other side of the counter.
Geordi felt his ears start to burn, and turned his focus toward the countertop, her low cut uniform making it a challenge for the slightly bashful officer to keep his VISORed gaze from dipping below her neckline.
To Geordi's surprise, though, Data straightened and leaned his elbow against the counter so he could face her more directly, returning her bright smile in kind while she pulled a small, silver jug of real cow's milk from the refrigerator, dug a tea bag from her apron pocket, and filled a little ceramic teapot with hot water from the elaborate coffee machine.
She set these accoutrements out before him, then walked back around the counter.
"You know, hun, if you're not happy with the Cheddar-Baked Apple, I could swap it with something else," she offered and winked, her expression warming slightly as she looked into his golden eyes.
"I assure you, I am not dissatisfied," Data told her, still smiling. "But, your offer is much appreciated. I believe I will take you up on the swap."
"What would you like to try?" she challenged, maintaining eye contact.
"What would you recommend?" he countered, his gaze just as steady.
"Well," the waitress said, stepping in even closer. "I'll tell you what I like to do. I like to play this little game. Every day, I pick out one flavor – one flavor that strikes me as particularly…appetizing." Her smile deepened. "And, you know what?"
"What?" Data asked.
"By the end of the day, I've sold more slices of that flavor pie than any other in the shop."
"That is quite a talent," Data observed. "May I ask what flavor struck you today?"
"Triple Berry Supreme," the waitress said, mock conspiratorially. "It's loaded with big, juicy strawberries, sweet blueberries, and tart blackberries, and topped with a crispy brown sugar crust."
"Uncanny," Data said. "That is precisely what I have been craving."
The waitress beamed, and held out her hand.
"Dilly Gherkin," she said.
"Lt. Commander Data," Data returned, accepting her proffered hand. "And this is Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge," he introduced. "My best friend."
"Will you two 'Fleet boys be in town for a while?" Dilly asked.
"We'll be here for the next few days," Geordi said.
"I do so love good news," Dilly said cheerily, and placed a hand on Data's shoulder. "I'll go get you that pie."
As the smiling waitress took her coffee pot and Data's plate and headed into the kitchen, Geordi let out a long, slow breath.
"Wow," he said. "Just…wow…"
"I am in complete accord with that assessment," Data said, still smiling as he poured his tea.
"Data," Geordi said, utterly incredulous. "I don't believe it. I mean, I saw it, but I still don't believe it."
"What do you not believe?"
"You were flirting!" Geordi exclaimed. "Right there, in front of everyone, as if it was second nature! How did you—! I mean, I've never seen you do that before. Well, not like that."
The smile drained from Data's features, leaving his pale face blank and a little cold.
"You are aware that I am programed with a vast repository of information regarding flirtation and romantic interaction," Data said, rather flatly. "When Dilly opened discourse in that vein, I saw no harm in responding in kind."
Geordi regarded him closely, one eyebrow quirked over his VISOR.
"Were you interacting just to interact, then? Like, the way you used to practice small talk? Or, do you honestly think that woman is attractive?"
Data's lips tightened, and he set his cup back in its saucer.
"You think, because I am an android, I am incapable of appreciating feminine beauty? Or, is it that you do not believe me emotionally equipped to handle the attentions of a flirtatious young woman?"
"No," Geordi said quickly. "I'm just— Well, I guess I'm…"
"Incredulous? Or, would 'jealous' be a more accurate assessment?"
"What if I am?" Geordi said defensively. "That emotion chip of yours is new to me too, pal. But, if you're going to start flirting with pretty waitresses, I'd appreciate it if you did me one courtesy."
"What courtesy?" Data asked.
"Find out if she's got any friends who go for the dark, handsome type," Geordi said and smiled, brushing a hand over his short hair.
Data blinked, confused. Then, a light seemed to dawn, and he laughed.
"Understood," he said, and glanced up as Dilly slid him his fresh slice of pie.
"Here's your pie, Golden-Eye," she rhymed with a cheeky little smile.
"This looks wonderful," he said cheerfully. "Thank you, Dilly."
"Our very best Triple Berry Supreme," she said, releasing a scoop of vanilla ice cream over the crispy crust. "With an extra scoop of sweetness, on the house."
She winked coquettishly and flitted over to check coffee and water levels at the other tables in the busy little eatery.
"An extra scoop of sweetness, eh?" Geordi said.
"I think she likes me," Data said teasingly, his smile practically glowing as he closed his eyes to savor his first luscious bite of cold ice cream; sweet, buttery crust; and warm, tart berries. "Mmmmm," he hummed in delight. "Unlike so many other things my emotion chip has changed, finally possessing the ability to taste my dessert really is all it is cracked up to be. Thank you, Geordi, for bringing me here."
"Any time, pal," Geordi said, and raised his coffee cup. "Cheers."
Tasha Yar closely observed the two officers from her booth in the far corner, wrapped in a burning incredulity of her own…and a host of even more confusing feelings. She had hoped the shuttle trip would have given her enough time to figure out how to approach her former friends, but after everything she had seen…everything she had overheard between Data and that waitress...
They both just seemed so different. Data especially. To see him like that, joking with Geordi, savoring his slice of ice cream-topped pie, flirting so adeptly with that woman... How could she possibly—
The bells over the door jangled, and a tall, slender man strode into the shop and started scanning his eyes over the customers.
The same man who had spoken to her on the shuttlebus.
Tasha ducked her head quickly, but not fast enough. The man's expression brightened, and he headed straight for her.
"No, no, no..."
"Hello there!" he greeted, and waved. "Please, forgive me if I'm being forward. But, after we got off the shuttle, I saw you come in here and…well, I'd been planning to stop in myself, so I thought…well, maybe…"
He smiled awkwardly, and Tasha tried not to grimace, her wary eyes fixed on the two officers at the counter.
"I see you're sitting alone," the man prompted. "And, this place is pretty full today. Would you mind very much if, perhaps, I were to ask if—"
"Either sit down or go away," she hissed.
"Oh, well, thanks," the man said, and scooted in on the opposite side of her table, folding his hands in front of him. "Do you come here often?"
"This is my first time," Tasha said irritably.
"Well, that's wonderful!" the man said. "I'm a local here myself, but my job took me out of town. I can tell you, though, whenever I thought of home, my mind always took me straight to this place. This is my first time back in about three years."
"How interesting…"
"You really think so?" the man said eagerly. "Most people find the intricacies of accounting a little boring - did I mention I was a finance lawyer?"
"No, you didn't..."
"Yeah, well, most people find it boring but, if you ask me, you can tell a lot about a business from their finances," he said. "Even in this day and age, when we work more for personal fulfillment than financial gain, a credit's still a credit don't you know. And racing, as a sport and as entertainment, has always struck me as a particularly deep and sordid business…if you like that sort of thing. That mark—?"
He gestured toward her face with his finger, and Tasha flinched away.
"What are you doing?"
"I was just wondering about that black mark on your face," he said. "It's very distinctive – not to say it detracts from your looks or anything, because I can tell you, it does not. But, were you born with it, or is it some kind of tattoo…?"
Tasha pressed a hand to her cheek, and scowled down at the table, fighting to come up with a way to make this person leave without attracting attention.
"It's a part of me, OK? I can't get rid of it," she said bitterly…then looked up, an idea starting to percolate that could deal with both the annoying man, and the irritatingly distinctive stain her deadly encounter with Armus had left on her skin.
Getting up from the booth, she indicated the restroom past the counter and said, "Will you excuse me?"
"What? Oh, yes, of course," the man said, and Tasha hurried across the tiled aisle, making sure to keep her back to Geordi and Data. A brief, surreptitious stop at the replicator set her up with the latest in concealing makeup, and she slipped quickly into the ladies room to apply it.
She had nearly finished her touch up - with pretty impressive results, she thought - when a terrible scream made her drop the little makeup tube in the sink. Quickly, she tossed the tube, washed her hands, and dashed back into the restaurant.
—Or, rather, a war zone...
The cozy little eatery was a shambles, its cute, cherry-shaped ceiling lamps all askew. Tasha had to push past a crowd of rubbernecking customers before she could catch a glimpse of the source of the chaos, but the sound of smashing ceramic and glass was easy enough to follow.
The young waitress who had, just minutes ago, been smiling and flirting with two of Tasha's closest friends now stood livid, her face flushed and distorted with rage as she snatched dirty plates and cups from neighboring booths and hurled them at the man who had followed Tasha in from the shuttlebus.
Tasha scowled, realizing Data and Geordi must have left while she was in the bathroom. Otherwise, she had no doubt Data's android swiftness and strength would have put an end to this mayhem as soon as it began. She knew she had to find them, to follow them, but her training as a Starfleet Security Chief wouldn't let her leave until this violent scene had been effectively controlled.
"What's going on here?" she demanded, her voice filled with such authority the older lady beside her answered without question.
"From what I gather, Dilly and this man used to date," she said. "I don't think their break up was exactly amicable."
"Really?" Tasha said dryly, fighting her instincts to interfere. "Why doesn't someone break this up?"
"Hey, stop!"
A flour-dusted young man with short, dark hair skidded out of the kitchen brandishing a hand-held air horn. A few deafening blasts provided enough distraction for the object of the waitress's assault to push his way through the crowd and out the door, his clothing dripping with coffee and colorful pie goo, and slippery ice cubes sliding from his collar as he ran.
The young waitress seemed to freeze, then she turned to the flour-dusted pie maker and began to sob helplessly into his shoulder, apologizing over and over and over again for her terrible outburst.
"All right, everyone, show's over," the pie maker said, putting a comforting arm around the sobbing young woman. "We're closing early today."
Tasha wanted to stay, to get to the bottom of this shockingly violent outburst, but this wasn't her town. Getting involved would only lead to questions about her, her identity, and until she confronted her former friends, gained their support, such questions were something a once-dead woman simply could not risk.
Following the last of the customers out the door, she cast one last look over her shoulder at the distraught girl, then headed back to the shuttlebus station, and its public computer terminals. She'd overheard Geordi tell Data they were heading for his sister's house. She'd missed her chance to follow them there, but she could still look up the address. She figured she'd give them a few hours, some time to settle in... Then, she'd march straight up to the front door and ring the bell.
She wondered which of them would recognize her first.
She wondered if Geordi would hug her. If Data still...
She sighed, her fists clenching by her sides as she walked.
Data still thought that volatile waitress found him attractive.
"Well," she muttered to herself, rather surprised by her own bitter feelings, "better to find out that girl's got a temper now rather than later. I might even warn him...when I find him..."
To Be Continued…
References Include - TNG: Skin of Evil; Legacy; In Theory; Hero Worship; Booby Trap; Starship Mine; and Pushing Daisies First Season and Pie-lette.
Next Time: Geordi and Data meet up with Geordi's family and…a murder! Stay Tuned!
NOTE: New chapters for "Skin Deep" and "Alternative Data" are in the works and should be ready soon. Thanks so much for your interest, for reading my stories, and for your reviews! :D
Reviews Welcome! :)