Author's Note: Wow – you folks really have blown me away with all your support.
Thank you for all your reads, reviews, likes, comments, kudos, and kind words!
We've had some emotional weight from the last few chapters. And there's going to be more of a fluff/angst theme in future chapters – the Traveller, Q, and more to come.
BUT TODAY IS NOT THAT DAY!
Instead, we are going to have some pure-unabashed, shameless fun! This chapter is *mostly* fluff, innuendo, and friendship set to the backdrop of a holodeck adventure/day at the Enterprise spa.
There are definitely some shades of Picard/Crusher in this chapter which has slowly become a pairing on the peripheral of this series.
As always, if you like my works or want to stay up to date with art, comics, or just like chatting about the fandom you can like/follow at or TheTartanTart on Twitter.
"This story shall the good man teach his son. And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by, from this day to the ending of the world. But we shall be remembered – we few, we happy few, we band of brothers," Data said. "For he today that sheds his-"
Data opened his eyes.
He blinked a few times, recognising the grey ceiling above him, as he accessed his internal chronometer.
A moment earlier he had been standing atop an ancient wooden cart delivering the Saint Crispin's Day speech from Act IV of Shakespeare's Henry V.
He had most certainly been on the holodeck.
There was a throng of English soldiers and he had been wearing the full costume including the bowl cut period authentic wig he had replicated. It had been precisely 11 degrees Celsius, and the holodeck had perfectly replicated the conditions of the Agincourt battlefield - right down to the thick mud.
Yet, he had no memory of leaving the holodeck.
In fact, he could not recall initiating a holodeck program in the first place.
Data knew that there had been some damage from the Edo orb, but that had been yesterday.
The damage had not been permanent – or so he believed.
A hand across his abdomen pulled him out of his thoughts as his partner turned and slid toward him.
"Morning," Tasha said sleepily as she nuzzled her head against his shoulder.
"Tasha, how long have I been here?" Data inquired.
She sat up on her elbow and looked at him strangely.
"Are you alright, Data?" she asked, concerned.
As of last night, it had seemed like his memories had been restored.
"How long have I been here?" he repeated.
Well, Geordi had said it may take thirty-six hours. Tasha thought to herself.
"Do you mean in this room or aboard the Enterprise?" Tasha teased.
"I was on the holodeck. And then I opened my eyes and I was here," Data said, his eyes flitting back and forth rapidly as he tried to figure out how it was possible.
"What do you mean you were on the holodeck?" Tasha asked.
Data proceeded to describe to her what he had experienced – the scene from the play, the simulated weather, the costume.
"And when I opened my eyes, I was here," he said, confused. "With no memory of how I got here. It was so real."
"What's the last thing you remember?" Tasha asked concerned.
Data looked at her strangely.
"As I said, I was standing atop a wooden cart on a holographic simulation of the Battle of Agincourt-" Data started to say but Tasha stopped him.
"Before the Shakespeare," Tasha prompted.
Data nodded, now understanding her question.
"We were lying here. Then, on your insistence, I activated my rest programme," Data stated.
Tasha smiled.
"Data, I think you had a dream," Tasha said.
"Tasha, that is not possible," he replied quickly.
"How do you know that?" she asked.
"I am not capable of dreaming. It is not a part of my programming," he explained.
"But how can you know that? You've discovered new portions of your programming before," she said.
Data shook his head.
"While theoretically possible, it is more likely that there is residual damage caused by the-" Data started to but stopped as Tasha silenced him with a kiss.
Tasha rolled on top of him.
"I think you had a dream," she said brightly.
Data opened his mouth to protest but Tasha put a finger on his mouth to silence him.
"And yes, you should still have Geordi take a look," she said, anticipating his next statement.
He was planning to see Geordi later anyways for a follow up to ensure all of his synaptic pathways were properly restored.
Tasha leaned down and rested her forehead against his.
"But until then I think you should tell me about your dream," she said.
Across the ship, Geordi was sitting with Miles and Worf eating breakfast at Ten Forward. The three had gotten together the night before following Data's incident.
The whole situation with the Edo and their mysterious God had shaken everyone. Knowing that Wesley Crusher had come so close to death had left many of the parents onboard questioning whether the risk was worth it.
And the idea that something could hurt Lieutenant Commander Data had left everyone a wee bit shaken. He was immune to disease. He never needed to eat or rest. And was stronger than anyone in Starfleet – and all that was overtaken by a little ball of light.
The Enterprise was headed back to the Strnad colony to begin removing the colonists. They had two days' time before they would arrive. The night before, the three of them had gotten together with an idea to spend some time with Data later that afternoon.
The trio had worked late into the night programming the perfect holodeck programme – sun, sails, and the open sea.
Geordi and Miles both loved the water and knew of Data's interest in anything involving exobiology. Worf was eager for the challenge the fishing would provide.
They'd spend a few hours hanging around simulated black sand beaches that peppered the southern hemisphere of Talruan IV. It was a tropical atmosphere widely regarded as one of the best planets for anglers. The various atolls and small, rocky islands would provide a wonderfully relaxing atmosphere to get lost in.
"Everything's all set then?" Miles asked before shoving a spoonful of oatmeal into his mouth.
Worf nodded.
"Yes, everything for Data is good to go," Worf informed them. "And I'll take care of Tasha."
He had sent Tasha a message the night before via their PADDs asking if she'd help them with the plan.
Tasha had been more than willing to go along with the idea.
In her opinion, their idea was a brilliant one and she couldn't thank them enough for it.
She had no idea that Worf, Deanna, and Beverly were planning a surprise of their own for her.
Captain Picard had ordered her and Data off the Bridge, but Deanna had suggested, privately, it may be good for both Data and Tasha to spend some of that time with their friends. A lot had happened in the last twenty-four hours and they were all in need of some time to process it.
So, to give Deanna some time to talk with Tasha, Geordi had recruited Miles for this holodeck fishing adventure.
"Commander Riker, Captain Picard, and Wesley are going to meet us down at the holodeck in two hours," Geordi explained. "I've got a follow-up scan with Data in Main Engineering. Once that's done, I'll bring him to the holodeck."
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather come along with us?" Miles asked Worf.
"I prefer the real thing. There is no honour in angling on the holodeck. It's like shooting fish in a barrel," Worf said seriously.
There was a few seconds pause before he broke into a smile.
"In truth, I would prefer to spend the time with Lieutenant Yar," Worf explained before quickly adding, "no offense."
A short time later, Data headed to Main Engineering to meet Geordi. They were going to run some diagnostic follow up tests to see if all of his neural pathways had managed to re-establish themselves properly.
Since the incident the day before, it seemed most of his functions had returned to normal. However, as Tasha had reminded him, it would be important to discuss his possible 'dream' with Geordi.
She insisted it was a dream and explained they were perfectly normal and sometimes highly enjoyable. A part of Data wanted to believe her. The idea that he could somehow be capable of dreaming was such a tempting step toward his ultimate goal of becoming human.
But another part of him dismissed the idea as preposterous.
It was illogical.
He took a seat near engineering station three and Geordi popped open the panel on the side of his head and hooked up the first diagnostic cable. The initial scan of his pathways appeared to be in order. Geordi hated to admit it, but Data's schematics were so far advanced it was sometimes guesswork.
Geordi looked for anything that appeared to be different or abnormal in comparison to their previous scans, but it all appeared to be in order.
"Has there been anything missing, Data? I mean, does it feel like everything is there?" Geordi asked.
"Geordi, I am incapable of feeling the neural pathways within my positronic brain in any tactile sense," Data said.
"I mean have you noticed anything different. Or does it seem like everything is back to normal?" Geordi explained.
"Oh, I see," Data said, now understanding the question.
Geordi grabbed his engineering tricorder and circled Data with the device checking his energy output readings and the rate of his synthetic respiratory structure that functioned as a coolant system.
"Geordi, earlier this morning I experienced a malfunction," Data said.
Geordi stopped scanning and looked to Data, his brow furrowed with worry.
Data proceeded to explain that he had been on the holodeck in the midst of delivering his rendition of the Saint Crispin's Day speech monologue from Henry V when he had suddenly found himself in bed.
"And I have no recollection of going to the holodeck or leaving it," Data stated.
Geordi set his tricorder down and crossed his arms as he theorised.
"Do you want me to check your engrams for a missing time file?" Geordi asked.
Data shook his head.
"I have already four internal diagnostics and there is no missing or corrupted engram," Data explained. "And the computer has no log of me exiting or re-entering during the night."
Geordi leaned back against the Engineering console and scratched his chin.
"Data what were you doing before you were on the holodeck?" Geordi asked.
"I initiated my rest programme," Data said simply.
Geordi was familiar with it. It was a programme that slowed his systems, cleared his active processing, and allowed him to perform a soft reboot without a full shutdown.
"Did you touch or interact with anything like open a console or do anything at your workstation? You didn't get into that phaser coil redesign we've been planning, did you?" Geordi asked.
"No, Geordi. I did not interact with any forms of technology including audio computer commands," Data admitted.
In truth, there had been very little discussion after bumping into Tasha outside of her quarters.
"Well, then what were you doing before you initiated your rest programme?" Geordi asked.
Data momentarily contemplated how he should respond. Both he and Tasha were hesitant to be open with their friends regarding the nature of their relationship. However, he had experienced a full system overload. For an android, it was as close as he could get to a life-altering injury.
It took him 1.4 seconds to weigh his options. In the end, he decided honesty would be the best approach.
Data looked around Engineering and evaluated the distance between Geordi and him and the nearest crewmember to judge the audio level necessary to ensure his comment was not overheard.
"I was engaged in what could be considered an act of ardent copulation," Data said quietly.
Geordi bit his lip to keep from smiling.
"Data, I'm going to let you in on something," Geordi replied in a low voice. "That's really not a secret."
Data cocked his head to the side and looked at Geordi, suddenly worried that there was something he didn't understand.
Geordi sensed his fear and realised he needed to elaborate.
"Data, I just mean you were pretty enthusiastic when you ran into Tasha in the corridor last night," Geordi explained. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."
"I suppose my response was not in line with expectations for a Starfleet officer," Data said as he shook his head slightly, staring off at the wall. "I found that I was frustrated by my inability to communicate my desire to speak with her. I had hoped that if I found her, I would be capable of recalling her name."
He paused for a moment and looked back at Geordi.
"In that moment, I was unable to access the file containing her name and was forced to find an alternative method to properly articulate myself," Data explained.
"But eventually it just came back to you?" Geordi inquired.
Data paused.
There was something he hadn't told Tasha yet about that.
There were layers to his neural net. It was designed in a manner to protect his most basic programming even in the event of malfunction, damage, or sabotage.
Whatever the Edo orb had done to him, it had caused his positronic brain to seal portions like circuitry bulkheads to protect his highest priority systems.
In essence, it guarded his ethical and moral subroutines.
It shielded his temperature regulation system and his central processing unit.
And her.
He had been unable to recall her name because it was in that portion of his neural net that had remained inaccessible until all of his neural pathways had been properly re-established.
It was a safeguard for his most basic functioning, and he could not explain how his system had managed to add her existence to that protection command function without his conscious knowledge of it.
He did not have the capabilities to control the command function manually.
It was a thought that disturbed him to a considerable degree.
His systems weren't designed for this. He wasn't supposed to feel emotion. Yet somehow his neural net had made her priority system – not Starfleet regulations, not his considerable knowledge base on understanding human behaviour, not even Geordi.
His thoughts drifted back to Tasha's earlier comment that his holodeck experience had been a dream.
Data reasoned that if it were possible for his system to rewrite his most critical protective function, perhaps it was also possible that it could somehow simulate the human experience of dreaming.
"Tasha thinks it was a dream," Data confessed.
"Is that possible?" Geordi asked in awe. "Who am I kidding? We still don't know what's causing these feelings you've been experiencing."
"Geordi, I must confide in you that I am uncomfortable experiencing changes in my body that I cannot control," Data disclosed.
"Android puberty?" Geordi said with a shrug.
"That is highly unlikely," Data replied seriously.
"I know, Data. I just don't know what to tell you. I'm at a loss here," Geordi admitted.
He detached the cable from Data's input receptor and closed the access panel on the right side of his head.
"Hey, I was reading about this cybernetics expert that's doing some very interesting research on positronic brain designs," Geordi said as he tried to recall the name. "Uh….Malcolm. No, no, Maddox. Commander Bruce Maddox."
Geordi snapped his fingers triumphantly.
"I could contact him and see if has any insight on this," Geordi offered.
"No, Geordi," Data replied quickly.
He didn't want to alarm Geordi but just hearing Maddox's name put Data on edge.
Although he could trust Geordi, he wasn't ready to divulge his history with Bruce Maddox yet.
"I do not believe that is required," Data said, hoping that displaying a calm demeanour would get Geordi to drop the idea.
"You're sure?" Geordi pressed.
"Yes. I will let you know if I believe it becomes necessary," Data said.
Thankfully, Geordi's combadge pinged at that moment and Data was relieved they could drop the subject.
"Lieutenant La Forge, how's Mr Data?" Captain Picard's voice asked.
"He's doing great," Geordi replied as he tapped his badge to respond.
"Well then, I believe you both have other obligations at this time," Captain Picard said.
"Of course, sir. We are on our way," Geordi replied with a grin.
Data looked at Geordi curiously.
"C'mon, Data," Geordi said as he slapped him on the back. "We've got a date with a holodeck."
It took them fifteen minutes before they reached the holodeck.
First, they had stopped by Geordi's quarters where he'd unceremoniously tossed Data a pair of regulation swim trunks and a garish aloha shirt.
"Commander Riker insisted on the shirts," Geordi had advised him.
Data shrugged and stripped off his uniform to put on the outfit.
They had also grabbed a fishing tackle and gear for snorkelling.
When they arrived at holodeck two, they found Miles O'Brien and Commander Riker with similar gear. Captain Picard had two bottles of wine in hand and Wesley Crusher was holding a large antique picnic basket.
The group stepped through the arch and Data scanned the landscape. His informational databank quickly determined the landscape was that of the southern hemisphere of Talruan IV, a planet known for its visually stunning beaches, excellent sport fishing, and remarkable biological diversity.
They were on a black sand beach that looked out into the vast, holographic ocean of the southern hemisphere of the planet.
"Feel that sand between your toes," Geordi said as he twisted his foot in the sand.
Data stepped out of his shoes and let the somatosensory receptors on his bioplast take in the sensation of the sand against his bare feet. It was not unpleasant, but it felt somewhat unstable. As he wiggled his toes, he seemed to sink into a little.
He bent down and picked some of the sand up, letting it run through his hand. It was soft and acted almost as a liquid as the tiny grains slipped through his fingers.
"Most intriguing," he said aloud.
"Come, I believe our ship is waiting," Picard said as he set off down the beach.
At the edge of the water a trimaran ship was waiting for them. It had a main hull and two outrig floats and dual sails. The group climbed aboard and Geordi made quick work of getting the sails up.
"The map says there's a good reef for snorkelling on the other side of this atoll," Riker said as he held up an old-fashioned paper map.
Miles grabbed the map, turned it twice, and handed it back to Commander Riker.
"Ah! Belay that, Geordi," Riker said with a broad smile. "Straight ahead!"
"It shouldn't take long to reach the reef," Geordi shouted.
They were clipping along at a good speed, the boat bouncing along the waves, and the spray splashing up over the sides. There was considerable wind and Data allowed himself to enjoy the feel of it blowing in through his hair.
A few moments later they had arrived at the reef and set their rods. Commander Riker helped Wesley and Miles showed Data how.
Once that was done, Captain Picard laid back along one of the floats and pulled his hat down to shield his eyes from the sun. Geordi sat down and let his feet hang in the water. Commander Riker plopped down next to him.
"I'm famished," Miles said.
Wesley reached into the picnic basket.
"Mom packed corned beef, cheese and pickle, ham, or egg and tomato," Wesley said as he looked through the contents of the basket.
"Does the ham have mustard on it?" Miles asked.
Wesley peaked in the wax wrapping and nodded.
"Aye. Toss me one," Miles said.
Wesley threw the sandwich across the water to the rig where Miles was sitting.
"Captain, is the purpose of this endeavour not to catch aquatic lifeforms?" Data inquired.
He did not understand why they were all casually relaxing.
"Should we not be prepared to reel in the creatures?" Data asked.
"The purpose of this endeavour is to relax, Mr Data," Picard said calmly.
"It's called fishing, not catching," Riker said.
The door to Beverly's quarters chimed.
"Come in!" she called.
She was standing near the wall pinning her hair back.
"Hey," Tasha said as she stepped in.
"Make yourself comfortable. I'll be ready in a minute," Beverly replied.
Tasha took a seat at the Crusher family table and dropped her signature Parrises Squares bag on the floor next to her.
"How's Data?" Beverly asked as she grabbed a pin from between her teeth.
"He seems to be doing alright. He had a follow up appointment with Geordi this morning," Tasha explained.
Beverly tucked the last pin into place and turned to the side to inspect her handiwork.
"Excellent," Beverly said.
She turned back to Tasha.
"Tasha, Wesley told me what you did for him," Beverly said seriously.
Tasha waved her hand as if to dismiss it as nothing.
"I can't thank you enough," Beverly told her. "I just want you to know it-"
"How is he?" Tasha asked brightly.
She wasn't comfortable getting too deep into the conversation. Yes, Wesley Crusher had almost been executed by the Edo. The entire injustice of the situation had made Tasha's blood boil. She had a soft-spot for situations of injustice – especially when it came to children – and it wasn't something she was ready to get into.
"Seriously, Tasha," Beverly said as she took her hand. "You were willing to, well….thank you."
Sensing Beverly's voice was starting to get emotional, Tasha decided to try another tactic.
"Don't mention it. Seriously. I'd rather the Captain not know about that," Tasha assured her. "I know you'd have done the same for any of us."
Tasha breathed a sigh of relief when the door chimed again. This time, it was Deanna and Worf.
The four were headed off to the gym for a workout together. Deanna and Beverly had wanted to do something to take Tasha's mind off the last twenty-four hours. Worf had approached them the night before with an idea. Knowing how much she enjoyed physical activity, he had suggested a workout.
"So, what do you guys want to do?" Deanna suggested.
"What about a run?" Tasha suggested.
"Tasha, I'm not much of a runner," Deanna said.
"Ok, how about some cardio?" Tasha replied. "I've got that kickboxing programme saved on holodeck one."
"I've seen you and Worf after that kickboxing programme. I'd rather not have to treat myself for an injury," Beverly teased.
"Why don't we head to the fitness centre. That way there's something for all of us," Deanna recommended. "And, yes, there is a bag you can hit, Tasha."
Back on the holodeck, Wesley had gotten a bite on his line. After considerable effort, and assistance from Chief O'Brien, they had managed to reel in the fish.
Geordi grabbed a net and scooped it out of the water for inspection.
It was about forty-three centimetres long and had two small dorsal fins set far back on its body.
"Whoa," Wesley said as he ran his hand along the slimy, smooth scales.
The creature was a bright yellow colour with spots in varying shades of rich brown, taupe, and a greenish hue.
"Can you identify it, Data?" Geordi asked.
He was genuinely curious, but he was also curious if Data's exobiology knowledge had remained intact.
"Yes. This is a Bythalrea Chararin. Also known as a yellow-spotted catfish native only to these waters," Data explained. "The distinctive yellow hue is not found among others outside of this island chain."
Commander Riker helped Wesley to remove the hook and release it back into the water. It splashed around a few times before swimming off.
"Can we go swimming now?" Wesley asked.
"You'll scare the fish," Geordi replied.
"What fish?" Commander Riker laughed.
They didn't get a chance to discuss it further.
Without warning, the boat disappeared from underneath them.
"Data!" Geordi said as he grabbed for Data's hand.
He knew Data lacked the buoyancy to swim. Geordi also knew it was foolish to try and help him.
Underwater, Data waved Geordi off.
He would be perfectly fine underwater, but it was nice to know Geordi cared.
Unable to swim, Data began to sink in the holographic ocean.
"Is everybody alright?" Commander Riker asked.
Everyone nodded.
"Computer end programme," Captain Picard ordered.
Nothing happened.
"Computer end simulation," Commander Riker said.
Again, there was no change in their conditions.
"Lieutenant La Forge to the Engineering," Geordi said as he tapped his combadge.
There was no response.
"We can't tread water forever," Miles noted.
"And if the programme is simulating the part of the ocean we were on, then I'd say it's about twenty to twenty-five metres deep here," Geordi said as he looked down and scanned with his VISOR.
"Alright everyone, let's start swimming back in the direction of the holographic shoreline," Captain Picard instructed.
"That's over two kilometres, Captain. It's not going to be an easy swim," Geordi advised.
Geordi and Miles were both skilled swimmers and they knew it would likely take at least a half an hour.
"Well, if you have a better suggestion, Mr La Forge then I'll hear it," Captain Picard replied.
"It's a long swim but we don't know what's going on here. We should start before we tire ourselves out here," Miles said.
Over in the fitness centre, Deanna and Beverly were stretching next to Worf and Tasha.
"You are exceptionally stiff today," Worf commented in response to Tasha's wincing as he helped her stretch her hamstring.
For months he'd been trying to get her to work on her flexibility. In addition to improving her physical condition, he thought it would also help to alleviate some of her tension. Tasha was a fine athlete, and certainly more fit than most of the other security personnel, but Worf knew she wasn't as flexible as she could be.
'A true warrior knows that flexibility is the key to stability,' he would tell her.
Beverly and Deanna grinned at one another. They knew Tasha wasn't particularly comfortable discussing intimate details, but they couldn't help themselves.
"I'm sensing you're very relaxed. Must have been some workout last night," Deanna commented.
"If the corridor was any indication, then I'm sure it was a very intense session," Beverly snickered.
"And it would appear you did not stretch after your workout. Tasha, how many times must I remind you that you need to include proper-" Worf started to say but Tasha cut him off with a look.
"That's not what they're going on about. Look, ok- yes. What happened in the corridor…" Tasha trailed off for a moment.
It had felt good.
"I don't know what came over me," Tasha said after a beat. "It was unprofessional."
"You felt wonderful. Relieved," Deanna replied. "It's love. It's not rational."
"Who needs rational when your toes curl up?" Beverly said with a wicked grin.
Worf looked from the Doctor back to Tasha and tried to suppress a grin.
"Increased flexibility training would improve your-" Worf said quietly to Tasha.
"WORF!" she replied in a shouting whisper.
They were swimming along just fine and making decent progress when the water suddenly vanished.
They dropped almost two meters to the ground but, thankfully, no one was seriously injured.
"That's going to bruise," Miles said as he stood up and reached down to help Captain Picard to his feet.
"I'm sure my back will thank me later," Geordi replied sarcastically.
A few metres away, Data stood dripping on the holodeck floor. It wasn't truly the floor of the holodeck though – it was like the ocean had been drained. There were rocks, sand, and sludge littered across the floor.
He was relieved to be out of the water and see that everyone else was alright.
"What has happened?" he asked as he walked over to the group.
"We aren't sure," Geordi replied.
Captain Picard tried his combadge again but there was still no response.
Commander Riker called for the arch, but nothing appeared.
They made another attempt to end the programme, but there was no change.
"Theorise, Data," Captain Picard requested.
Data nodded in acknowledgement and tried to work through any possible scenarios that could have caused this.
"We're booked on the holodeck until 15:00. That means we've still got nearly three hours before anyone notices we're missing," Miles explained.
Before Data could develop a working theory, the scene on the holodeck changed. They were now standing in the middle of the room they used for poker – there was a table, holographic music, and the same holographic neon lights Commander Riker had programmed to replicate the pub he was so fond of in Kansas City.
"I supposed we could play a few hands while we wait!" Geordi suggested.
He stepped over to the table and began to pull out his chair.
All of a sudden, it disappeared.
The holodeck programme had shifted, and the six men found themselves in a boxing club.
"I recognise this," Riker said. "This is Tasha and Worf's boxing programme."
In a split second the scene changed again. The group was in one of the training programmes. There were chairs spread out for seating and at the far end of the room was a series of raised planter boxes.
"This is Keiko's class," Miles said in astonishment. "This is the programme she does for her training."
"On the proper removal and tagging of plant life," Data added.
A few seconds later they were once again in a new programme. This time they were standing on the edge of a bluff overlooking the lights of a city.
"Ruteron IV," Wesley said. "Mom and I visited once when I was little."
The programme continued to cycle – the home stadium of the London Kings, the fictional Pemberley, a French bistro, and Murmansk, a city located above the arctic circle that happened to be one of Worf's holodeck programmes.
"The time between cycles appears to be increasing," Data shouted above the wind and blinding snow. "It is possible the computer is attempting to stop the cycle."
"Well let's hope it doesn't end here!" Riker commented.
It was bad enough being in these conditions without proper cold weather gear.
To top it off, they were all soaking wet. The drastic drop in temperature was unbearable.
"Thank you," Tasha said as she threw a cooling towel around her neck. "This was exactly what I needed."
Deanna and Beverly had been content with yoga and a walk around the track. Tasha and Worf had hit the weight bench and she was feeling every bit of it in her muscles.
She was drenched in sweat and tired, but it was a wonderful feeling.
"Well, I definitely need a shower," Tasha said as she stood up and made to leave.
"Oh no you don't," Beverly said.
"There are shower facilities here," Deanna said.
"I didn't bring a change of clothes," Tasha replied, stating the obvious.
She had an uneasy feeling that there was more to come. Tasha did not like surprises.
Worf reached into his bag and tossed her a fluffy white dressing gown. He handed one to Deanna and Beverly as well before taking one for himself.
"I will meet you in there," Worf said before heading for the changing room facilities.
"No, no, no," Tasha said as she waved her finger at the Doctor and Counsellor.
She knew exactly what they had planned now.
Although the Enterprise boasted a full-service spa, Tasha had never indulged in its services. She was not fond of other people touching her and the idea of someone touching her skin made her nervous.
"I know you're uncomfortable with the idea of a massage," Deanna explained. "Which is why I've ensured you won't have to be touched by anyone."
Tasha's brow furrowed.
"They have these wonderfully relaxing sonic massages," Deanna went on. "No one will lay a hand on you."
"Really?" Tasha asked.
"Really," Beverly assured her.
"How long was the last cycle?" Captain Picard shouted to Data.
He knew it hadn't been long, but every second in the frozen air was intolerable.
For a few brief horrible minutes, they huddled together as the snow pummelled them.
Thankfully, the computer did cycle again.
Wesley shook the snow out of his hair as they glanced around.
Geordi rubbed his hands on his arms to get the blood flowing and Miles shuddered.
"I know this," Riker said. "It's familiar somehow."
They were standing on a street. It was daylight and there were holographic people bustling about. There were tall buildings on either side, and it appeared to be some kind of centre for business or commerce.
Many of the buildings had large glass windows along the front side and there was a fountain outside of one of them.
"Alaric Plaza?" Geordi asked as he read the sign on the nearest building.
"That one over there says the Hawthorne Hotel," Wesley said as he squinted to read the sign across the street.
Riker snapped his fingers together.
"That's it! This is the Cardinal Heist!" Riker exclaimed.
Captain Picard turned to Commander Riker for an explanation.
"It's a book I read as a teenager," Riker said. "This group of misfits is hired to steal the Cardinal. It's a rare red diamond. Mid-20th century. Shootouts, disguises, and double-crosses."
"I remember that book!" Miles said enthusiastically. "That was a real page-turner. And they made it into a play. I saw it performed on Starbase forty-six with Graham Winters starring as the Wheelman."
As Riker and Miles reminisced about the book, Captain Picard tried his combadge again.
There was still no response from the Bridge.
"At the very least, it appears the computer has stopped cycling through programmes. I can only theorise that whatever caused the initial issue, the computer has managed to stabilise holodeck functionality for the time being," Data stated.
"A surge from a temporal anomaly could cause that kind of error," Geordi added. "And emergency holodeck safety protocols would attempt to have the holodeck correct itself."
"But why are our communicators down? And why can't we exit?" Captain Picard asked.
"Unknown, but if the Enterprise has encountered some kind of anomaly, it may have affected ship-wide communications," Data stated.
"Well then," Captain Picard replied as he rubbed his hands together. "Mr Data, can you set an internal alarm to attempt to re-establish Bridge contact and exit again in ten minutes?"
Data nodded in the affirmative.
A split second later an alarm began to blare. It was coming from the hotel. Wesley and Geordi jumped out of the way as an antique car came racing down the street and stopped. Two people dressed in black ran out of the hotel lobby and quickly got into the car.
It started to pull away, tires squealing, before it came to an abrupt stop.
The car was surrounded by other vehicles. People dressed in suits and uniforms jumped out and encircled the vehicle with their weapons drawn.
"End of the line!" a voice called out.
To Data's bewilderment, the voice sounded incredibly familiar.
He scanned the crowd and found her in an instant.
It was Tasha. She was wearing a black vest and holding a device Data identified as an ancient handgun.
A moment later, several of the officers pulled the people from the vehicle and detained them. They were placed in handcuffs.
Tasha walked up to one of them and removed a large, red object from one of their pockets.
"See that this is secured," she said to one of the officers.
"Geordi-" Data started to say but was cut off.
"Yeah, Data. I see it," Geordi replied.
A second later, Doctor Crusher came racing out of the hotel.
"Did you catch them?" she asked Tasha.
"Have my eyes deceived me or is that our Doctor and Lieutenant Yar?" Captain Picard asked.
It certainly was strange. However, seeing these holodeck characters gave Geordi an important clue as to what was happening.
"Captain, I think I may have an idea what's happening here," Geordi said ominously.
He explained to the Captain and the others that he agreed to allow Lieutenant Reg Barclay a chance to run some maintenance sweeps on holodecks three and four. Clearly, something had gone wrong during the sweep. It was possible a corrupted file or a power surge during the sweep was causing the issue.
"The sweep included cleaning out old holodeck training recordings we don't use any longer. Our old, previously recorded trainings for the crew could be overwriting the holodeck characters with our visuals," Geordi explained.
The officers that had stopped the vehicle were now securing the area around them. The group watched as they fanned out to question witnesses and redirect the flow of traffic.
"It's no wonder we stopped using these kind of ground vehicles," Miles commented as they listened to the drivers shouting at one another, horns blaring.
"This is the start of the book, you see," Riker explained. "Those three guys were hired to steal the Cardinal diamond, but they failed. That's when the Black Fox hires the Mavericks."
Wesley looked back at Commander Riker, confused.
Riker explained that the Mavericks were a group that had all sorts of skills – they operated outside of the law like mercenaries. They weren't bad guys, but they weren't exactly on the same side as the good guys either.
"And the Black Fox was this master thief dead set on getting that diamond," Miles explained.
Data's internal timer went off and he tried to contact the Bridge again, but communication remained down.
"It is possible the programme may disengage on its own if we complete the storyline," Data suggested.
"It's worth a try," Geordi shrugged.
"How does it end?" Captain Picard asked, turning to Miles and Commander Riker.
They two men looked at each other.
"Well, they steal the diamond," Riker replied nonchalantly.
"But we can't very well walk in there and just take it," Miles said. "That's why it's a heist."
After some discussion about the book Miles and Commander Riker managed to recall how the heist started in the book. It had been many years since either of them had read the book or seen the play and they were having trouble recalling some of the details about the plot.
"I'm pretty sure we go into this Alaric Plaza and ask to see a man named Underwood," Riker explained. "Underwood works for the Black Fox."
The six men headed into the building and quickly found Underwood's office listed on a registry. Commander Riker waved them along to an ancient lift. The team climbed aboard.
Captain Picard pressed a button to head to the nineteenth floor and watched with fascination as a small light travelled across the top through the various floors until it stopped when they reached their destination.
A sceptical looking assistant showed them into Underwood's office. When the chair turned around, they were surprised to see the face of none-other than Geordi staring back at them from a high-backed office chair.
"We've come about the job," Riker said. "We're the Mavericks."
"I'm sorry, sir," Underwood replied. "I have no idea what you are talking about."
Riker froze.
In the book there was a code word they had used to signal that they weren't the authorities. He racked his brain as he tried to recall what it had been.
"Vienna," Miles said suddenly.
The chair creaked as Underwood sat forward and leaned on the desk.
"I see," he replied as he lifted his eyebrows. "Mavericks huh?"
Riker nodded.
"I'd heard they were sending me someone that was wet behind the ears, but this is not what I was expecting," Underwood said as he eyed their soaking wet swim shorts and garish Aloha shirts.
"This is Hawk, our surveillance expert," Riker said as he patted Wesley on the shoulder.
Next, he pointed to Miles and introduced him as 'Ratchet' and said he was a 'fixer.' Riker introduced Geordi as 'Socket' and billed him as the group's demolition and firearms expert. Moving on to Data, he dubbed him a safe cracker named 'Steelshot."
He turned next to Captain Picard.
"And of course, you're familiar with the Axeman and his skills," Riker said as he threw his arm around the Captain.
"I wasn't aware you had come out of retirement," Underwood said as he folded his hands and studied the Captain.
"And I'm Thrasher," Riker said, pointing to himself.
"Your reputation precedes you," Underwood said, acknowledging the team.
He stood up and walked over to the window.
Underwood explained that the Cardinal Diamond was under twenty-four-hour surveillance and that the last three teams they had hired had been unsuccessful in stealing the object.
He also informed them that they had to steal it today because Countess Ilsa Cavendish would be checking out of the hotel tomorrow and taking her diamond with her.
"We'll get you that diamond," Riker assured him.
Underwood turned back to the group and grinned.
"Then name your fee," he smiled.
Tasha had to admit that Deanna and Beverly were absolutely right about the massage. The sonic massage had done wonders for her sore muscles. In a way, she felt a similar release of endorphins like when she went for a good, long run.
It wasn't uncommon for Data to rub her shoulders after a long day, but she couldn't recall ever having felt so wonderful.
A part of her was sad when it ended but she was ready to get back to her quarters and take a nap.
"Don't fall asleep on us!" Beverly said next door.
Tasha got up reluctantly and grabbed a towel off the hook. She secured by tucking it under her arm and signalled to the Doctor it was safe to enter.
"How are you feeling?" Beverly asked.
Tasha smiled lazily.
Suddenly, Doctor Crusher's eyes grew wide with horror.
"Tasha," she said darkly, "Tasha, what happened with the Edo?"
"Nothing," Tasha said, confused.
Doctor Crusher stepped forward.
"May I?" she asked as her hand hovered inches above Tasha's collarbone.
Tasha looked down. Her mouth formed a small 'oh' as she realised what Beverly was concerned about.
"Um, I'm fine. Really," Tasha insisted. "It's nothing."
"This doesn't look like nothing," Beverly replied.
Tasha really didn't want to discuss this with Beverly. Her reunion with Data had been a bit of a surprise for both of them – they had been caught up in the moment and overwhelmed with emotion.
In short, it had been intense.
Bit of an understatement. She thought to herself as she looked down at the bites and bruises that marked her chest and shoulders.
Internally, she cursed her pale skin because it didn't matter how carefully Data calculated a safe amount of pressure to apply – it would always show.
As embarrassing as the situation was, she also didn't want the doctor to have a false impression about what happened when the Edo had come for Wesley.
"Beverly, these aren't from the Edo," Tasha said slowly.
"Oh," Beverly said absentmindedly as she inspected one of the marks.
She stopped and stood up straight to look right at Tasha.
"Oh!" Beverly repeated, changing the inflection to indicate that she understood.
The doctor's face broke out into a big smile.
"No judgement from me. I'm glad you had a good evening," Beverly grinned wickedly. "I'm sure the massage helped. How do you feel?"
"Really good. Thank you for forcing me outside of my comfort zone. This was worth it," Tasha admitted.
"I'm glad to hear that!" Beverly said warmly before handing Tasha a regulation bathing costume. "Trust me to push you outside of your comfort zone one more time today."
Beverly looked at her pleadingly.
"Your skin will thank you," Beverly advised. "We'll be next door when you're ready."
Beverly stepped out and Tasha grudgingly decided to trust the Doctor for a second time.
As soon as Tasha slipped into the steamy hydrotherapy tub to join Deanna, Beverly, and Worf she was quite grateful for Beverly's nudge.
"I didn't really take you for the kind to enjoy this type of thing Worf," Tasha said as she sunk down into the water.
"True warriors recognise the importance of self-care," Worf replied stoically. "Feels nice."
Deanna grinned.
"Worf and I enjoy the mineral soak at least once a month," Deanna explained. "It truly will help you to relax."
Tasha closed her eyes and rested her head back against the cool tile. She let her arms float in the water as she let the heat and steam work away the tension from the Edo situation. It did feel good, and it reminded her of the hot springs at the lodge on the Edo planet. Despite the horrible end to their trip, she did have a wonderful time with Data.
She wouldn't mind bringing him here.
As she reflected on the trip a weight settled in her chest.
"Tasha, what's wrong?" Deanna asked, as she could sense the feelings radiating off of Tasha.
"Alright, Circle of Secrecy," Beverly said as she waved her hands to indicate they were inside a space where they could speak freely.
Tasha wasn't sure where to start.
"If you are embarrassed about your nga'chuq qid know that Klingons view them as the sign of a successful relationship," Worf said.
She may not have been able to put a finger on her emotions at the moment, but she knew enough Klingon to understand that 'nga'chuq qid' roughly translated to 'sex wound.'
Tasha opened her eyes and looked directly at Beverly.
"I didn't say a word," Beverly said as she held her hands up.
"You didn't have to," Worf replied.
"It's fine," Tasha assured them.
Inside, her mind was anything but fine. She was so grateful Data hadn't suffered any memory loss. But the thought that it could have occurred was eating away at her. She couldn't shake the regret that she carried for initially pushing him away. She was angry with herself for taking so long to tell him how she really felt.
It wasn't easy for her to let someone in like she had with Data.
Now she couldn't stand the thought of losing him. And when she had faced the possibility that she might have – she could not bear the emotional weight of it.
She was both relieved and anxious.
"It took me a long time, too long, to tell Data how I feel," Tasha said.
She looked down at the water as she ran her hands along the water's surface pushing it back and forth between her fingers.
"This whole thing with the Edo….well, it's got me thinking a lot about this," Tasha confessed.
"As in 'this' meaning your relationship with Data?" Deanna clarified.
Tasha nodded.
There was a strange, faraway look in her eyes as she watched her fingers trace patterns on the top of the water.
"Life is so finite," she went on. "I just….there's things I should tell him that I haven't. And I guess it scares me a little that he could have been injured permanently and never known."
"I am sure Data knows how much you care for him," Deanna said reassuringly.
"Besides, it doesn't look like you two wasted a minute making up for lost time," Beverly said with a wink.
Deanna shot her a look.
"What? I get to be a wee bit happy that at least one of us is getting it," Beverly replied with a shrug.
"Speak for yourself," Worf stated. "I found my own shore leave quite invigorating."
"But how?" Geordi asked again.
"It's simple," Riker said as they continued down the sidewalk on the holodeck.
Commander Riker went on to explain that they would need to split up and get into the hotel. Miles, or 'Ratchet,' would create a distraction with Riker filling the role of 'Thrasher.' While they were busy with the staff, Captain Picard would play the role of the 'the Axeman' to distract the diamond's owner – countess Isla Cavendish that appeared to be one Beverly Crusher.
"We have to get the key to the vault from her room so that Socket and Steelshot over there can pinch it," Riker explained as he pointed to Geordi and Data.
"What do I do?" Wesley asked.
"You're the lookout," Riker told him.
"But how are we going to do it? We don't have any equipment or tools," Geordi repeated.
The group stopped walking as Miles and Riker nodded to each other.
"With this," Miles said as pulled open the side door of an ancient vehicle to reveal a series of bags and cases.
He flipped open the latches on the first case to reveal antiquated radio communicators.
"The Mavericks always brought supplies," Riker grinned as he grabbed the bags.
He tossed one to each of the crew. Wesley opened the bag to find a change of clothes, binoculars, and a pair of dark glasses.
"Brilliant," he said with a smile.
Fifteen minutes later they emerged in front of the fictional hotel.
"Very sleek gentlemen," Riker said as he tipped his sunglasses down and looked down the line.
"Alright, just like we planned," Captain Picard said with a nod.
He had to admit, he was having fun.
He straightened his jacket and went inside.
Miles and Riker had assured them that all he needed to do was locate this Miss Cavendish at the hotel pub and keep her occupied. He made his way through the revolving door and into the lobby of the grand hotel.
Turning to the right, he stepped into the dimly lit pub and found his target sitting at the bar nursing a drink. He slipped into the seat next to her and ordered a drink from the holographic bartender.
"So, what brings you here?" she asked without turning to him.
"Business," Picard responded as he stared ahead, casually swirling his drink in his hand. "And you, madame?"
"Pleasure," she responded.
A beat passed between the two.
"At least it was supposed to be," she added after a moment.
"Would you like to talk about it?" he asked her as he turned to her.
He knew this wasn't the real Beverly Crusher – and this was all part of the programme – but there was no denying the sense of familiarity about the way she carried herself.
He knew her well enough to know she was upset about something.
"Is it working?" Riker's voice asked Wesley through his radio.
"Yeah," Wesley replied quietly as he watched the two of from the edge of the room.
Outside, Riker nodded to Miles and they made their way inside. They were dressed as repairmen with jumpsuits and toolboxes.
Data and Geordi follow a moment later. They're heading to the vault at the back of the hotel located in the casino one of the upper levels.
Miles and Commander Riker swept behind the service desk. Miles dropped his toolbox on the floor and set to work on opening a panel on the wall that housed some of the electrical circuits in the immediate area.
"Just what do you think you are doing?" the holographic clerk demanded.
Commander Riker pulled his leg up and rested it on the desk.
"We're here to fix the problem with your circuits," Riker said as chomped down loudly on a piece of gum.
"We are not experiencing any problem with our-" the clerk tried to say but Riker cut him off.
He pulled his leg off the desk and dropped his toolbox unceremoniously on the desk with a loud 'thud.'
Riker threw his arm around the clerk and turned him away from the desk as he started pointing at the lights along the ceiling.
"Sure, you do!" Riker assured him as he fumbled his way through trying to describe faulty wiring.
Miles peaked over his shoulder.
While the clerk was occupied, he snuck a peek at the registry and found Miss Cavendish's room. He grabbed a master key that was hanging on the back of the desk.
"Room 1215," Miles whispered as he slipped the key across the desk to Geordi.
Data and Geordi made their way over the obsolete lift and stepped inside. Geordi punched the button to take them up to the twelfth floor.
"I gotta admit, this isn't what I had planned but I kind of like it," Geordi said with a laugh.
"It is an intriguing programme," Data said in agreement.
There was a small 'ding' indicating that they had reached their destination. The doors slid open, and the two men stepped off into the corridor of rooms.
It didn't take them long to find room 1215.
"Go," Geordi instructed as he glanced up and down the corridor. "I'll keep watch."
Data used the key to open the heavy door. Stepping inside, he left the light off. Commander Riker had suggested the key was likely in the desk, so he decided to start his search there.
Truth be told, Riker wasn't entirely sure. Miles hadn't been either. They recalled it was in some kind of drawer, but it had been nearly twenty years since either of them had read the book.
Data began to carefully look through the drawers on the desk but did not find a key.
Scanning the space, he spotted a vanity in the bedroom area.
He stepped over to it and opened the top drawer.
There inside was a small silver key. Data picked it up and felt something touch the back of his head at the base of his neck.
"Don't move," a familiar voice said as she cocked a gun.
Data froze.
"Now, set the key down and put your hands up," she instructed.
Data set the key on the top of the desk and raised his hands to show he was willing to comply.
"Good. Now turn around. Slowly. Step out into the main room and take a seat. Keep your hands where I can see them," she ordered as she removed the gun from the back of his head.
Data carefully turned around to see the holographic character that had taken on Tasha's appearance.
It was evident from his earlier observation that she was some kind of law enforcement. She grabbed the key and put it in her pocket.
Data made no sudden moves and walked slowly into the main area of the hotel room. He gently lowered himself onto the sofa and sank back into the cushions.
"May I ask a question?" he said quietly.
She kept her gun trained at him as she cocked her head to the side and eyed him carefully.
"No," she replied sternly after a moment.
She reached into her jacket and retrieved a badge.
"Agent Fleming, INTERPOL," she said as she flashed her ID to him. "And spare me your story. I already know you're working for the Black Fox."
Data opened his mouth to reply but decided against it.
"INTERPOL's been after the Black Fox for years," she explained. "The Stradivarius violin, the Saliera, the Renoir."
She trailed off for a moment.
Although she was a holographic projection, she had every one of Tasha's facial micro expressions.
"And I'm going to let you get away with this one too," she told him as she stepped closer.
Down in the lobby, Captain Picard was having a hard time keeping the holographic Miss Cavendish at the bar. It was clear their conversation was going well – perhaps too well.
Captain Picard hadn't been expecting this hologram to accept his conversation so readily.
"I don't know why I'm telling you all of this," she sighed as she finished explaining how difficult it had been to travel with the diamond.
Captain Picard wasn't sure what to say in response. He was also keen to the knowledge that young Mr Crusher was observing them and he hesitated to get too friendly.
She may have been a hologram, but she was a hologram of his mother nonetheless.
Wesley watched from his lookout post as she placed her hand on his chest.
"How are we doing, Wes?" Riker's voice came through the radio.
"Um….I think she's asking him to follow her upstairs," Wesley said uncomfortably as he observed her smile and point to the lift.
There was a short pause.
"Data?" Riker asked on the radio.
There was no response.
"Hang tight, Wesley," Riker ordered.
"You see we need it to look like the heist was successful. You'll deliver the diamond in a case that contains a radio transmitter. It will lead straight to the Black Fox once and for all," she smiled.
She placed her gun back in its holster and pulled the key from her jacket. She slipped it into the breast pocket on his suit.
"I can't pull my forces back. That would raise too many questions. You'll need to be inconspicuous," she said.
Her face fell a bit and her lips turned to a small frown.
"You're not from around here, are you?" she asked as she ran her fingers across cheek.
It took Data 0.04 seconds to formulate a response.
Falling back on an excuse Captain Picard had used before, Data blurted out 'South America.'
"Sure. That's why you're white as a sheet huh?" she said cynically.
"I am sorry if my appearance disturbs you," he replied.
He was accustomed to his unique appearance causing questions.
"I didn't say it disturbed me," she said as she sat down on his lap and traced his lower lip with her thumb.
Downstairs it was obvious that Captain Picard was quickly losing control of the situation.
Miss Cavendish stood and adjusted her skirt. She picked up her handbag.
"The bird had flown the nest," Wesley said into his radio.
"What?" Riker said into the radio. "Data's not back yet. Find a way to stop her!"
"Miss Cavendish, please," Picard begged. "I implore you. Have one more drink with me."
She giggled in a most un-Beverly Crusher like manner.
"How about we take that drink up in my room?" she suggested.
"My dear, I could never permit myself to impose on you-" Picard started to say but she shook her head.
"It wouldn't be an imposition," she insisted as she took his hand and started toward the door.
"Miss Cavendish, please," he said as she guided them to the lift and pressed the button to call it.
"They're getting on the lift, sir!" Wesley said desperately into his radio.
"Do something!" Riker ordered.
Wesley made his way to the lift, but he was too late. The doors closed just as he reached it. He tried the button, but it was already gone.
He noted the floor they were heading to and bolted for the nearest staircase.
Geordi was starting to get nervous. Data had their only radio and he had been in there for far too long.
There had to be something wrong.
Geordi took a nervous glance up and down the corridor and shook his arms to relax.
He opened the door and stepped into the room.
"Data, what's taking so long?" he asked as he stepped in.
Geordi stopped in his tracks at the sight in front of him.
Data was lip locked with a hologram and Geordi had a feeling this didn't bode well for their heist.
He cleared his throat loudly and looked down to the floor.
"Don't move," she said as she got up and turned her gun on Geordi.
Geordi put his hands up.
"Data, come in," Riker's voice said from across the radio.
"Answer him," she ordered.
"Yes, Commander," Data replied.
"It's about time. You need to get out of there. Cavendish and the Captain are on their way up," Riker explained.
"We gotta go," Geordi said urgently.
The three of them stepped into the corridor. She still had her gun out as she turned it on Data, and he backed into the wall.
"You know what you're supposed to do," she said in a low voice to him. "Bring it to the roof."
"Yes, Agent Fleming," Data replied cautiously.
She put her gun away and slipped down the corridor into the dark.
A moment later, Wesley Crusher came up behind them, panting as if he had run a marathon.
"They're coming up the lift," Wesley said as he pointed down to the doors.
A second later they opened, and Captain Picard spotted the three standing in front of the hotel room.
He did the only thing he could think of to distract Miss Cavendish.
Grabbing her arm, he turned her away from the trio and pulled her in for a kiss.
"We should go," Geordi said as he took Wesley's arm and they escorted him around the corner.
Once they were gone, Picard broke the kiss.
Cavendish giggled again and tried to pull him off the lift.
"I'm afraid I must go," Picard said apologetically.
She stuck out her bottom lip in response.
"I thought you were different," she said sadly.
"Another time, another place," he said quickly as he hit the button to shut the lift.
As he rested his head against the cool of the lift, he took a deep breath.
That was going to be an uncomfortable memory.
Not uncomfortable. A little voice in his head reminded him.
It was true, he certainly wasn't uncomfortable that it had occurred. He was uncomfortable because he knew how much he'd wanted to do that for a long time but had always seemed to come up shy when the time came.
He threw his head back against the lift and tried to calm himself down before he reached the lobby.
"Captain," Wesley said as he stepped off the lift and into the corridor on the main floor. "Commander Riker and the others are waiting outside."
"I see," Picard said.
The two walked in awkward silence for a moment before the urge inside him grew too strong and Jean-Luc couldn't tolerate the quiet any longer.
"Wesley, what happened back there was simply a part of the holonovel script. Please know that I had no intention of doing it but, well, I would prefer if you didn't mention this to your mother," Picard said clumsily.
"Why? Is there something wrong with my mother?" Wesley asked defensively.
Jean-Luc certainly hadn't been expecting that.
"No! Of course not. She's a perfectly attractive woman," Picard replied. "Not that I would ever breach the trust of-"
"So, you think she's attractive?" Wesley questioned.
Picard hadn't been this flustered by a child in a long time.
"I-I," he struggled to formulate an appropriate response. "Mr Crusher. Do not mention this to anyone."
"Whatever you say, Captain," Wesley replied, suppressing a grin.
He'd suspected as much – for a long time – from both his mother and Captain Picard.
Back outside in front of the hotel, the men sat around the fountain across the street.
"Commander, I've obtained the key to the vault, but I must ask what you know of the Agent Fleming character?" Data inquired.
Riker threw his head back and laughed.
"I'm sorry Data, I forgot all about that," Riker said as he put his leg up on the concrete bench.
"Ooooohhh!" Miles said as realisation hit him. "That's the bird that's with INTERPOL."
"Anybody care to explain what's going on?" Captain Picard asked.
Commander Riker explained that there was an INTERPOL agent that was a part of the plot and that they would have to go along with her plan in order to finish the story. According to Riker, she teams up with the Mavericks to steal the diamond.
"She instructed me to bring the diamond to the roof," Data explained.
"Then I guess that's our next move," Picard stated.
"She warned me that the heist would need to look legitimate," Data advised. "We will encounter resistance if we are caught."
Miles laughed and put his hands on his hips.
"I think we do encounter resistance," Miles said with a dark laugh.
Riker nodded in agreement.
Thinking back, he tried to concentrate on how the heist ended. He recalled that they stole the diamond, but he felt there was something he was missing. He knew there was a double-cross somewhere, but he couldn't remember the details.
"There's a double-cross," Riker said vaguely.
"Aye," Miles agreed. "After we steal the diamond. I think we switch it with a fake."
The two men started tearing through their toolboxes until they found what they were after.
"Ah ha!" Miles said as he held the fake diamond up in his hand.
"Woah," Wesley said as Miles handed it to him.
It seemed to dance in the sunlight.
"Fascinating," Data commented as Wesley passed it to him.
"So, Data should leave this in the safe?" Geordi asked as he held it up in the sunlight.
Riker shook his head.
"No, we give the fake to Barbara," Miles informed them.
Data cocked his head to the Chief.
"Agent Fleming," Miles clarified.
Geordi handed the fake back to Data.
Commander Riker pulled out a plan that showed the layout of the casino area in the hotel. The vault was located on the same floor in the back of the casino. The entire area was also heavily guarded.
They would use the service entrance to get to the vault and then escape through the casino.
The success of the heist would depend on timing. Miles and Commander Riker would sneak Data into the service entrance.
Geordi would be their eyes in the casino. He would need to guide Data visually to ensure that he slipped out of the casino-side vault access without being spotted by the security.
Wesley would be responsible for watching the roof access point.
Lastly, Captain Picard would be on the roof to ensure the exchange went fairly.
"Alright, let's go get that diamond!" Riker said with a mischievous grin.
"So, I asked if he'd be willing to step into the role, but he said he's not much of an actor," Beverly explained.
"What about you, Worf?" Tasha prodded. "How did you put it? Humans fail to adequately capture the powerfully tragic realism of Tennessee Williams?"
Worf shifted, uncomfortable in his seat.
Deanna bit back a smile.
"I would love to get you into one of our productions, Worf!" Beverly said excitedly.
Worf shot Tasha a glare. She replied with a cheeky smile as she took a sip of her whiskey.
They had finished their trip to the Enterprise spa and decided to stop into the Ten Forward for a wee bevy sesh before calling it a day.
Beverly was filling in the group on her latest upcoming production.
Out of the corner of her eye, Tasha spotted Keiko Ishikawa step into the lounge. She looked around, scanning the room.
It was obvious she was concerned.
Tasha waved to Keiko.
"Everything alright?" Tasha asked as Keiko approached the table.
"I was supposed to meet Miles at 16:00. He was going to help me move some things around at the arboretum. He didn't show," she said worriedly. "He wasn't in his quarters or Main Engineering. He's not answering his combadge either."
Tasha looked at the watch on her hand. It was 16:21.
"I thought maybe they stopped in here after the holodeck, but it doesn't look like it," Keiko explained.
Deanna and Beverly exchanged a glance.
"Perhaps they decided to stay longer," Worf suggested.
"No, Wesley had a project he wanted to get to," Beverly said. "I don't think he'd skip out on that."
Suddenly, Tasha's combadge pinged.
"Lieutenant Yar?" a familiar said.
It was Lieutenant Hawk. He was a reliable Lieutenant and Helmsman that alternated in the command chair with Data and the others on night watch.
"Go ahead," Tasha replied as she tapped her combadge to respond.
"I'm sorry to bother you on your time off, sir, but I cannot seem to make contact with Captain Picard, Commander Riker, or Commander Data," Hawk advised.
Hawk explained they had received a hail from Admiral Gromek. It was in response to a communication sent by the Enterprise for assistance. Furthermore, Hawk informed them that the Admiral was en route with the Odyssey, the Sutherland, and the Dauntless to aid in the relocation of the colonists.
"She would like to speak with the Captain or one of the senior officers," Hawk explained.
"Understood. Patch the Admiral through to the observation longue. I'm on my way," Tasha acknowledged as she got up to leave.
"I'll head down the holodeck," Worf offered.
"And we'll come with you," Beverly said as she stood up.
As Tasha made her way out of Ten Forward and into the corridor, she tried to hail Data, Geordi, and the Captain.
There was no response.
Squaring her shoulders, she stepped into the observation lounge. She couldn't panic – not at a time like this.
Reg Barclay was nervous enough around just one of the senior officers, so when Lieutenant Worf, Doctor Crusher, and Counsellor Troi approached him outside of the holodeck he nearly lost his cookies.
"Lieutenant, what has happened?" Worf asked sternly as he eyed the open control panel.
"I-uh-well there was sort of-um," Reg swallowed hard as he fumbled the sonic driver in his hand.
"Something's wrong," Deanna said as she could sense that Reg was feeling distraught.
Reg nodded nervously.
"I was working to scrub some of the unused holodeck programmes as part of the routine maintenance sweep, but it would appear they've failed to erase. Instead, they've overwritten the programme currently in use on this holodeck," Reg explained.
He'd first realised the problem an hour earlier and had been working to try and find a solution since.
"So, we don't know what's happening in there?" Deanna asked.
"Correct," Reg explained.
Since communication was down and the arch was not functioning, there was no way to know what had occurred inside the holodeck space.
"There has to be some other way inside," Keiko insisted.
She knew they were going fishing and she had concerns. Miles was known for getting hurt on his holodeck adventures.
"Does this mean the safety protocols are offline?" Beverly asked, concerned.
Reg nodded.
"They could need help," Worf said.
Unfortunately, Deanna could not sense anything coming from the holodeck.
Suddenly, realisation hit Reg - there may be a way to get them out of there.
After sharing the update with the other officers, they headed out to Main Engineering.
"Tasha, meet us in Main Engineering. There's a problem with the holodeck. We're going to beam in to check on the team," Deanna explained. "It will take about thirty minutes to set up the site-to-site transport."
"All clear," Miles said softly as he, Commander Riker, and Data snuck through the service entrance to the vault. He waved them down another corridor and they proceeded with caution.
Miles pointed Data in the direction of the vault and advised it was just ahead. He also explained that the way should be clear. Miles and Riker were still wearing the jumpsuits from earlier so they would be able to sneak back out of the service entrance without raising suspicions.
Data nodded as he split off from the group.
Riker and Miles turned back down the corridor and headed for the exit to the lobby on the casino floor. They hadn't made it far when they ran into two holographic characters.
They were security guards.
Unfortunately, they were both holographic versions of Worf.
"Double trouble, twelve o'clock," Miles said under his breath.
"Let's just play it cool," Riker replied quietly.
"What are you two doing here?" one of the Worf holograms demanded.
"We're maintenance," Riker said.
"There was no maintenance request submitted for this area," the other Worf said as he eyed the pair sceptically.
"May we see your identification?" the first Worf asked.
Both men began to feel their pockets in hopes that these costumes had included some kind of fake IDs but they were coming up empty.
"Is there a problem?" the second Worf inquired.
"Uh, it seems that we left them in our truck," Miles tried to say convincingly as he tapped his pockets.
"This is embarrassing," Riker added with a smile in hopes of winning their trust.
Miles and Commander exchanged a glance and wordlessly agreed this was the resistance they were going to face.
Working in tandem, Riker elbowed the first Worf in the stomach and Miles swung his toolbox at the face of the second one.
Their efforts had little effect against such a trained opponent.
Neither seemed to be phased by the attack.
"This might be a problem," Riker said grimly as they sized up their opponents.
It didn't take Data long to find the vault and gain access. Once inside, he was quickly able to locate the safe deposit box that held the diamond. Using the key he obtained from Miss Cavendish's room, he opened the box and removed the diamond.
Pulling the fake diamond from his pocket, he placed it into his breast pocket and put the real diamond into the pocket on the inside of his suit jacket.
He left the briefcase empty and activated the radio transmitter.
"Be advised, holodeck safety protocols are not functioning," Commander Riker warned over their antique radios.
Data could hear gunfire in the background.
"YOU SHOT ME!" Data could hear Miles yell in the background.
"Stay here," Captain Picard ordered Wesley as they stood at the entrance to the roof access.
Wesley nodded in understanding.
The roof suddenly became significantly more dangerous without the safety protocols in place.
"I'll keep my eyes out down here, Sir," Wesley replied.
Captain Picard pushed open the door to the roof and climbed the steep staircase. When he reached the top he found a heavy metal door.
He glanced out the small window onto the surface of the building's roof and it appeared to be clear. Using considerable effort, he pushed open the door and stepped out into the sun.
Now out in the open, Jean-Luc looked around carefully as he tried to size up the situation.
"Don't move," a familiar voice said as he felt something against the back of his head.
Jean-Luc froze.
"Get on your radio and call your lookout up here," Agent Fleming advised.
Captain Picard slowly reached for his radio in his pocket.
"Uh, Mr Crusher? Could you please come up to the roof?" Captain Picard asked.
Wesley could tell by his voice there was a problem but acknowledged that he was on his way.
A moment later, Wesley emerged from the door and found the holographic Tasha was holding Captain Picard at gunpoint.
"You're Agent Fleming?" Wesley asked.
She threw him a pair of handcuffs and ordered him to put them on the Captain.
"Do as she says, Hawk," Picard ordered.
"Data, where are you? It seems like security here has doubled!" Geordi whispered into his radio.
"I've never seen you here before," a recognisable voice said behind him, causing Geordi to jump.
He was standing in the casino near one of the tables waiting for Data to signal that he had the diamond.
Turning to the side, he saw a holographic version of Commander Riker.
"I'm John," he said, extending his hand.
"Uh, Socket," Geordi replied. "Just waiting on my friend to get back from the facilities."
"I'm the head of casino security and there is no lavvy down that corridor," the holographic Riker stated.
"My mistake," Geordi said nervously as he nodded and began to walk away.
A hand on his shoulder stopped him.
"Not so fast," holographic Riker stated. "What is your business here?"
Suddenly, Geordi's radio began to go off. It was Riker and Miles. They were in trouble and headed for the roof.
"What's this?" holographic Riker demanded as he retrieved Geordi's radio from his pocket.
A gunshot rang out and everyone stopped.
Geordi turned toward the entrance to the vault to see Data standing with the briefcase in one hand and a handgun in the other. He had fired one round into the ceiling.
"Please do not move," Data instructed loudly. "Come along, Geordi."
He pointed the weapon at Geordi as if to give the impression he was a hostage.
"Sorry Commander," Geordi said with a smile as he stepped back to walk in front of Data.
"I believe this ruse will get us out of here without resistance," Data explained in a low whisper.
"Just be careful with that thing," Geordi said under his breath.
"There's too much interference," Reg said as he examined the readings coming from the console. "I'm only going to be able to beam one of you in there."
Worf, Beverly, and Tasha had been on stand-by ready to beam onto the holodeck and provide assistance. If the safety protocols were offline, they could be in a dangerous position. There could be injured crew too.
"Give me your medical kit," Tasha said as she held out her hand to Doctor Crusher.
Beverly handed over the kit and nodded.
It made sense. Tasha was the logical choice as she was the security officer and had basic field medical training.
"Try to get them to finish whatever storyline they are in. That may trigger an end to the programme," Reg advised. "Otherwise, it could take another hour or so to get the arch override in place. Transporter will be ready in about three minutes."
Once they were clear of the door, Data and Geordi ran into a plethora of security guards. He guided Geordi to the door and locked it behind them to buy some time.
"What about Commander Riker and Chief O'Brien?" Geordi asked as Data broke the door to ensure it couldn't open.
"We will have to hope they have escaped," Data replied. "I believe the story has almost concluded."
They walked up the staircase to the roof access.
Once they opened the door they saw Captain Picard, Commander Riker, and Miles kneeling on the ground. Their hands were cuffed behind them, and Miles's sleeve was soaked in blood.
"Drop it," the holographic Tasha ordered and Data set the gun down on the roof's surface.
She instructed Geordi to kneel with the others and gave Wesley a pair of handcuffs.
Geordi got down on his knees as Wesley cuffed his hands.
"Sorry about this, Sir," Wesley said quietly.
"No worries, Wes," Geordi assured him.
As soon as that was done, she indicated for Wesley to get down too and ordered Data to detain him.
Once that was complete, she motioned for Data to get back by the access door.
"Put the case on the ground," she commanded.
Data set the briefcase down in front of him and took a step back against the door.
The holographic Tasha pushed the suitcase out of his reach with her foot before cuffing him to a service pipe that fed into the building.
"Thank you for all your help," she said as she put the gun back into its holster.
She stepped over to the edge of the roof and opened a large black case to remove a grappling gun. Taking aim, she shot the hook into the building across the street and then secured her line on this side.
"Very well done," Data stated.
She turned back to him and shot him a look.
"You are the Black Fox are you not?" he inquired.
Wesley's mouth fell open in astonishment.
Riker wanted to laugh. He'd completely forgotten that was the big double-cross in the story. However, the bleeding crewman next to him was his focus.
"You've got the diamond," Riker called out. "We won't tell anyone."
But it appeared that this Agent Fleming was not interested in the heist any longer.
"How did you know?" she asked as she stepped over to Data.
"Barbara Fleming. Black Fox," Data stated. "Perhaps a more discreet identity would be a wise procedure for the future."
She threw her head back and laughed.
Reaching down, she grabbed the briefcase and stepped back to the ledge.
"Thanks for all your help, Mavericks!" she said with a small wave.
She was about to depart when she stopped suddenly and whipped around to look at Data again.
Her brow furrowed for a moment.
She opened the case and saw it was empty.
Data's head fell as if he had been caught.
She walked back to him.
"Very clever, Steelshot," she said as she reached into the pockets at the side of his jacket.
She reached into his breast pocket next and pulled out the fake diamond.
"Very clever, indeed," she repeated as she brought a finger to his lips. "But not clever enough."
Pocketing the fake diamond, she turned to step away.
"Computer, end programme," Riker commanded, hoping they had fulfilled the storyline.
Nothing happened.
The hologram of Agent Fleming turned back to Data.
"Too clever," she said as she looked him up and down.
Data cocked his head to the side as if he did not understand.
She took a step forward and kissed him.
Data was shocked but unable to do anything. She pressed her hands to his chest, and it became evident she was looking for something.
The familiar, shimmering sound of re-materialisation sounded, and the real Lieutenant Yar appeared in from the group.
"Well, you don't see that every day," Geordi commented.
"Chief!" she said as she stepped forward to examine his arm.
"It's nothing," he assured her.
"Where's Data?" she asked as she looked up and down the line.
There was a momentary pause.
"Um," Riker said as he cleared his throat and moved his head to indicate Data was behind her.
She turned to see Data pressed against the wall but a handsy holographic version of herself.
After a moment, the hologram stopped. She dangled the real diamond in front of his face with a big smile.
"Couldn't have done it without you," she told him.
Data's peripheral vision picked up on the presence of another human.
He turned to see Tasha – the real Tasha – standing a few feet away.
The hologram's hand on his face forced his head back to look at her.
"Thank you," she said.
She started to move in for another kiss.
"Computer end programme," Data ordered abruptly.
To everyone's relief, the computer programme ceased immediately, and their holographic handcuffs disappeared.
Geordi and Commander Riker helped Miles to his feet.
Data looked down at his hands and gripped his free wrist before turning back to Tasha.
"Oh, don't let me disturb you," Tasha teased.
Ten minutes later they had successfully wrapped Miles's arm. Captain Picard made haste to get to his Ready Room to speak with the Admiral.
"That was good work Mr Data," Riker commented.
"I apologise if it seemed like my efforts to reveal the real diamond appeared to be drawing out the programme," Data stated. "Based on the evidence, I concluded she would need to find the real diamond before we could shut it down."
"No, I'm glad you figured it out so quickly. Otherwise, we may have been in here longer," Riker said as he slapped Data's shoulder.
"Think you can get me to sickbay before Keiko finds out?" Miles asked as Geordi and Wesley escorted him to the arch.
"She already assumed you were injured," Tasha told him.
"Of course, she does," Miles grumbled as they stepped into the corridor.
Data and Tasha strolled leisurely back to his quarters. They stepped onto the turbolift.
"You know you looked pretty good in a tux," she told him as she nudged her elbow into his side.
Data looked down at her.
"Tasha, I was not aware the holodeck was going to reroute training programme files of personnel likeness into a holonovel file," Data said. "I seem to be experiencing embarrassment."
"Oh honey, I'm sorry," she assured him. "You don't have any reason to feel embarrassed."
A beat passed.
"Besides, holographic me also seems to have good taste," she said with a grin.
"Computer halt," Data ordered, and the lift slowed to a stop.
He turned to look at her.
"I will admit the mystery nature of the programme was thrilling. It has left me wondering what other potential programmes like it exist," Data explained.
She could tell he was excited about the prospect of it and Tasha's thoughts drifted back to the Sherlock Holmes programme Geordi and Worf were helping her to develop for Data.
"And although it was a hologram, I enjoyed your presence in the story," Data confessed.
Tasha quirked her eyebrow at him.
"Perhaps you would be willing to accompany me on a holonovel experience at a future time?" Data asked eagerly.
"I think that sounds wonderful," Tasha smiled.
"Despite being caused by a malfunction, I did have fun today," Data confessed.
"That's good," Tasha replied.
Data ordered the lift to resume.
"However, it was no substitue for the real thing," Data said as he gripped her hand.
A few hours later, Data was seated at his workstation. He was occupied exploring various holonovel programmes in hopes of exploring some of the other options that were out there.
Tasha decided to use the opportunity to check in with Geordi about the progress on the Sherlock Holmes programme.
"I need to stop by the security office and check in for tomorrow," she told Data. "I'll be back in a little bit."
It didn't take her long to reach Geordi's quarters.
"He did really seem to like it," Geordi explained as he told her about their adventure on the holodeck. "I'm about a third of the way through the design but this relocation is going to eat up a lot of time."
Tasha nodded in understanding.
"I really can't thank you enough for this," Tasha told him.
Truly, Geordi and Worf had been such a huge part of creating this surprise that she didn't know how she could begin to repay the kindness.
"If it makes Data happy and I get to play along, then I'm happy too!" Geordi grinned.
"Thanks, Geordi," she said as she gave him a quick hug.
She got up to leave and a thought crossed Geordi's mind.
"Hey, Tash," he said. "Before you go, can I ask you for a favour?"
Tasha turned back to him and nodded.
"Well, you know Data came in for a follow-up exam this morning and we didn't seem to find anything out of order," Geordi explained. "But he's concerned about some of these new experiences."
"The dream," Tasha said, finishing his thought.
Geordi nodded.
"As you know, Data's schematics are heavily restricted," Geordi stated. "But as Chief of Security you could grant me access."
Tasha paused. Technically, he was right, but it felt like an invasion of privacy.
"I've been reading some work from this cyberneticist, and I'd like to bounce some ideas off him about these new changes in Data's neural net," Geordi informed her.
He could see Tasha tense.
"This isn't some quack," Geordi assured her. "Commander Bruce Maddox is one of the leading-"
Geordi stopped as Tasha cut him off.
"Geordi, don't ever contact Bruce Maddox," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.
"What's wrong, Tasha?" Geordi asked her, alarmed by her response.
Alarm bells went off in Geordi's head as he watched her reaction. She was panicked.
"Promise me you will never contact Bruce Maddox," she insisted.
Geordi didn't know what to say.
It was obvious there was something she wasn't telling him. And Geordi knew Tasha well enough to understand that there was likely a good reason for her concern.
"Promise me, Geordi," she repeated darkly.
"Tasha, did Commander Maddox do something to hurt you?" Geordi asked seriously.
Tasha shook her head.
"Did he hurt Data?" Geordi asked as his eyes grew wide.
Data hadn't shared much about his early years in Starfleet, but Geordi knew that he'd been subjected to mistreatment. Suddenly, the situation on the Edo planet brought on a whole new meaning.
"Please, Geordi. Don't talk to Maddox," Tasha said pleadingly.
"Hey, of course," Geordi said reassuringly as he hugged her. "It doesn't matter. If you say he's bad news, then I won't contact him. You have my word."
After she left Geordi's quarters she found herself wandering along the decks for a time. She passed by the observation lounge on deck seven that provided one of the best views on the ship. She also took a small stroll through the arboretum before returning back to Data's quarters.
"Was everything alright?" Data inquired as she stepped in.
"Hmm?" she asked, only half paying attention.
"You seem distracted," Data replied.
"Yeah," she said in a faraway voice.
Data got up from his workstation and stepped over to her.
"The last several days have been filled with a series of eventful situations," Data explained. "Perhaps we should call this an 'early night' as you would say?"
Tasha gave him a small smile and nodded.
He had a few minutes of work left and she wanted to take a quick shower before slipping into bed.
About ten minutes later she stepped into his bedroom and towelled her hair dry.
He was already in bed reading from his PADD. Data set it down on the nightstand and laid back.
She slipped in behind him and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close and burying her face between his shoulders.
"I must admit that I enjoy the experience of being the little spoon," Data told her.
She smiled into his back and laced her fingers between his.
"Data, when I thought I lost you I was so afraid. I don't want there to be any secrets between us. I think you picked up pretty quickly that I wasn't keen to get close to people," she said.
"You are selective in that manner," Data stated. "I assumed that your childhood was the primary factor in establishing that behaviour."
"It's not just that, Data. I've never told anyone else on the Enterprise before," Tasha said softly before pausing. "But I want to tell you about someone. His name was Alfie."