The Complication

by CharlieFenwick

Data struggles to reconcile the discrepancies between Tasha's verbal and nonverbal communication during and after the events of Ligon II. "Am I the 'complication?" Data asked. Data begins to develop emotions. Tasha/Data fluff & angst. Data/Geordi friendship. Covers the events of TNG season 1 with- missing scenes, original adventures, and some mild AU retelling of events.

36. When It Rains, It Shines

Author's Note: Thank you for all of your continued support on this story.

Long chapter. I couldn't bring myself to break it.

In this chapter, we get a little more backstory about Picard and Tasha's mentor/protégé relationship. We're AU with dates here as I envision they met one another long before her service to the Enterprise. Sorry, I just adore the idea of there being a father/daughter relationship there – much like Picard having a father/son relationship with Data.

"Prima hermana" means cousin.

This required me to go back and tweak a line earlier in the story about Tasha and Picard's first meeting. So, if you re-read and see a small change in the chapter "Moonbeam"- it was in order to accommodate this change.

I don't really like to do that, but I got the idea for this scene and couldn't bring myself to cut it.

Hence, a small rewrite that I hope still preserves the idea of Alfie's loss leading Tasha to the Enterprise and Data.

In this story, the Enterprise-D was commissioned in 2663 rather than 2664. I like to think that the team had at least a year under their belt before we hit The Naked Now given how close many of them are.

Majel Barrett's voice: And now the conclusion…

---

Commander Riker groaned. He could feel his face was pressed against something cold.

No, he was lying down.

Oh, right. He realised as he was on the ground.

The last thing he could remember was Tasha's voice warning them to brace for impact.

The next he knew, he was face-down on the ground as she cautioned that they were going to lose consciousness.

"Sir?" Worf asked.

Riker sat back on his knees and rubbed his head.

"What happened?" Riker asked as he looked around and took in the scene before him.

"I'm not exactly sure, sir," Geordi answered. "We all blacked out."

"It felt similar to the g force training at the Academy," Worf added.

"That could happen if we were suddenly pulling a lot of g's," Wes theorised aloud.

His eyes lit up.

"Which occurs at high speeds or when the body passes near large objects. Theoretically we may have just travelled within proximity of the black hole," Wesley suggested.

Like Riker, Miles was on the floor too, sitting against the door and cradling his left arm.

He'd definitely dislocated his shoulder.

Worse than that, there was an excruciating pain in his leg. Miles was pretty sure it was broken.

"Keiko is going to have my head," Miles said with a sigh.

---

"Anything on sensors yet?" Captain Picard asked.

He was sitting in the Command Chair on the bridge of the Enterprise. His elbow was propped up on the armrest as he rubbed his chin.

The Calypso had embarked on its journey nine days earlier.

He knew that the time dilation effect of the black hole meant that it would take days for them to emerge – even though it would only feel like hours for Tasha and Data.

But with each passing hour, he grew increasingly worried.

All of their hopes for rescuing the away team rested on this longshot plan.

And Jean-Luc was doubly concerned given Guinan's mysterious feelings regarding Tasha Yar.

Had he sent her to her death?

Jean-Luc wasn't sure that he would ever be able to reconcile his sense of duty with the act of ordering a comrade into such danger.

She volunteered. Guinan had reminded him during one of their recent late-night chats.

Such after-hours, unconventional counselling sessions had been a more frequent occurrence the last few nights as Jean-Luc had struggled to find sleep since Calypso had launched.

"Sir, I'm picking something up on the long-range sensors. Moving toward us a Warp 9.4," Lieutenant Hawk reported from the tactical position.

Captain Picard felt a flutter of hope.

"It's Dart class, sir," Hawk said with a smile.

Captain Picard laughed softly and shook his head as his thoughts fell on a memory of long ago.

I'm coming back. Tasha Yar had once told him – years earlier when she had departed on a dangerous mission.

True to her word, she had returned.

Time and again.

An unstoppable force refusing to accept defeat in the face of danger.

No one gets left behind.

That had been Tasha's mantra since childhood – whether the threat be a Carnelian minefield or a black hole.

Jean-Luc smiled to himself with pride.

"Picard to Doctor Crusher," he said as he tapped his combadge.

"Crusher here," she responded.

"Please prepare to meet me with a medical team on deck twenty-six," Picard ordered. "We're expecting an away team."

---

"How is that even possible?" Riker asked as Worf helped him to his feet.

"I'm not exactly sure, but it sure feels warmer than it did before," Geordi remarked.

"Maybe we're dead?" Wes suggested.

"This is not Sto-vo-kor," Worf said bluntly.

"If I died and my leg's still broken, I've got a bloody bone to pick with whoever's in charge here," Miles grumbled.

Wesley laughed.

The team moved to the back of the shuttle to check on Miles's injuries.

Worf had field medical training and he made quick work of assessing the damage.

"Your leg is indeed broken," Worf confirmed.

"Better put me out of my misery then," Miles remarked. "If Keiko finds out-"

"Something tells me she's just going to be glad you're alive," Geordi replied.

All of sudden, the shuttle door hissed.

"Whoa," Miles said as he felt it began to open behind him.

He shifted on his hands to move away.

When the door opened, the team saw Tasha standing at the foot of the ramp with Data's head in tow against her hip.

"Everyone alright?" Tasha asked brightly.

"Are you two a sight for sore eyes," Riker replied.

Riker blinked twice as he tried to determine if they were really there or if it was merely his head injury.

"Welcome aboard the Calypso," Tasha informed them. "Sorry about the rough landing."

"In order to maintain enough speed to reach escape velocity, we were required to maintain maximum impulse," Data explained.

"You picked us up?" Geordi asked in disbelief.

He was still trying to wrap his head around it.

"What were you doing here?" Geordi asked.

"We were in the neighbourhood," Tasha quipped.

Miles hissed as Worf and Commander Riker helped him to his feet.

Tasha tossed a medical emergency pack to Riker.

Leaning heavily on Worf, they escorted Miles out into the cargo bay where Riker administered an analgesic hypospray. It wouldn't fix the break, but it would provide some pain relief until they could get him to Sickbay on the Enterprise.

"Are you alright to make it up that ladder?" Tasha asked Worf. "I'll need some help redocking."

There were no turbolifts on a Dart – just ladders for accessing various decks.

"I'm right behind you," Riker said eagerly.

Worf shot him a stern look.

"With all due respect, sir, you should sit down until Doctor Crusher can take a look at that head wound," Worf cautioned.

"Perhaps you're right," Riker replied.

"I'll stay with them," Wesley offered.

Tasha, Worf, and Geordi climbed the ladder to the Bridge.

Geordi took the Helm out of instinct.

Tasha and Worf both made for the Operations console.

Worf stopped her. Taking hold of her shoulders, he turned her around to face the Command Chair.

"That is your seat, sir," Worf said.

He slipped into the seat at Operations and Tasha tentatively took the Command position.

"I'm picking up the Enterprise on our long-range proximity sensors," Geordi reported.

"Your orders, acting Captain?" Worf asked as he turned around and smiled.

---

Although the distance to the rendezvous point would normally have only taken about fifteen minutes from their current position, the effects of the time dilation field meant that for the Enterprise it was another several hours before the Calypso was close enough to be free of the time dilation field.

Once docked, Captain Picard and the medical team came aboard to tend to the crew.

Beverly rushed forward, hypospray in hand to administer the sedative to Tasha.

"My son?" she asked.

"Down below in the cargo bay with Chief O'Brien and Commander Riker," Data informed her. "The Chief is in need of immediate medical attention."

"Thank you," Beverly said as she gave Tasha's hand a squeeze.

Beverly and the medical team set off down the ladder to attend to the injured crew.

"It suits you," Picard said as he stepped over to Tasha.

"Sir," she replied as she quickly slipped out of the Command Chair to stand at attention.

"Good work, Lieutenant," Picard said with a smile.

Tasha felt warm. She didn't like to receive praise – it made her uncomfortable.

"I wish you could have seen it, sir," Tasha said.

"So do I, Lieutenant. So do I," Picard confessed.

Medical transported the Chief directly to Sickbay. The rest of the crew headed off the Calypso and out into the corridor. They would also need an examination before being cleared for duty.

---

The corridor outside of the Calypso's docking bay was a flurry of activity as word of the away team's return spread quickly.

"You actually witnessed the collapse!" said Doctor Jacobi of the astrophysics department. "I'd like you to lecture at our next symposium, Lieutenant Commander Data."

"Nobody tells Enterprise Security the odds, right?" Ensign Jeffords said as he slapped Tasha on the back.

"I-i-it worked!" Reg Barclay stammered as they passed him. "I'm so glad you all made it back!"

Sonya Gomez came racing off the turbolift.

She gripped Geordi's hands and squealed.

"Lieutenant La Forge!" she exclaimed. "I'm so happy to see you again!"

Worf shot Geordi an expectant look.

Now was the perfect time to ask and clearly Sonya was pleased to see him.

Instead, Geordi froze.

"Data said you were the brains behind this idea," Geordi said awkwardly.

Sonya stepped back.

"Oh, um. I just realised that gravitational readings indicated a large mass object," Sonya replied. "It was really Lieutenant Yar's idea to use the Captain's Yacht."

Desperate for any kind of diversion, Sonya pulled Tasha into a tight embrace.

"And it worked!" Sonya said honestly. "You're just the coolest, sir."

"Ensign?" Data asked.

"I'm so glad you're back too, sir!" Sonya said.

"You are crushing my cranial unit," Data informed her.

Sonya released them and stepped back.

"Sorry, sirs," Sonya apologised.

---

Twenty minutes later, the away team had been reunited with their loved ones in Sickbay.

They were just waiting for their final scans to process before being given the all clear to return to duty.

Captain Picard had advised they would all be on leave for the next few days while the ship headed out for her next mission.

They would relay the development of the black hole back to Starfleet via probe and after a few days of R&R in warp, the crew would pull what readings they had managed to obtain before the incident from the shuttle computer.

Commander Riker had a concussion but was otherwise unharmed by his impact during the rescue.

Deanna had been overcome with all of the relief and delight that was radiating off the crew in Sickbay.

"Doctor Crusher said you will be fine with a little rest and plenty of fluids," Deanna said.

"Sounds like I may need someone to take care of me for a few days," Riker said as he gave her a look.

Across the room, Beverly was sitting on the edge of Wesley's exam table as mother and son shared a tender moment of reunion.

More than most families, the Crusher's understood the sense of loss that could come from work in Starfleet. Beverly had lost both her parents and her husband in the line of duty.

They knew the risk of serving on a starship, but it didn't make these reunions any less welcome.

"You're all set, Lieutenant," Nurse Ogowa advised as she concluded her final scan of Tasha. "But like Doctor Crusher said – stay off the holodeck, out of the shower, and no alcohol until the effects of the sedatives have worn off."

Tasha nodded.

Just as she had the day before, Tasha was feeling the full euphoric impact of the hypospray. It was a weird sensation to go from an uncontrollable amount of energy to this lethargic, relaxed state.

She felt like a noodle in a pot of hot water.

"I think I can get Data reattached in about eight hours," Geordi said. "But I won't know for sure until we get into it."

He turned Data's cranial unit over and examined the circuits again.

"Data, your connection circuits are unlike anything I've ever seen," Geordi said with a low whistle.

"Most of my functions have built in partitioning, not unlike bulkheads, to allow the cranial unit to operate on its own," Data explained. "However, it has never been detached during my consciousness."

In fact, the only time Data was aware that it had ever been detached was when the team on the USS Tripoli discovered him on Omicron Theta.

Even Bruce Maddox had never risked detaching his cranial unit for fear it would cause permanent damage. It was a last-resort measure.

"You should go lie down," Data said to Tasha.

"Mhmm?" Tasha said lazily before she realised what he was suggesting.

Tasha shook her head.

"No, no. I'll stay with you," she said.

"Geordi could you, erm," Data began.

Geordi understood.

He extended his arms and held Data's head so that he was level with Tasha.

"You should go lie down," Data repeated. "And when you wake up, it will be in my arms."

Tasha grinned and placed a kiss on his forehead.

"Is that a promise?" Tasha asked.

"I will be there to hold you," Data assured her.

"I can't wait," Tasha replied.

She was high enough from the relaxants that modesty had been blown out the hatch. Tasha leaned forward and kissed him.

"Guys, I'm right here," Geordi commented.

"I'll make sure she gets to her quarters alright," Worf offered as he approached the trio.

In the next bed over, Miles O'Brien was sitting with his leg in a pain-relieving sleeve as he awaited the first step in the treatment for his broken leg.

There was a team currently preparing the operating room for his surgery.

Despite his fears that Keiko would be upset, she was anything but.

She'd been at his side since he'd returned, ready to lend a helping hand and relieved he had returned.

"Doctor Crusher said the surgery will take about an hour," Miles explained. "And then I'll need to stay in sick bay overnight."

"Sounds like a date," Keiko said brightly.

"I'll have a brace for two weeks," Miles went on.

"Then we'll skip the walks in favour of chess instead," Keiko replied.

"You're not mad sweetheart?" Miles asked honestly.

Keiko frowned.

"Miles Edward O'Brien, the only thing I care about is that you're back safe," Keiko said.

She took hold of his hand and kissed the back of it.

"Can I get anything for you?" Keiko offered.

Miles sat up a little on his bed.

"Actually, that would be great, honey. Could you get my PADD from my quarters? From what I understand, it's been nearly three weeks since we left," Miles said. "Which means I'm three issues behind on Kayak Kraze."

It was a weekly serial publication that Miles was fond of reading.

In fact, he never missed an issue and it had become a routine part of his frequent injury recovery.

Sometimes he joked that he spent more time reading about kayaking in Sickbay than he actually spent in a kayak.

"I'll be right back," Keiko said.

She gave him a quick kiss and headed out of Sickbay.

As soon as Keiko was gone, Miles sighed.

"So?" Geordi prompted as he turned to the Chief.

"So what?" Miles asked in confusion.

"So how did it go?" Geordi pressed.

Miles's brow furrowed. He didn't understand what Geordi was asking him.

"Did she say yes?" Geordi asked, mindful to keep his voice low so as not to be overheard.

"Haven't asked her," Miles replied glumly.

Geordi could see there was something off. The Chief looked as if he'd just gotten terrible news and that left Geordi worried.

When he pressed Miles for an answer as to why he had not yet asked Keiko, the Chief's shoulders slumped.

"How can I ask her now?" Miles sighed. "Look at me. I won't be able to do it right with the brace on."

"Chief, your appearance has not altered. Although we have been gone for three weeks, that rate of aging is not visible to the human eye," Data said.

He wasn't exactly sure what the two men were talking about. But Chief O'Brien was a friend – clearly upset- and Data wanted to help.

"I also fail to understand how your appearance would impact your ability to ask a question," Data stated.

"I wanted to do it proper. Romantic reunion and all," Miles explained. "She doesn't like rings because of the dirt in the arboretum. But I got her a bracelet with a diamond that I'd been saving for the right time."

He'd acquired it a while back when they had been on Starbase 118.

At the time, he hadn't intended to propose – merely to gift it to Keiko as a sign of his affections.

But during their time on the shuttle, Miles knew it was the right time and that the bracelet would be perfect.

"I wanted to get down on one knee and make her feel special," Miles continued. "I wanted everything to be perfect for her."

Data blinked rapidly as he now understood the context.

"You were planning to ask Keiko to marry you," Data said in astonishment.

He felt a strange sense of pride in knowing that he had been the one to set them up and that his prediction about their compatibility had proven to be accurate.

"Aye," Miles replied. "But I can't do it now. The moment's ruined. By the time I'm out of the brace it just won't be the same."

"I'm sure she won't mind," Geordi said comfortingly.

Miles grumbled.

"I can't. It needs to be perfect for her. She deserves no less," Miles said adamantly. "I can't offer her much of life on a starship."

Miles was grateful to have Keiko in his life.

She was everything he could imagine and more.

"The very least I can do is make sure her proposal is romantic and flawless. Like a diamond," Miles went on. "Hell, I'd shower her diamonds if I could."

Data's eyes began to flit back and forth rapidly.

"Chief, may I offer an alternative solution?" Data proposed.

---

When Tasha awoke, she grinned as she remembered the away team was back safe and sound.

Her head felt heavy, not unlike a hangover, but Tasha couldn't care less.

Data was back safe and sound and, most importantly, in her bed again.

"Good morning," she said softly.

There was no response.

Tasha rolled over and found that she was alone.

"Computer, what is the current location of Lieutenant Commander Data?" Tasha inquired.

She rolled off the bed and grabbed her dressing gown.

"Lieutenant Commander Data is presently in the Chief Engineer's lab on deck fifteen," the Computer answered as Tasha went from her bedroom to the main room of her quarters.

Tasha checked the time.

She had slept straight through the night, and it was nearly 09:00 the next morning.

It wasn't like her to sleep that late, but the relaxant had really taken it out of her.

Eight hours, indeed. She mused.

Hopefully this just meant they were taking their time and not a sign of trouble.

Tasha grabbed her combadge from the shelf and paged Geordi.

"Everything's fine," Geordi assured her.

It was welcome news.

Tasha informed Geordi that she was going to take a shower and then head down there.

"No, no, no," Geordi said quickly. "Uh, we've got it under control."

Tasha frowned.

What she didn't know is that Data and Geordi were doing their best to keep their current project a tight secret until it was finished.

They needed to keep it under wraps to ensure Keiko didn't find out.

At Chief O'Brien's request, they were to tell no one.

"I will be up to see you shortly," Data said.

Truthfully, they had been so wrapped up in their efforts, they had worked straight through the night alongside Lieutenant Barclay.

Tasha shrugged.

She knew they must have had a good reason. Tasha figured perhaps the opportunity to study Data's circuitry had provided them with some answers to his developmental changes. Or maybe the thrill of processing the information from the shuttle had been too irresistible.

It was hard to know with those two.

Whenever Data and Geordi got together they were liable to dissociate from the world and work for hours. Tasha mused it was a good thing Geordi wasn't an android too. His stomach was the only thing keeping them attached to the wider world.

If Geordi didn't need to eat, she was certain the two of them might drift so far from reality it could be years before they would emerge from their labs.

---

"What if we amplify the illumination level?" Geordi suggested.

Reg shook his head.

"It's not just a matter of changing the illumination level," Reg Barclay explained. "The brilliance comes from the reflection, refraction, and dispersion. Think of them as prisms."

"Could we adjust the shape?" Data inquired.

"The more facets, the more light that will be refracted," Reg said in agreement.

He keyed in the changes to the programme and cued up a visual sample for viewing.

The lights in the lab dimmed.

"Now, if we add a little bit of UV light," Reg said as he increased the illumination factor.

"Whoa," Geordi said in awe as his VISOR registered the glow.

Data was suddenly struck with a thought.

He turned back to his own station in the lab and began to furiously type away. Rerouting the base programme's ambient setting, he input a series of commands in order to build in a brand-new landscape pattern.

"I would like to offer a suggestion," Data said. "What about this?"

He tapped to activate the changes.

In an instant, the simple, dark landscape was replaced.

Reg gasped as the change in landscape meant a reflection that doubled the effect.

Geordi gave a long, low whistle of approval.

They were entirely surrounded by the vision they had produced.

"It's called The Tears of Heaven," Data explained. "It's a cluster of lakes found in the Tuneri Apa system. I once viewed the Istaces meteor shower from this location."

"It's perfect, Data," Geordi remarked.

"Do you believe this will provide a sufficient foot sweeping?" Data inquired.

Geordi looked at Data in confusion.

"If you mean, will this sweep her off her feet? I-I-I would say yes," Reg answered.

Although they didn't know it, Reg had a knack for producing imaginative and romantic holodeck programmes. If it was enough to leave him blown away, he was certain it would be more than impressive for the intended recipient.

Data nodded and deactivated the programme.

"I'll have the programme loaded and tested again by noon," Reg offered.

"Doctor Crusher said the Chief should be released by 18:00 hours," Geordi advised. "I will be sure he's dressed and ready on time."

"I will escort Keiko to the holodeck at 19:00 hours," Data replied.

Their project may have been recreational in nature, but the three men approached it with the same level of vigour and attention to detail as any official assignment.

Data glanced at the LCARs system to check the time. It had been nearly twenty minutes since he'd told Tasha he would be up to see her shortly.

And it would take another eleven minutes to reach her quarters.

"I should be off," Data advised.

In spite of his eagerness to reunite with Tasha, Data had been so enthralled by this idea it wasn't something he could delay. He hoped that Tasha was not upset and was certain she would understand once he explained the situation.

Reg downloaded the programme to an isolinear chip for transport and Geordi shut down the equipment.

"I am certain it will work," Data said reassuringly.

He could recognise Geordi was in deep thought – the kind of look he wore whenever he had doubts about a project.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm sure it will be fine," Geordi said, feigning confidence.

Data looked at Geordi, signalling that he did not buy Geordi's statement.

"It's not the programme, Data. I've just got other things on my mind," Geordi confessed.

"Ensign Gomez," Data surmised.

Geordi tapped his computer to shut down the system and sighed.

"It's just all this work to make things perfect had me thinking about how I'm going to ask Sonya, ya know?" Geordi admitted. "It's gotta be the right time. The right atmosphere."

Geordi knew he needed to set the tone.

His last three attempts had been failures – Christy Henshaw been put off by his efforts on the holodeck, Lieutenant Toliver had left him in the Arboretum, and after a series of awkward dates, Ursula Vitelli had simply not shown up for their fifth date, ghosting Geordi entirely since.

Guinan had warned him not to get too wrapped up in it. She had observed Geordi had a tendency to overthink and stress himself out.

When he tried too hard, he wasn't himself.

But Geordi couldn't shake the feeling that he wanted to impress Sonya.

"I'm going to do it, I promise," Geordi assured them.

Although technically on R&R, Geordi was still planning to join the engineering team for lunch. He would invite Sonya to join them on the holodeck with the rest of the crew tonight. Once that business was complete, they were planning to go to Ten Forward.

He hoped the romantic mood of the evening would set the right ambiance.

Once they were at Ten Forward, he would approach her about going on a date together.

---

Tasha brushed her teeth and was about to dress for the day when her door chimed.

"Captain," she said, surprised to see him.

"Lieutenant, I hope I am not interrupting," Picard said.

Tasha shook her head and took a step back to allow him to enter.

"Not at all," she replied. "Can I get you anything?"

Picard shook his head.

The Captain glanced around and noticed that Data was not present.

Before he could inquire, Tasha anticipated his question.

"He's with Geordi," Tasha explained.

"Ah, I see," Picard replied.

He was slightly confused by this. Data and Geordi had reported to him the night before that Data's reattachment had taken much less time than anticipated.

By the sound of it, Tasha was not aware of this information.

Captain Picard decided it was best to keep quiet on that matter.

"I came by to inform you that you've been nominated for the Karagite Order of Heroism," Picard stated.

Tasha blinked in bewilderment.

"I'm sorry, what?" Tasha asked.

She was certain she had misheard him.

"You have been nominated for the Karagite Order of Heroism, Tasha," Picard repeated. "And may I be the first to say, well done."

The Karagite Order of Heroism was one of Starfleet's most prominent awards for valour. It was a prestigious honour awarded to only one recipient a year.

Even being nominated itself was a high mark of achievement.

"I don't know what to say, sir," Tasha stammered.

She was struggling to wrap her head around it.

"How?" she asked honestly.

Because of the exclusive nature, nominations were only officially accepted by the medal committee if they came from at least five senior Starfleet officers.

The Karagite Order was more than just an award. It was considered a club, a brotherhood of some of Starfleet's most decorated officers.

It was given in honour of acts of valour in the defence of Federation worlds and people during times of conflict.

Unfortunately, the exceptional heroism required to earn such an award often meant that recipients were typically awarded the honour posthumously.

Former recipients included the likes of Christopher Pike, James T. Kirk, and Phillipa Georgiou.

"As you know, the nomination requires separate nominations from five ranking Starfleet officers," Picard explained. "I submitted your name following the Cardassian occupation of Starbase 118. It seems Captain Lee, Captain Crozier, Captain Bradbury, and Commander Elliot had the same idea."

Tasha laughed in disbelief.

She couldn't help it.

She was having trouble comprehending how this could have come about – especially given that she was certain she'd left a bad impression on Captain Bradbury.

"The rescue of hostages on the promenade, a selfless act of sacrifice to ensure the escape of two runabouts, and something about crawling through a Jefferies tube with two children," Picard said with a smile. "You remind us each day of the unwavering commitment security officers make to protect others."

Tasha felt her face flush.

"And I couldn't be more proud," Picard said warmly.

"Thank you, sir," Tasha replied in earnest.

"This does mean you will be required to attend the Starfleet Academy Reunion," Picard warned.

Tasha grinned.

"Yeah, I suppose," Tasha agreed, remembering her promise to Data to attend.

After Captain Picard explained the details of what would be expected of her, he made to return to the Bridge. He was immensely proud of Tasha's service and couldn't help but feel a sense of fatherly pride.

But before he reached the door, he stopped.

"Tasha, I also wanted to apologise for the way I spoke to you the other night," Picard confessed as he turned back to her.

Tasha wasn't sure what he was referring to.

"I don't understand, sir," Tasha said.

"A few weeks ago, when you approached me about your concerns regarding the Romulans," Picard reminded her. "I shut you down. I raised my voice at you. And I threatened to court martial you if you didn't leave it alone."

Tasha recalled the encounter vividly.

Captain Picard had never before spoken to her like that.

It had been wildly out of character for the ever-composed Captain and had left Tasha concerned that he was being threatened.

"Sir, if you've been pressured by someone-" Tasha started to say.

"No, Lieutenant," Picard assured her. "I promise you nothing of the sort has occurred."

Tasha's eyes narrowed. She wasn't quite buying it.

"Do you remember when we first met?" Picard asked.

"Of course, sir," she replied.

---

ELEVEN YEARS EARLIER

She had still been a cadet in the Academy.

The situation on Carnelia IV had grown dire. It was a Federation colony along the Cardassian border. In an effort to expedite the evacuation, Starfleet had called in every available ship.

At the time, Tasha Yar had been a second-year cadet – not quite seventeen yet – and serving in a limited capacity aboard the USS Firenze as part of an eight-week internship as an Acting Ensign.

Intern cadets weren't supposed to see combat.

Nor was the mission to Carnelia IV supposed to be dangerous.

Rescue and evacuation, that had been their charge.

Only the Cardassian fleet had arrived three days sooner than expected and Starfleet had been caught unprepared.

A line of ships laid down cover fire while troop transports began shuttling down ground troops. Their position in the city had been untenable. Forced the retreat, Captain Picard had led a group of refugees out into the hostile wilderness.

It had been chaos when the Cardassians descended upon the city. As they fled, both families and Starfleet away teams had been separated.

Captain Picard had found himself trapped in the chilly, desolate terrain with a group of survivors when the Cardassians had opened fire.

In the shuffle, Captain Picard's group had been joined by several officers from the USS Firenze – including an unflappable young Acting Ensign that proved to be a valuable resource.

Tasha Yar had impressed Captain Picard with her survival skills. She knew how to tend and bind wounds, avoid poisonous flora, and how to scout unseen.

She could start a fire without Starfleet technology, could find fresh water, and could read an antique compass.

They spent six days in the wilderness - ducking Cardassian patrols, scavenging for food, and doing their best to reach a Federation outpost station that was sixty-three kilometres from the city where Starfleet had a sizable security contingent.

The outpost was surrounded by a minefield and the Cardassians were closing fast.

The group led by Captain Picard had been less than a kilometre away when they had come under attack.

Fortunately, this drew the attention of the Starfleet security team at the outpost. With their support, the security team at the outpost had managed to ferry the bulk of the refugees to safety.

But they had been unable to get everyone across. They couldn't compete with the superior Cardassian numbers and weren't able to lay down enough fire to cover the last of them.

The Cardassians had driven the bulk of Starfleet's force back but there were a handful of survivors trapped on one end of the minefield.

They were pinned down under a ridge that was full of Cardassian troops. The Cardassians had the high ground as the survivors were trapped in the ravine below.

There was no cover.

Like fish in a barrel, the survivors couldn't risk the trek through the minefield without exposing themselves.

The survivors that were stuck were the slowest of the group – two elderly survivors, several children, a handful of wounded (including one Jean-Luc Picard who had taken a disruptor blast to the leg) and a spunky Acting Ensign that had been carrying one of Picard's Lieutenants that had been seriously wounded during the initial escape from the city.

As darkness fell, it was evident the Cardassians would make an attempt to capture them.

Yar had requested one of the refugees give her their jacket. It was darkly coloured, and Tasha had a plan.

"I'm sorry, sir. I know this may finish me in Starfleet but this our best shot," Tasha had insisted.

Disregarding Captain Picard's protest, Tasha Yar had guided the survivors out one-by-one, traversing the minefield and leading them to safety.

Under the cover darkness, she had helped the elderly survivors, carried the children, and hauled the wounded to the other side of the minefield.

When she emerged again, hugging the shadows of the rockface, Captain Picard had reached his breaking point.

He was irritated and jumpy.

With each subsequent trip the young woman made, he grew increasingly worried the Cardassians would move in. She was playing a dangerous game of chance with each return.

"This is your final trip," Picard had said in a warning tone. "You will stay at the outpost."

It was just Captain Picard and the unconscious Lieutenant Whelan left at this point.

Even at sixteen, Tasha Yar had possessed an alarming ability to triage and prioritise the survivors – taking the children first, the colonists next, and the wounded in order of their survival chances.

It both intrigued and disturbed Picard that an Acting Ensign possessed the cool disposition to make such a callous, but necessary, command decision.

"I'll see you shortly, sir," Tasha advised. "I'll be coming along this rockface, so you know that it's me approaching. Please don't shoot."

She had offered him a weak smile. Tasha knew just how terrifying it could be to be alone and injured in the darkness.

True to her word, Captain Picard's ears perked up as he heard a rustle in the darkness as she had appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

"I gave you an order, Acting Ensign," Picard said, feeling simultaneously relieved and irritated at her presence.

Tasha ignored his remark.

Instead, she had checked the rudimentary wrap on his leg to ensure the burn wasn't exposed. She tightened the bandages and then stopped.

Before the Captain could speak, she put out her hand to stop him.

There was a soft crunch in the distance.

Tasha put a finger to her lips in the universal sign of silence as she listened carefully.

Captain Picard could hear it too – it was the sound of footfalls on the rocky terrain. Someone was approaching and they were less than a few metres away.

Tasha got up and crept along the rockface, disappearing from sight as she scouted the area.

She returned a few moments later, looking shaken, but no worse for wear.

Wordlessly, she signalled that there were six Cardassians closing in on their position. They were on the ground and moving quickly.

Tasha glanced behind her to the minefield and then back to Captain Picard.

"This is going to hurt, sir," Tasha whispered. "But we need to go. Now."

She was grateful he was a lot slimmer than some of the Captains she'd seen at the Academy.

Tasha bent down and gripped his arm and leg.

Captain Picard couldn't help but let out a yelp of pain as she hoisted him onto her shoulders.

It was enough to tip off the Cardassians who subsequently opened fire.

Under heavy disruptor fire, Tasha hauled arse across the minefield.

Captain Picard would never fully understand how they managed to get lucky enough to avoid the Cardassian line of fire. He surmised it was a combination of the extraordinarily dark night, speed, and a wee bit of luck.

When they reached the other edge of the minefield, Tasha had carefully deposited him on the ground as a medical team raced to provide treatment for his disruptor wound.

Breathless, Tasha had returned the dark jacket that had been her only protection on that minefield to its owner.

As they treated his injury, Captain Picard had watched her move through the survivors – checking to ensure everyone was safe and tending to some of the more minor injuries with a poise that few officers possessed.

Captain Picard was curious about this young Ensign and her remarkable ability to maintain a calm, focused demeanour in the face of such a crisis.

"Where are you from?" Captain Picard asked.

Surprisingly, this question seemed to ruffle her.

"Ensign?" Picard pressed.

"Turkana, sir," Tasha answered quietly. "It's not a Federation planet. In fact, it's a nothing little backwater in the middle of nowhere."

Captain Picard had heard stories of Turkana. No Federation vessel had visited Turkana in ages. It had once been a Federation colony for a time, but those days were long gone – displaced by famine and a civil war that had wiped out thousands of lives and poisoned the environment.

Turkanans that did interact with the rest of the Quadrant had a reputation.

Violent mercenaries and unscrupulous soldiers of fortune.

Black-market traders and smugglers.

Slave-traffickers and pirates.

Captain Picard had realised in that moment that this young Ensign had likely seen more than her fair share of horrors in her young life. She was fearless because she'd grown up in a world where such a characteristic was required for survival.

"When is your assignment on the Firenze up?" Picard had inquired.

"In about three more weeks, sir," Tasha replied.

Tasha braced herself for a dressing down.

In her mind, there could only be one reason for such a question.

Tasha was going to be disciplined and thrown out of the Academy.

"With your approval, I would like to speak with Captain Hannigan and request that when your time on the Firenze is completed, that your next assignment be on the Stargazer," Picard explained. "It's a bigger ship and would be an excellent posting."

Tasha's brain felt like it had blown a fuse.

"Um, I-I don't follow, sir," Tasha had admitted.

"I'd like you to serve under my command. I recognise you are young and only an Acting Ensign but I'm certain that you're capable. I've known many fine officers, Miss Yar," Picard had said. "But few who have possessed the selflessness and courage you've demonstrated this evening."

Tasha shifted uncomfortably.

"I owe you my life," Picard went one. "And for that you will always have my gratitude."

"It was nothing, sir," Tasha said as she cleared her throat. "I'm sure that you would have done the same."

Praise was such an unfamiliar thing that it made her uneasy.

"I will also be recommending you for a Commendation Ribbon for your actions here," Picard explained.

Tasha's throat went dry as the imposter syndrome set in.

"That's very kind of you, sir. But I'm afraid you can't do that," Tasha replied.

Captain Picard cocked an eyebrow at the young woman.

She had already disregarded his orders earlier. Apparently, she was unafraid to speak her mind.

Tasha anticipated that he was taken aback by her forwardness.

"Sir, you can't recommend me for commendation as I am not eligible," Tasha clarified. "My assignment on the Firenze is ending because I'm returning to Starfleet Academy."

Jean-Luc's eyes had widened at this revelation.

"I'm an intern. Acting Ensign is merely a formality during that internship," Tasha went on.

She cleared her throat and looked away.

"From what I've seen, you could enlist and excel," Picard said.

He had no intention of discouraging someone from the Academy – life as an officer afforded many perks that enlisted personnel did not have.

However, he was desperate to get this woman on his crew.

"I can't enlist, sir," Tasha said bluntly. "I'm sixteen."

Although Academy entrants could be admitted as young as age fifteen (provided they were sixteen by the time the first term began), non-Academy enlisted personnel could not sign up until the age of eighteen.

That night in the wilderness of Carnelia IV, Captain Picard had made Tasha Yar promise that she would stay in contact with him regarding her progress at the Academy.

He wanted to keep tabs on her.

When six months had gone by with no communication, Tasha Yar had received a rather testy subspace communication from Captain Picard.

She had apologised profusely – confessing that she had assumed his statement that night had merely been a polite chinwag as she could fathom no reason a decorated Captain would have any interest in a 'little nobody' as she had deemed herself.

Captain Picard had no family other than his brother. At that time, his beloved nephew Rene had not yet been born and his parents were long deceased.

Picard had learned that Tasha Yar was an orphan. She was hesitant to discuss her personal information or the circumstances of her decision to leave Turkana.

However, through a number of inquiries, Picard had learned that she was among a group of people rescued a year earlier by the USS Renegade from a ship of human traffickers. And he understood she likely had good reason for her hesitancy at disclosing personal information.

The two unlikely souls had struck up a regular correspondence.

By the time she had left the Academy, they had developed a peculiar friendship.

Proving herself a valuable cadet, Tasha Yar had been in high demand upon her graduation – earning a position with covert operations in the Border Wars and eventually her assignment to the Crazy Horse.

With Alfie.

And Alfie's loss had led her to the dangerous assignment that reunited Tasha and Jean-Luc Picard once more under Cardassian fire as they had worked to liberate Bajorans from a Cardassian forced labour camp.

Picard was commanding the Atraides at the time but was due to take command of the newly commissioned Enterprise-D once its construction was complete.

It was a Galaxy class vessel and Picard wanted to be sure to snag Lieutenant Yar for his team of senior officers.

When he made the offer, Tasha had still been reeling from the loss of Alfie.

She had felt that leaving the Crazy Horse would be for the best.

On a whim, she had accepted a transfer to the Atraides, and the rest was history.

---

PRESENT

"Do you remember when we first met?" Picard asked.

"Of course, sir," she replied.

"Although you have served under my command for three years," Picard remarked. "Sometimes I look at you and can't help but see that young girl in a Carnelian minefield."

The Captain paused.

"And I have to remember that she's not a child," Picard said slowly. "She was not a child then. Nor is she one now."

He felt terrible for the way he had spoken to her all those weeks ago in regard to the Romulan incident. Jean-Luc hadn't told her about his conversation with Guinan.

How could he?

But Jean-Luc also felt that he had a duty to protect her.

Tasha's throat felt tight. She could see the pain in his eyes.

This was difficult for him.

"I am sorry that I spoke to you harshly," Picard apologised. "But my concern for your welfare has remained unchanged since that day."

This business with the Romulan espionage was concerning. And he believed her suspicions about it extending into the Starfleet chain of command was likely.

"When things settle down, we can discuss pursuing the Romulan situation. After all, they aren't going anywhere," Picard said.

Tasha nodded in understanding.

In fact, letting things cool off for a time might prove beneficial.

If the Romulans thought they had gotten away with it, the spies may get comfortable and expose themselves.

"Once again, let me apologise for coming down on you. You were merely doing your job," Picard repeated.

He shrugged.

"I was worried about the missing away team, and I took it out on you," Picard lied.

Tasha eyed him carefully.

"Sir, the away team didn't depart until seventy-two hours after we had that conversation," Tasha said, correcting him.

Damn her attention to detail. Picard cursed internally.

He could see the wheels turning in her mind as Tasha was flooded with an endless series of 'what ifs.'

They knew one another well enough that Tasha realised the Captain was lying.

He could have merely apologised without any excuse and that would have been the end of the matter.

There was no reason for him to include a rationale.

And that struck Tasha as odd. She knew he was keeping something from her.

"Sir, what aren't you telling me?" Tasha asked frankly.

"Nothing, Tasha," Picard replied simply.

Captain Picard gave her a small nod before turning on his heel and exiting to the corridor.

---

As soon as the door closed, Tasha's brow furrowed.

She felt sick to her stomach.

The Captain's behaviour had been odd.

She stepped over to the sofa in her quarters and sat down. She was deep in thought as she tried to piece together what reasons the Captain would have for acting so strangely as of late.

Before she could think any further, the door to her quarters slid open.

Tasha recognised the familiar, lean shadow that stretched across the carpet as the light from the corridor spilled into her quarters.

Her eyes followed the shadow along the carpet to the welcome sight of standard issue black boots, up past the rest of him, and to the head that was cocked to the side.

Tasha got up from the sofa and stepped over to him.

It wasn't quite the wild embrace of a reunion that they had imagined.

Standing in front of him, Tasha could hardly believe that he was really, truly there.

She was staring at Data, struggling to process it. Tasha reached out and tentatively laid a hand on his chest.

She laughed softly as the touch confirmed he was real.

Data slipped two fingers under her chin and directed her to look up at him.

"Hi," she said.

Data cupped her face and planted a tender kiss on her lips.

Tasha was momentarily dumbstruck – simply grateful for the sensation of his hands on her face again.

When they broke apart, she was beaming.

"We have three days of R&R," Tasha said. "And a lot of catching up to do."

Data pulled her into a strong embrace.

To his relief, Tasha wrapped her arms around him. Data relaxed into it.

"Would it be acceptable to stay like this for a moment?" Data asked softly. "I would like to enjoy this sensation."

It felt wonderful not just to hold her once again, but also to be held. Tasha squeezed him tight and smiled against his shoulder.

"You know with the time dilation, it's technically been over three weeks since I got to hug you," Tasha said.

"And because of my chronometer, I was painfully aware of each second of that time," Data confessed.

He let go of her in favour of other experiences he had missed.

Data took hold of her hands, intertwining their fingers and smiled.

"I have missed this," Data said.

"Sap," Tasha teased.

She kissed the inside of his wrist and gave him a knowing look.

"I know you trust Geordi implicitly, but I think it would be best if I were to make sure you're properly reassembled," Tasha said playfully.

She traced over his shoulders and down the length of his arms.

She stopped at his hands.

"Go over you bit by bit," she added as she kissed each of his fingers one by one.

Data couldn't blush, but he certainly felt a twinge of bashfulness at her suggestion. There was something that still made his system flutter in knowing that another being wanted him.

So many people were unsettled by his artificial nature and inhuman appearance, it was reassuring to know that Tasha genuinely desired him.

"That seems wise," Data replied. "I believe I could accommodate that request."

To a casual observer, it would have seemed the opposite of sweet talk.

But Tasha found it endearing.

She pulled him toward the bedroom in her quarters when Data's combadge suddenly pinged.

"Lieutenant Barclay to Commander Data," Barclay's voice sounded. "I-I-I'm having a problem with the programme and need your help to sort it out."

A short growl of frustration escaped from Tasha's lips.

Data gave her a pleading look.

"Go," Tasha said.

She knew it had to be something important if Data was looking at her like that.

Data felt guilty about delaying his time with Tasha, but they had to ensure everything was prepared for tonight.

"This will not take long," Data assured her.

---

Three hours later, Data returned to her quarters after the issue at the holodeck had been resolved.

He had walked as quickly as he could from holodeck four to Tasha's door – offering his sincerest apologies to Doctor Jacobi of the astrophysics team who had cornered him on the turbolift.

Jacobi was keen to have Data share his experience with the black hole at an upcoming astrophysics symposium. Data was thrilled with the opportunity, but his mind was presently fixated in anticipation of an entirely different kind of thrill.

When he returned, Data found Tasha curled up on her sofa with her PADD in hand.

Tasha had decided to use the time to continue working on the Sherlock Holmes holodeck programme she was building with the help of Worf and Geordi.

She didn't just want it to be a replay of Holmes's adventures.

Rather, Tasha wanted to offer Data a series of original adventures in a Holmes's setting. It was her desire that he would be able to play through them, solving mysteries and experiencing the joy of an interactive programme rather than just following a familiar storyline.

The excitement was in the chase – and Tasha wanted to be sure that Data got to experience that.

"I am sorry that it took longer than anticipated," Data said as he sat down next to her.

"Everything alright?" Tasha asked.

"Yes," Data replied.

He figured now was as good a time as any to break the news to her about tonight.

"Tasha, I know that it is your desire that we spend the evening together alone. However, I am afraid that I must request we postpone such an endeavour," Data apologised.

He explained that their presence would be necessary on the holodeck later – followed by a trip to Ten Forward. Data was scant with the details only to say the matter was of great importance and that she needed to be on the holodeck at 18:45.

Tasha was curious as to what Data had up his sleeve.

It wasn't anyone's birthday. Nor was anyone planning to celebrate their rescue. In fact, nearly everyone had agreed they would wait until the Chief was feeling better.

"Please Tasha, this is for a friend," Data urged.

"This is really important to you, isn't it?" Tasha asked.

She could see was fixated on the subject.

"We will be expected to join the others in Ten Forward afterward," Data advised.

Tasha was trying to be supportive, but she couldn't help feeling a little miffed.

"Fine," she said in compromise. "But let's not stay long. An hour at most, OK?"

Data nodded in agreement.

"And after that, it's just you and me tonight, Commander," Tasha said as she poked his chest.

Data took hold of the PADD in her other hand and set it aside on the windowsill.

"Which leaves us five hours and nineteen minutes until tonight," Data said as he moved toward her.

"Oh?" Tasha asked as she leaned back against the edge of the sofa.

Although their evening plans were detoured, at the very least they had the afternoon to themselves.

"And just what do you propose we do with that time, Commander?" Tasha questioned.

"I can theorise 3,780 individual ways in which we may occupy our time," Data replied as he crawled on top of her.

He closed the distance between them and captured her lips in a welcome kiss.

Tasha let out an appreciative murmur against his lips.

This is what they had waited for. Despite the delay, it was worth every second.

"Data, are you in the middle of anything?" Chief O'Brien's voice rang out from Data's combadge.

"Ignore it," Tasha urged.

She clutched the back of his head and pulled him down for another kiss.

"I need your help with summat," Miles added.

Data sat up and was about to respond when Tasha caught his hand to stop him.

"Tasha, I will need to see to this," Data said.

"After," Tasha insisted.

She removed his combadge and set it on the windowsill as she placed a series of kisses along his jawline.

"Tasha, it is imperative that I-" Data began to say.

He stopped as Tasha lunged at him.

"Mmm, later," she pressed as she nipped at his lower lip.

Data felt terrible for pulling away.

But he had made a promise to the Chief.

"Tasha, I made a promise to a friend to help them with a romantic gesture," Data explained. "Since I was responsible for suggesting the match, I have an obligation to see it through."

Tasha was confused.

"I warned you about playing matchmaker for Geordi," she said.

She was concerned that this had something to do with Geordi's crush on Sonya Gomez.

Geordi had been through a rough patch lately. He was a true romantic and took it hard whenever his endeavours failed. His problem was that Geordi always tried too hard.

Tasha was worried that if Data and Geordi were putting a lot of effort into something that it would be too much, and that they were setting themselves up for failure.

Geordi didn't need another heartbreak.

"It is crucial that I go to the Chief," Data went on. "The success of this evening depends upon it being flawless."

Tasha sighed and shook her head.

"Whatever you guys are planning, you're all getting way too wrapped up in it," Tasha said.

She took hold of Data's hands.

"Honey, if she really likes him, it's for who he is. Not for some fancy plan or intricately organised evening," Tasha cautioned. "For Geordi's sake, don't get carried away. Please."

"I will be back shortly," Data promised as he kissed the back of her hand.

---

Tasha extended her arms and lifted the dumbbells above her head.

After completing her final rep, she sat up off the bench.

She was about to move into her next set when she felt someone was watching her.

Glancing over to the corner, she saw Data standing in the doorway looking ashamed.

"I do not know what to say," Data confessed apologetically.

It had been three hours since he'd told her he would 'be back shortly' before departing her quarters to meet with the Chief in Sickbay.

"You got carried away, didn't you?" Tasha asked as she bent her elbow to curl her bicep.

Data opened his mouth to speak but Tasha cut him off.

"Ah! I warned you," Tasha said as she extended back to the resting position.

When an hour had gone by without his return, Tasha had decided it would be best to hit the gym.

She hadn't been able to work out during the black hole situation because of all the stimulants and relaxants Beverly had pumped into her system. Aside from her one rebellious holodeck run, Tasha had followed the Doctor's advice.

It felt good to be back in the gym. It was a way to blow off some steam and pass the time.

Data stepped over to her position.

"We need to be on the holodeck in one hour and forty-six minutes," Data said.

He took the weights from her hands.

"And you will require a shower before then," Data whispered.

Tasha grinned.

She couldn't stay mad at him.

Not when he was looking at her like that.

Tasha turned around to grab her Parrises Squares bag and retrieved a cooling flannel.

Data, still both dumbbells in one hand, came up behind her and wrapped his free hand around her waist.

"We will go to the holodeck, then Ten Forward, and be back to your quarters by 21:00," Data said in a low voice against her ear.

"Then let's not waste another moment," Tasha replied.

Data's combadge pinged.

"Data, I need your help," Geordi's voice rang out.

It was evident from his tone that Geordi was panicked.

Data could feel Tasha stiffen.

She set her Parrises Squares bag back down on the ground.

"Geordi, would it be possible for me to stop by later before-" Data started.

"Now, Data. Please!" Geordi urged.

Tasha turned and faced Data.

He could tell she was agitated – and not because of the delay.

"Listen to him. He's completely flustered!" Tasha exclaimed. "You two need to cool it with the matchmaker stuff. Let it happen naturally."

Data was unsure how to respond.

He knew that if he were to explain the nature of the situation, Tasha would understand. However, he had made a promise to keep the plan a secret.

"You've gone all neurotic. This is Sherlock Holmes all over again," Tasha pleaded. "Geordi could get hurt."

"I assure you that is not the case," Data protested.

"Then what's going on?" Tasha demanded.

Data hesitated. He wanted to clear up the misunderstanding.

But he knew he could not.

She would understand in a few hours' time. He would have to apologise later.

"I gave my word I would not speak of it," Data explained.

"He's your best friend, Data," Tasha said in a cautionary voice.

She took the weights from him.

"Go," Tasha said begrudgingly.

"Tasha, I-" Data began to say.

"Go," Tasha repeated, miffed at the idea that whatever they had planned was going to end up with Geordi feeling heartbroken.

---

To Data's surprise, Geordi had paged him to his quarters not for the situation with Miles.

Geordi was getting ready and from the looks of his quarters, Tasha had been correct.

Geordi was a nervous wreck.

His clothes were strewn about on the floor. Two pairs of shoes were tossed on the bed. Geordi had a flannel cinched around his waist as he fidgeted with his razor – checking and then rechecking the closeness of his shave.

He ran his hand across his neck and chin again and growled in frustration.

"Data! Thank goodness," Geordi said desperately. "Which outfit do you think gives the right impression?"

Data glanced down at the various garments that Geordi had laid out.

"I want something flattering that says I'm making an effort," Geordi described. "But not too much. Effortlessly cool. Something that oozes confidence without looking too pretentious."

Geordi froze.

"But it can't look too outdated. I don't want to highlight our age difference," Geordi said.

"Perhaps Commander Riker would be better suited to offer advice in the manner of dress," Data advised.

Data owned relatively little clothing. In fact, he rarely wore anything other than his uniform. He did not feel equipped to handle Geordi's request.

"Something that screams I'm casual but suave, dishy you know," Geordi went on before quickly adding. "But not like I'm hung up on it. I don't want her to think I'm trying too hard."

"That is a complex set of parameters," Data remarked.

He glanced over the various outfits Geordi had selected. It looked like he had pulled out his entire closet.

Data considered Tasha's advice from earlier.

"Geordi, perhaps you should relax and let it happen naturally," Data suggested. "It is clear that she enjoys your company. If she wishes to pursue a relationship, it should be because she desires your presence because of who you are, not because of your attire."

Geordi picked up a bright blue shirt and a pair of grey trousers.

"You're right, the Orion silk is probably my best bet," Geordi said as he slipped it on.

It was clear he was not listening.

"Geordi-" Data said.

"Can you take a look at the bouquets I have selected on my PADD? I'm going to swing by the Arboretum before we head to Ten Forward."

"Geordi," Data repeated.

But it didn't faze him, Geordi's mind was completely wrapped up in trying to make a good impression on Sonya.

"I'm thinking a singular red rose since it's a classic," Geordi said as he slipped on his VISOR. "But she's fun, you know? Bright. Cheery. So, I got to thinking maybe I should pick something that reflects her personality instead like a daffodil or those apricot begonias that Keiko's got."

Geordi froze and spun back to Data.

"What if she has allergies?" he asked fearfully.

He clutched his temples in aggravation.

"I didn't even think," Geordi bemoaned. "Ugh! Get it together, La Forge."

"Geordi!" Data said forcefully.

Geordi dropped his hands and looked at Data, shocked by his stern voice.

"Geordi, I believe that you are thinking too hard," Data cautioned.

He fell back on the old advice Geordi had once given him.

"Perhaps you should relax and 'lean into it'," Data said with a shrug.

---

The turbolift stopped and Tasha Yar stepped on with Captain Picard.

"Deck seventeen," Tasha ordered.

"It would seem we share a mutual destination," the Captain said.

"Holodeck Two?" Tasha asked.

The Captain nodded.

The Captain wasn't certain what awaited them, only that Commander Riker had requested his presence.

"And no, I don't know what the purpose of this is," Picard added in anticipation of her next question.

"Data wouldn't tell me either," Tasha responded.

He'd been gone nearly the entire afternoon. After returning from Geordi's he had slipped into a casual shirt and trousers quickly. He had made his apologies to Tasha and left in a hurry – assuring her it would all make sense when they were on holodeck.

"How's Commander Data?" Picard asked. "I'm curious about how he's been since his reattachment."

"I'll let you know as soon as I get some time with him for myself," Tasha replied.

Captain Picard looked over to her for a further explanation.

"I don't know what they're up to. He's been gone all day," Tasha said as she gestured vaguely.

When they reached the holodeck, they found the other officers were already there.

Will and Deanna were both holding bottles of champagne.

Beverly and Wesley were chatting with Reg Barclay who had a stack of glasses in one hand.

Worf was standing stoically by himself.

Sonya Gomez and Geordi were near one another – Geordi looking petrified and keeping his eyes aimed straight ahead.

"Thanks for coming," Miles said as they joined the group.

"It's good to see you up and about, Mr O'Brien," Picard said, greeting him.

Miles was still sporting a brace and leaning heavily on a cane – but he was standing and that was a good start on the road to recovery.

"Can you help me spread these out?" Miles asked as he handed Tasha a package from his hand.

Tasha opened the satchel to see it was filled with rose petals.

"They're Keiko's favourite," Miles explained. "Gallica roses."

Tasha grinned.

"Chief, are you planning to ask Keiko something rather important?" Tasha asked eagerly. "Is that what this has all been about?"

Miles blushed.

"Something very important," he assured her.

"Then I'm very happy for both of you," she smiled.

In an instant, all of her frustration with Data from earlier melted away.

Now she understood why this had been so important to him.

Data had been playing matchmaker – but it wasn't to arrange a date for Geordi.

"If I may," Riker said as he took the satchel of rose petals from Tasha.

Tasha was grateful Riker had stepped in.

Unlike her plan to scatter them at random, Riker arranged them to frame a space around Miles. He then lined the remaining ones up in a path leading from the arch to the Chief.

"Lovely," Miles commented.

Tasha noticed Data still hadn't arrived.

"He's fetching Keiko," Miles informed her. "Let's just hope she says yes."

Tasha gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Of course, she will," Tasha assured him.

Reg motioned for them all to get over to a certain spot in the holodeck. They had designed the programme so that their friends would be hidden behind a holographic barrier until after Miles popped the question.

Once it was done, Data had coded in to have the barrier disappear. Friends would appear with champagne and well wishes to celebrate and watch the show.

"Computer, run programme Data 702," Barclay ordered.

The familiar lined walls of the holodeck were replaced with an inky blue-black sky filled with stars, swirling galaxies, and cloudy nebulas.

The terrain was a series of still bodies of water intersected by occasional bits of dark grass. They were smooth, like glass. And it offered the illusion of a seemingly endless mirror that reflected the sky above.

It was like standing in the middle of the stars.

Everyone waited in anticipation.

A few moments later, Data escorted Keiko onto the holodeck.

"Data, what is this?" Keiko asked.

"You will see," Data replied.

"Miles?" Keiko asked as she spied him a few metres away.

Miles gave her a shy wave.

She turned back to ask Data what was going on, only to find that he had completely disappeared.

Data had snuck off into the darkness and joined the others.

He silently slipped his hand in Tasha's as they watched in expectation.

Worf found the entire ordeal to be exceptionally romantic. Beverly was having a hard time containing her giddiness. Internally, Commander Riker was cheering them on.

Deanna could feel all of it – the Chief's nervous energy. Keiko's curiosity.

Even Captain Picard was elated.

"Do you like it?" Miles asked.

Keiko cupped his face.

"This is beautiful," Keiko replied.

"I wanted to do something special for you. I had a lot of time on that shuttle to think about you," Miles confessed.

Miles began to fidget.

"Look in your pocket," Miles said.

He had requested Data slip the bracelet into Keiko's pocket when she wasn't looking.

Keiko reached in and fished around in the pocket of her jumper.

Suddenly, she stopped as her hand closed around something with a chain.

She pulled out the bracelet and examined it.

"Miles!" she said in astonishment as she ran her fingers over the detailed engraving. "It's stunning."

"Like you," Miles said.

Keiko slipped in on her wrist and fastened the buckle.

"I also have something I wanted to ask you," Miles continued.

He took a breath.

"I wanted to do it proper and all for you. You deserve no less. Honey, I swear I'll do the best-" Miles began to ramble.

Keiko clasped her hand over her mouth as she realised what was happening.

"And I know life on a starship can be-" he went on.

"Yes!" Keiko said as she shook her head.

Miles stopped.

"You said yes?" Miles asked to clarify.

"Yes!" Keiko repeated as she threw her arms around him.

"Oof!" Miles grunted as he shifted on his injured leg.

Keiko apologised and assured he was alright before pulling him into a warm embrace.

On cue, the holodeck partition that was hiding the other officers disappeared.

Shouts of congratulations, applause, and the popping of the champagne corks followed.

"I wouldn't have made it back here if it weren't for you folks," Miles said as he turned to the group. "And I couldn't have done this without your help."

A collective gasp of awe went around the room as the next part of the programme activated.

Captain Picard laughed triumphantly.

Data planted a chaste kiss at Tasha's temple.

Everyone stared in wonder as the holodeck sky was filled with falling rose petals and brilliant crystals that shimmered and reflected.

"Are you seeing this?" Wes asked in amazement. "It's-"

"Raining diamonds," Sonya said breathlessly.

She looked over and smiled at Geordi.

"Just like Heboyd V," Geordi said.

Miles informed them it was Data's idea and that Geordi and Reg had been an integral part of designing the programme in such short order.

"But no one has ever witnessed the atmosphere of Heboyd V," Picard asked. "We know that it rains diamonds but there are no lakes or bodies of water."

"These pools are called the Tears of Heaven located in the Tuneri Apa star system," Data informed them. "I felt that they would enhance the ambiance of the evening."

"That's very imaginative, Data," Deanna said warmly as they watched the crystals rain down around them.

Unlike real diamonds, these were designed not to hurt them.

In fact, Data had made them as light as snow.

From the corner, Tasha heard Worf sniffle. Klingons were incredibly romantic and Worf was no exception. His collection of love poetry rivalled only Data.

She turned to him with a knowing smile.

"I have something in my eye," Worf said stiffly.

As Reg and Commander Riker passed out the champagne, everyone mingled around to watch the scene before them.

"You're a good man, Data," Tasha said softly as she gave his hand a squeeze.

"This calls for a celebration!" Riker said. "Ten Forward?"

"This was really great," Sonya said as she looked up at the sky. "I could stay here for hours."

"You're coming too, right?" Geordi asked.

"To Ten Forward? Me?" Sonya questioned.

Geordi nodded.

"Of course," he replied as he waved her over.

Sonya wasn't sure how to respond.

"You're one of us, Sonya," Geordi assured her.

---

Once they reached Ten Forward, the team pushed a series of tables together. Even Captain Picard joined them. He was in rare form tonight and eager to celebrate with the rest of the crew.

At one end of the table, Geordi was sitting opposite Sonya.

"Thank you, again," Sonya said. "That was the coolest thing I've ever seen."

Geordi grinned.

"Like I said, you're one of us. Everyone here saved us from the black hole," Geordi assured her. "Especially you."

Sonya glanced down at her drink and then back up to Geordi.

"I'm really glad you made it back," Sonya confessed. "Engineering wouldn't be the same without you."

She had been a nervous wreck during the entire ordeal.

Her words were enough to instil courage in Geordi.

She liked his company.

She was glad he'd returned.

And she'd been willing to join them in Ten Forward.

Now or never, La Forge. He told himself as he steeled his nerves.

"Sonya, I've wanted to ask you something," Geordi began.

"There you are!" a voice cried out.

Geordi watched as a young security Ensign stepped over to the table and planted a kiss on Sonya's cheek.

"Luis," he introduced himself as he held out his hand to shake Geordi's.

Geordi felt his blood had iced over.

Luis draped his arm over Sonya's shoulder.

"Did you forget about tonight?" Luis asked her.

Sonya bit her lip.

"Gosh, sorry! I got caught up with this thing and I completely spaced," she admitted.

"Space cadet," Luis teased. "We're going to be late."

"Right," Sonya got up to leave. "Sorry about this."

Suddenly, she stopped.

"Oh, what were you going to ask, Lieutenant La Forge?" she inquired.

Geordi swallowed hard.

"Erm, how did you figure out it was a time dilation field?" Geordi replied awkwardly.

The moment had passed.

He'd waited too long, and his hesitation meant that he'd missed his chance.

Geordi kicked himself for waiting – he should have asked her weeks ago when the thought had first entered his mind.

Sonya looked at him with a funny expression.

She was feeling dejected. It had seemed like he was going to make a move.

And it was odd that Geordi was ask her the question to something that he already knew the answer to. After all, it should have been fairly easy for such an experienced engineer to make that determination based on the probe's readings.

"You've got plans and I don't want to hold you up," Geordi said, resigned that he blew his chance. "We can discuss it later. See you in Engineering."

"C'mon," Luis said as he tugged Sonya's hand. "Nice to meet you!"

Geordi looked down at his Coco-NoNo in defeat.

---

At the opposite end of the table, Tasha tapped Data on the leg.

"Where's Sonya?" she asked.

"Perhaps she has gone to the bar or to the facilities," Data suggested.

"Then why does Geordi look like he just punched in the gut?" Tasha said.

He followed her eyeline down the end where Geordi was sitting alone.

"Uh oh," Data replied.

"Oh no," Miles said in disappointment.

He leaned in close so that only the four of them could hear.

"He made a promise on that shuttle that when he got back, he was going to finally ask Ensign Gomez out," Miles explained.

"It would appear that it did not go as planned," Data observed.

"Poor Geordi," Keiko sympathised.

She felt horrible knowing Geordi was feeling so glum.

Secretly, they had all been rooting for Geordi and Sonya for some time.

"Go, Data," Tasha encouraged as she gave his hand a squeeze.

Data locked eyes with her as his face contorted.

"Go," Tasha repeated. "He needs you."

Data cocked his head to the side.

They had been about to leave before Tasha spied Geordi.

"I promised we would leave after an hour. And I have already broken too many promises to you today," Data said solemnly.

Tasha smiled.

"Data, he's your best friend. Look at him," Tasha urged. "Go to him."

Data could see that Geordi was hurting. However, he had made a promise to Tasha. Furthermore, Data felt that he had set Tasha aside most of the day in order to assist in the arrangements for the proposal and to help Geordi.

"You have already waited twenty-one days," Data said. "During that time, you have commented on numerous occasions how much you have been looking forward to the return of my body so that-"

"And you're worth waiting for," Tasha said, cutting him off. "Right now, Geordi needs you."

Tasha knew that there were some things that mattered more.

"I'll be here," Tasha assured him. "I'll always be here."

Data glanced down at Geordi and then back to Tasha.

"Go!" Tasha ordered.

With a quick nod, Data went to Geordi.

---

Out in the corridor, Sonya slowly shuffled along toward the lift.

"Alright, spill it," Luis said.

He could see she was feeling low.

Sonya shrugged, feigning ignorance.

They were nearly to the lift when Luis stopped abruptly.

"Wait? Is that him?" Luis asked excitedly. "Lieutenant La Forge?"

Sonya shifted uncomfortably and wrung her hands.

"It is, isn't it?" Luis pressed.

"Don't say anything," Sonya pleaded.

She felt awful.

She had been so certain that Geordi had been about to make a move.

Only he hadn't.

And now she was left wondering if it had all been in her head.

"Please, Luis. Just drop it. I don't know what I was thinking," Sonya said bitterly. "I probably just got my hopes up for nothing."

"What do you mean?" Luis asked.

They stepped onto the lift. As soon as the doors closed, Sonya crossed her arms and leaned against the wall.

"It's like sometimes we seem to really hit it off. I thought maybe he was interested too," Sonya grumbled. "It was probably all in my imagination."

Luis's eyes grew wide.

"You don't think he thought I was your date?" Luis speculated.

Sonya whacked his arm.

"I assure you that he did not. He doesn't even see me like that," Sonya said. "Besides, why would I ever date a lunkhead like you?"

"Watch it, prima hermana," Luis grinned.

---

Later that night, Data and Tasha left Ten Forward.

Geordi would be alright – he was mostly upset with himself for having waited too long.

They decided to take the long way back to Tasha's quarters.

In order to preserve power, lighting and gravitational systems fluctuated on some of the non-residential decks. It meant that these places were largely abandoned overnight.

And it was one of Tasha's favourite places for a late-night stroll.

The low artificial gravity on deck twenty-seven meant that their steps were a little lighter – not quite weightlessness – but enough that it was almost like walking in a dream.

Data's keen senses registered a drop in speed as the Enterprise slowed to impulse power.

Tasha glanced up at him.

"One of the built-in breaks. The ship has slowed," Data explained. "To rest the engines."

Long distances required cool down periods otherwise the engines would burn out.

Data pulled Tasha into one of the alcove lounges on the deck. They sat down on the edge of the angled window sill of a large observation window.

"The whole time I was travelling in that probe, I longed for a window," Data shared.

He had hoped he could look at the stars. In some strange way, the thought had made him feel less alone.

"I am glad that Miles and Keiko are engaged. I was not looking forward to having to deliver the alternative message," Data went on.

He took a long, artificial breath.

Data explained that as Geordi detached his cranial unit, the other away team members had given him messages that were to be delivered in the event that they could not be rescued. They had been short on time, and Data had been overcome with sadness at the idea of carrying their final messages.

Wes had sent a message for Beverly.

Will's communication had been a goodbye to Deanna.

Miles sent along a similar farewell to Keiko.

Geordi had prepared a statement for his parents – and struggled through a goodbye to Data.

"Curiously, Worf had a message intended for his parents and a private message he requested I transmit to a woman," Data said.

Tasha's ears perked up.

"I believe it is the Klingon woman we saw during Q's game," Data went on. "But that could be pure conjecture."

Tasha remembered it well.

For as long as she had known Worf, he'd kept a picture of a gorgeous Klingon woman on his desk. Whenever she asked about it, Worf clammed up tighter than a Vulcan shellfish.

Data could see Tasha was thinking hard.

"If I may offer you a suggestion, do not play matchmaker," Data teased.

Tasha rolled her eyes.

Data traced her jawline.

"I thought of you," Data admitted. "I thought of many things that I long to experience with you."

Data rested his forehead against hers.

Tasha's breath hitched.

"Data, if you're saying-" she began.

"I know that you are content with the current state of our relationship," Data assured her. "As am I."

Tasha relaxed a little.

The concept of marriage did not exist on Turkana. Despite most Federation humanoid species having some kind of marriage or marriage-like ritual, Turkanan culture was radically different.

And as strange as it was, Tasha couldn't help but feel a little hung up on the idea of getting engaged again after losing Alfie. It had been years, but for some reason Tasha couldn't shake a sense of betrayal to that memory if she were to get engaged again.

"There is an archaic song that states, 'to rush would be a crime' and I am inclined to agree," Data said softly. "I would like to 'make all the stops along the way' with you, Tasha."

Tasha closed her eyes as Data's thumb stroked her cheek.

"But I would like to know if I may call you my partner?" Data inquired.

Tasha had been reluctant to label their relationship. She had previously expressed that 'partner' was a term she considered to be quite formal.

But the question had weighed heavily on Data's mind.

With the Starfleet Academy reunion coming up – and Tasha's promise to attend – Data wasn't sure how to best introduce her to other officers that he was likely to reunite with at the event.

Tasha considered his question.

They were together. And she loved him – there was no question in that regard.

Hell, they'd gone through the entire ordeal of an embarrassing hearing over it.

And if that wasn't a testament to their feelings, Tasha wasn't sure what qualified anymore.

"Yeah," she said as she covered his hand with her own.

Data felt warm as relief washed over his system.

This was a step, another stop on the road ahead.

"We'll get there," Tasha promised. "I know you want more. Someday. And so do I."

Data understood.

This was part of why he wanted to begin joint counselling sessions with Deanna. He felt that it would help Tasha to work through some of her hang ups and overcome her feelings of guilt.

"In time," Data replied. "And I will wait as long as it takes."

Tasha opened her eyes and smiled at him.

In the ledge of the window to space, the only light was the faint glow from a nearby moon.

It illuminated Data's bioplast and Tasha thought he looked like one of those beautiful statues from classical antiquity that she had seen so many years earlier on Earth.

"What?" Data asked as his head tilted to the left.

His pupils were blown, lips slightly parted – it took her breath away.

"Moonlight is a good look on you," Tasha replied.

Data looked out into space.

"The light is actually being reflected by the sun rather than-"

Tasha shushed him as she reached up and directed his gaze back to her.

Data said nothing as they stared at one another – him illuminated by the light of the moon and her shadowed in the angle of the window aside from a glint in her eyes.

"I want to lose myself with you under the moonlight," Tasha whispered.

---

It was shortly after 02:00 hours when the Enterprise completed her cooldown and Data felt the ship lurch back into Warp speed. Looking up he saw the familiar sight of celestial bodies flying by – blurred by the speed of travelling through a warp bubble.

He glanced down at the woman fast asleep on top of him.

They were lying on the sofa in Tasha's quarters and Data was reluctant to move her.

It was the first time he'd been able to hold her since returning from the black hole and Data couldn't bring himself to separate even for the few moments it would take to carry her into bed.

Tasha murmured and shifted against him, resting her head on his chest.

He felt wonderful as he felt the rise and fall of her breathing against him. She wanted him. She adored him.

I want to lose myself with you under the moonlight.

Data blinked rapidly.

There were only limited records available regarding Turkana custom.

But Data knew enough from Tasha to understand that the moon was regarded as sacred. Even among the anti-religious Coalition and Alliance that had sought to stamp out the 'old ways,' the moon was held in high regard for its symbolism and significance on the planet.

Data accessed the informational files that he collected on Turkana's customs. It was the result of months of careful cultivation from limited sources and information that Tasha had shared.

Turkana had no concept of marriage.

No, commitments were different on Turkana and varied clan to clan.

The two main factions had outlawed any 'bonding rituals.' Some clans practiced polyamory. But for most of the unaffiliated population, family units were a matter of safety and security. They were not a matter of love or affection.

Rather, they were a matter of practicality.

Love for the sake of love was a forbidden notion.

It was dangerous and all too frequently ended in tragedy.

For those rare few that did choose to pursue an affair of the heart, their commitment to one another was made in a ritual known as the Ceangal Azurdorcha or "dark bond."

It was sealed with an act of coupling under moonlight.

But why under moonlight? Is that not considered dangerous? Data had inquired when she had first told him of the ritual months earlier.

He knew that Turkana was a perilous place full of both natural and manmade hazards.

So that only the moon knows your secret. Tasha had informed him. It's a promise shared between you, your lover, and the moon. And since the moon is constant, they believe that their love too will remain forever.

Data smiled to himself as he realised just how much more her request to 'lose herself under the moonlight' had meant.

Tasha carefully guarded her own Turkanan traditions – she had only ever shared a handful of these customs with Data, but he knew she held them dear.

This hadn't merely been an ardent reunion, it had been an act of the greatest devotion in a way that was so deeply personal to Tasha's innermost held beliefs.

Data traced the length of her spine, stopping when he reached the blanket that rested a few centimetres above her backside.

He left his hand on her lower back, ensuring just enough pressure to keep her from falling off in case she rolled, but not enough to wake her.

"Goodnight," Data whispered.

Data brushed the top of her head with a soft kiss and then activated his rest programme.