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.

65. All That Glitters

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

Writing this story has been one of the biggest things keeping me going during lockdown. I am so grateful for a community that embraces this ship and my interpretation of the TNG story.

Long chapter alert!

We're taking things out of order from series one, but I really wanted to include this storyline before we hit Haven and Measure of a Man.

Content Warning: Be advised, this chapter discusses pregnancy, miscarriage, and the loss of a child.

-X-

Per usual, you'll notice some differences from the source material. There seemed to be some serious plot holes in the original episode!

It never made much sense to me that such an advanced people would take like five kids and call it a day.

I know they're supposed to have lost much of the institutional knowledge of their forebearers, but surely they understood basic reproduction….

-X-

You'll also notice a discrepancy between the number of marriages Guinan sites in this chapter in comparison to what she tells Geordi in Nemesis. This is intentional.

-X-

As for the numbers, I like to estimate there are around 1700 people on the Enterprise (or 1701, tee hee)! In my own headcanon, I estimate one quarter to one third of that population is families and that there are around 80 – 100 children total.

That breaks down to a handful of children per age.

While families are present on the Enterprise-D, I imagine it's quite rare for an entire family to live together on the ship. Given that people get different assignments, the mix of Starfleet and civilian personnel, etc. I figure more families are probably spread out than living together – not just because of the risk, but also for reasons like work/not wanting to leave home/education/etc.

---

It had been more than ten days since the incident on Velara III. The terraforming crew had been dropped off safely at Starbase 14 and the repairs to the Enterprise had been completed under the supervision of Geordi and Data.

Tasha had woken up early.

She rolled over in bed and noticed something blinking on her nightstand. It was her PADD signalling an incoming message.

Tasha reached for the device.

She was momentarily blinded as she tapped the screen.

Following the incident on Velara III, Tasha had registered a formal complaint with Starfleet Command, Starfleet Sciences Division, and Admiral Hansen personally.

While her letter had been formal, Tasha had certainly not minced any words in sharing how deeply disturbed she was by Starfleet's decision and how very wrong it had been to destroy an entire civilisation of peaceful inorganic crystalline lifeforms.

She had been waiting on pins and needles for a response ever since.

To her surprise, the incoming message was not from Starfleet Command.

Are you up? Secure video channel. 04:23.

That was all the message said.

Rixx. Tasha realised.

Squinting, she glanced at the time.

4:18.

Tasha typed a quick affirmative and carefully crept out of bed and into the main room of her quarters.

She grabbed a cup of tea from her replicator and settled in on the sofa, using the ledge of her window as a desk.

Tasha reached up and smoothed her hair down with her hand in a desperate attempt to make herself look more presentable.

Bolians never slept more than four hours a night and so Rixx was often up late.

Tasha knew he had been in this sector – it explained the ability to get a secured video call out.

As the message rang in, Tasha tapped the screen to accept it.

"Good morning," Rixx said.

"Morning," Tasha responded with a yawn. "Sorry."

"Don't be," Rixx assured her. "Sorry to wake you."

Tasha waved him off. She was due to get up in a half hour anyways.

"I heard about Velara III," Rixx said.

He shook his head in disapproval.

"It's left us all a little shaken," Tasha replied.

"Some more than others, I'd say," Rixx said knowingly. "Humans have an uncanny ability to detach themselves from reality when their own interests are at stake."

As a Bolian, Rixx was no stranger to the internal politics of Starfleet. In fact, he was convinced that it was the human inability to feel empathy unless an issue personally impacted them that had kept Starfleet removed from the Bolian-Meropa conflict for so long.

Despite humans being only one of the Federation members represented in Starfleet, they had certainly held a disproportionate number of prime positions.

"Especially when they convince themselves their self-preservation is in jeopardy," Rixx teased.

"I know you didn't call just to cheer me up," Tasha responded, throwing it back at him.

They had always maintained a friendly banter. It was necessary given the seriousness of the work they were engaged in secretly.

One way to maintain sanity. Tasha mused.

"I received a tip that the Romulans may be using a new trick," Rixx explained. "One that has the potential to be quite dangerous."

Tasha's brow furrowed.

"What kind of trick?" she asked.

"A lifeform we've never seen before," Rixx said.

It clicked.

"So you thought Velara III-" Tasha trailed off as she rocked her head from side to side.

"Until I read the end of the report where it all went boom," Rixx responded.

He found it difficult to accept that the Romulans would be using or working with the lifeform on Velara III.

"It does seem like their playbook to blow it all up if someone looked too close for comfort," Tasha remarked.

That was true.

Romulans had a reputation for being exceptionally neat when it came to cleaning up their espionage activities. It was part of what made the so successful at infiltration.

"Normally, I would agree with you," Rixx said. "But this decision involved too many people. They had a council of Admirals sign off. Twelve in total. That's too many people to keep a secret."

Rixx had always quipped that a conspiracy was doomed to fail if it involved more than three people.

"You're probably right," Tasha concurred.

She sat back and ran her hand through her hair.

"So why a lifeform?" she inquired.

Rixx shook his head.

"Plausible deniability. An alliance. Who knows? We know they've used Centaurian slugs before. Perhaps this is simply another piece in their toolkit," Rixx said.

Tasha shuddered visibly at the thought of Centaurian slugs.

They were rumoured to be one of the worst possible Romulan devices of information extraction. They latched to the brainstem and released a toxin that made most humanoids incapable of lying. It messed with humanoid brain chemistry.

It was purported that Romulans could extract information from even the most highly trained espionage officers.

Rixx checked the time on his own device.

"I have to keep this under eight minutes," Rixx advised.

It was his only sure-fire way to piggyback it on another signal that had been pre-recorded. To anyone looking, they would see a message home to his family.

"Stay safe and watch your back," Rixx advised.

"You too, old man," Tasha responded with a smile.

The channel disconnected.

Tasha turned around and startled as she saw Data standing in the doorway.

Her reaction confirmed Data's suspicion that this call was something she had wanted to keep hidden from him.

"It is a most unusual hour for a video call," Data commented.

Tasha realised she had been caught.

But she also knew there was no way possible she could tell Data – even though it hurt to keep that from him.

"An old friend was in the area. Leaving soon. It's been ages since we've been able to chat," Tasha said.

It wasn't entirely a lie.

Though it did little to assuage her guilt.

Wiping her inbox, Tasha got up from the sofa and padded across the carpet.

"What can I make you for breakfast?" she asked with a bright smile.

Data caught Tasha on her way to the replicator and spun her around.

"Why are you hiding something from me?" he asked.

It wasn't said in an accusatory tone – Data was confused.

And worried.

"I can't tell you," Tasha responded honestly.

If this all truly did lead back to some Romulan conspiracy, then Data was already at risk. More than that, if Tasha were to face charges for her involvement then she could wind up dishonourably dismissed from service or in prison.

Data could be disassembled.

He could see from the subtle micro expressions in her face, the pace of her speech, and her posture that Tasha was feeling conflicted.

Data reached up to cup her face.

"Because it involves Starfleet Security?" Data inquired.

It was unusual, though not unheard of, for a Second Officer not to be copied on Starfleet Security directives.

Tasha didn't answer.

It was a silent way of communicating that she could neither confirm nor deny that assumption.

"What have you gotten yourself into?" Data asked as he stroked his thumb across her cheek.

"How about that Finnan haddie we made last week?" Tasha suggested.

"You are avoiding the subject," Data replied.

"Yes," Tasha nodded.

Data pulled her into a tight embrace and brushed the top of her hair with a soft kiss.

"Breakfast sounds lovely," he said.

---

To everyone's dismay, Captain Picard had little to report at the morning briefing. They were still awaiting new orders from Starfleet.

Otherwise, they were expected to maintain their present course.

With one minor diversion.

Night Watch had detected a strange energy reading and the Enterprise had diverted to get a closer look. It didn't appear to be anything dangerous – in fact, it seemed to be similar to a dual pulsar in an area not known to have one.

However, a dual pulsar was still more exciting than a routine mapping mission.

They were about to wrap up the briefing when Captain Picard sighed and leaned forward in his seat, folding his hands on the table.

"Now about this letter to Admiral Hansen," Picard said.

"Sorry, sir."

"Sir, I felt-"

"I recognise that-"

Everyone stopped and glanced around the table.

Tasha hadn't been the only one to respond.

In fact, everyone had spoken up.

Data surveyed the room and was hit with an overwhelming, fluttering sensation in his abdominal cavity.

As he scanned the faces of his colleagues, Data realised that every single one of the senior officers had lodged a formal protest in response to Starfleet's actions on Velara III.

"I only wanted to say, well done. I have never been prouder to call you all my crew," Picard announced.

Jean-Luc's face shifted to a sly grin.

"Though perhaps next time we could avoid the use of words like petaQ," Picard mused as he glanced at Worf.

PetaQ? Tasha mouthed from across the table.

Worf shrugged innocently.

"And gobshite," Jean-Luc added as he eyed Chief O'Brien.

"Well it was a load of gobshite," Miles remarked.

---

Shortly after 09:00, Data was en route to his lab.

Their morning briefing had concluded and there wasn't much happening on the Bridge. Data figured he could use the time to catalogue the information he had obtained on the lifeform from Velara III. While the entire civilisation had been wiped out, Data still had the information he had obtained during their limited study of the lifeform.

He was committed to recording it and sharing it with other exobiologists – not only for posterity, but as a warning should anyone else come across such a lifeform.

The discovery of the Velara III lifeform was hope that there were other kinds of inorganic life out there. It gave Data a sense of renewed energy that he was not alone in the universe.

Despite his mixed feelings on the Velara III incident, his morning with Tasha was the primary subject occupying his mind.

While it left Data worried that Tasha was involved in something that was off the book, Data tried not to let it bother him.

He trusted Tasha – implicitly.

If there was some matter of security that required her to operate outside of the traditional chain of command, then Data surmised that she must have a good reason for doing so.

She was an excellent Security Chief, and Data trusted her instincts.

Data was nearly to the lab when his combadge chimed.

"Mr Data, would you please report to the Bridge?" Captain Picard requested.

"Acknowledged. On my way," Data replied.

"Harry! Harry, come back here!" Lieutenant Bernard called out as his young son, Harry, went zooming down the corridor.

Harry bumped into Data and fell back onto the floor. He looked up and stared at Data for a second as he got his bearings.

"Hi, Mr Data," Harry said.

"Hello, Harry," Data responded as he helped the boy back to his feet.

Data taught art classes for various age groups – including children – at the Enterprise's school. While few adults attended, Data was a big hit with the five- to nine-year-old crowd.

"What is your purpose of-" Data paused for a moment before changing 'excessive speed' to 'hurry.'

He had developed a programme specifically for interacting with children, though he sometimes had to remind himself to use it.

It helped Data avoid his typically formal speech pattern and use more common terms that children would understand.

"Sorry. I was just-" Harry trailed off as his father rounded the corner.

"Sorry, Commander," Lieutenant Bernard said as he took hold of Harry's hand. "Harry, you know not to bother the senior officers."

"It is no bother," Data assured them.

Lieutenant Bernard cleared his throat as he saw Harry gloating.

"I'm not going back," Harry said in a defiant tone.

He crossed his arms and stared up at his father.

"I hate that teacher. And I hate geometry," Harry declared.

Lieutenant Bernard sighed. It had been an ongoing battle at the Bernard home as of late. Lieutenant Bernard and his wife were both marine biologists. They worked closely with the Cetacean Ops team down in the marine lab.

Neither of them were particularly inclined toward geometry – but they understood the importance of learning it and did their best to encourage their son in that direction.

Like his parents, Harry had no desire to study the subject.

"Everyone needs a basic understanding of geometry, whether they like it or not," Lieutenant Bernard explained.

"Why?" Harry demanded.

It was one of his favourite questions – and his parent's most dreaded word.

"Geometry plays an important role in many forms of art," Data chimed in.

Data was aware of Harry's dream of becoming an artist. He hoped that in connecting the two, Harry would recognise the importance of the subject.

Harry eyed Data sceptically.

"Do you recall the tile art project we created for the Arboretum?" Data asked.

Harry nodded.

"That project would not have turned out without the use of geometry," Data said.

Stubborn to a fault, Harry remained unconvinced.

Data knelt down so that they were at eye level and could talk one on one.

"We use it every time we draw lines and angles, shapes, and proportions," Data went on. "And we will use it again this week when we make origami art."

Harry's eyes lit up.

"I gotta go, Dad," Harry said to his father. "I gotta get back to class."

Harry rushed off without another word.

The curve of Data's lip turned upward as he saw him race back to the classroom.

"Thank you," Lieutenant Bernard said as he watched his son go. "You know you've really got a way with kids."

When Data had first come aboard the Enterprise, his classes had been poorly attended. Many of the parents aboard were nervous about allowing their child to spend ninety minutes with an android.

Worse than that, there had been some parents that had assumed Data's courses were merely a babysitting service under the watchful eye of some programmed robot.

Some of the parents had no respect for the course outline Data had developed nor the age groups they were designed for.

While Data taught all ages – he certainly didn't teach them all at one time.

His first few weeks of lessons had been an uncomfortable experience. He'd been forced to balance caring for an infant, occupying three toddlers, entertaining an unruly nine-year-old, and actually teaching a seriously interested fourteen-year-old student who felt woefully neglected.

But in time the parents of the Enterprise had grown accustomed to Data. He had laid down clear boundaries. And with Keiko's help, Data had built a reputation as a competent and trustworthy teacher.

Now he maintained a good rapport with most of the children and their parents – particularly aspiring artist Harry Bernard.

---

When he reached the Bridge, Captain Picard looked practically giddy.

"Has something occurred?" Data inquired.

"For the past few hours we've been tracking faint energy readings in an attempt to locate the source," Picard said.

Beverly had been in command on Night Watch overnight when they had detected the signature. She'd made the decision to divert course and follow them.

"It's like following a trail of breadcrumbs," Picard said with a twinkle in his eye.

He clasped his hands together.

"The trail led us here. And then it stopped," Picard went on. "Which is why I thought it might interest you."

Data peered over the Helm as he quickly identified their location.

"This is the Epsilon Mynos system," Data said in awe.

Commander Riker, Data, and Captain Picard shared a moment of excitement.

"Do you think Leif Erikson felt like this when he landed in Vinland?" Riker mused.

From the back of the Bridge, a look of confusion passed between Worf and Tasha.

"What's so interesting about this system?" Tasha asked.

She wasn't afraid of being the one to point out that not everyone in the room was 'in' on the moment.

"Aldea," Captain Picard sighed, content.

Riker turned and grinned.

Tasha shrugged and shook her head.

"Tasha? I'm surprised you haven't heard the stories about Aldea!" Riker said in astonishment.

"It is rumoured to be a wondrous mythical world," Picard said.

"Like Atlantis of ancient Earth or Neinman of Xerxes Seven," Data explained. "Aldea is said to be an advanced culture."

Captain Picard turned back to the viewscreen and stared off longingly into the vast expanse.

"Thousands of years old. Self-contained. Peaceful. Hidden from the rest of the galaxy," Picard went on. "It is a story archaeologists know well."

Jean-Luc had been familiar with the tale ever since his earliest days in Starfleet.

"In an era when humans were still living as nomadic hunter gatherers and Klingons were just beginning to forge metal, it was said Aldea had such an incredible technological sophistication that it could provide for the daily needs of all its citizens," Picard recounted. "They devoted their society to art, culture, and philosophy."

Jean-Luc put his hands on his hips.

"The veracity of its existence is a matter of hot debate among the archaeology community," Picard informed the team.

"There are only limited contemporary accounts of Aldea. And none since the time of Undion the Explorer," Data said.

A moment of silence fell on the Bridge as Data realised Captain Picard had probably been the only person that understood that reference.

"Four thousand years ago," Data clarified.

There was a collective nod as the rest of the crew realised the significance of Data's statement.

"It looks like nobody is home," Worf said with his signature dry wit.

Tasha choked back a smirk.

"That's the myth," Riker explained. "The legend goes, the Aldeans were able to cloak their planet in darkness from their enemies. Marauders, treasure-hunters, even the Romulans have searched in an attempt to find and plunder Aldea."

"And it was last rumoured to be in this system," Picard concluded.

"What a wonderful fairy tale," Tasha replied.

It sounded too good to be true.

"Are you picking anything up on sensors?" Picard asked.

Tasha turned her attention back to her console. There had been a faint energy reading they'd been tracking for several hours – but it had vanished more than an hour earlier.

"Sensors show nothing," Tasha reported. "It could have been a ship that's now left the area."

Deanna rose from her chair as she studied the viewscreen.

"Sensors may show nothing, sir. But I'm sensing something very strong," Deanna advised. "Thousands of minds."

A shiver ran down Captain Picard's back.

"From where?" Picard asked.

"Very close," Deanna responded.

She couldn't quite pinpoint the location – but she could sense they were not alone.

"All stop! Hold this position," Picard ordered.

He tugged at his uniform, straightening it in an attempt to look his best.

The reality that he might really be making first contact with the ancient and mysterious Aldeans began to sink in.

It was not only an explorer's dream, as an archaeologist, it was a remarkable discovery.

Everyone waited on edge as the seconds ticked by.

"Captain, I'm recording a distortion. Mark nine zero," Wesley reported as he observed a strange phenomenon register at the Helm.

"On screen," Picard ordered.

Data slipped into the Operations console and brought the image up.

The stars seemed to wobble as space and time were distorted, almost as if they were coming out of phase. It was like something was emerging from another dimension.

"Shields and deflectors up," Picard commanded.

"Aye, sir," Tasha responded as she raised shields.

Where there had been nothing more than empty space a moment before, now stood a beautifully lush planet. As they slowly passed in orbit, the planet seemed to have a reflective golden glow about it.

"Well I'll be," Picard remarked in awe.

He took a tentative step forward as he remained fixated on the viewscreen.

"Either by fortune or intent, we've been led to this planet," Picard said.

Everyone was taken aback by the sudden emergence of this mysterious world. Commander Riker was beaming, certain that it had to be the legendary Aldea.

Data was running a series of diagnostic scans. There were lifeforms on the surface of the planet. It was class-M. And his readings indicated advanced infrastructure and powerful energy readings.

"There appears to be an electromagnetic shield with a complicated light refracting mechanism," Data reported.

"A cloaking device?" Picard asked.

"Aye, sir," Data answered. "But not like any we have seen before."

The doors to the turbolift opened and Geordi rushed onto the Bridge.

He stopped dead in his tracks as he caught sight of the image on the viewscreen.

While everyone else had been blown away by the planet's sudden appearance, Geordi's VISOR enabled him to truly see how magnificent and advanced the shield around Aldea was.

"Do you know how sophisticated that shield is? I mean, to hide an entire planet," Geordi said, breathless from having raced up from Main Engineering to get a first look.

"We are being scanned," Worf informed them.

Picard gave his mind a quick shake, reminding himself that he was still responsible for the ship and her safety.

"Let them know our peaceful intentions. Open hailing frequencies, Lieutenant Yar. All languages," Picard ordered.

"Frequencies open, sir," Tasha reported as she tapped the control to open a channel.

A moment later, the console blinked and a young woman appeared on the viewscreen.

"I am Rashella. Welcome to Aldea," she greeted them.

Welcome to Aldea.

They had found it! They were really there!

"I am Jean-Luc Picard, Captain of the USS Enterprise. We come in peace," Picard announced.

"We are aware," Rashella responded strangely.

While the statement could have been interpreted as the Aldeans simply having detected their approach, there was something in the way Rashella responded that made Jean-Luc wonder if it carried another meaning.

After all, they were allegedly a highly advanced society.

It may have been possible they had the ability to detect things beyond simple sensor sweeps. It was possible they might even possess empathic abilities.

Or perhaps they planted the breadcrumbs? Picard thought.

"We have heard stories about Aldea. But frankly, I never believed they could be true," Picard confessed.

"Our shield has confused outsiders for millennia, Captain," Rashella said.

She folded her hands and smiled warmly at the group.

"We are eager to meet you in person and to discuss subjects of mutual interest," Rashella explained. "We would like to know your people."

Jean-Luc nodded keenly.

"We would welcome such an opportunity," he answered.

"Excellent!" Rashella grinned.

"We will prepare an away team and-" Picard began to announce.

"Sir, something is penetrating our shield matrix," Tasha reported.

A second later, Rashella and a man appeared on deck. They seemed almost disoriented for a moment before they got their bearings.

Worf and Tasha dropped their phasers.

"We mean no harm," Rashella assured them.

"We apologise if our arrival has startled you. I am Radue," the man said.

"It was a little sudden," Picard admitted.

While the crew at the front of the Bridge seemed overwhelmed with enthusiasm, Worf and Tasha didn't quite share in the excitement.

The two friends exchanged a look, wordlessly communicating their trepidations about a civilisation that could so easily penetrate the shield of the Enterprise.

While the Aldeans seemed peaceful, it was unsettling to know such a technology existed.

Radue introduced himself as the First Appointee of Aldea. It appeared he was the primary executive for the planet.

Rashella was his daughter and had joined her father in public service.

"You would not have been able to transport us. Our way is the only way through our shield. We have brought you small tokens of welcome," Radue said as he indicated to Rashella.

She handed a bouquet of flowers to Captain Picard.

Underneath the bouquet had been a small box. Rashella strolled around the Bridge and distributed tiny glass sculptures to each of the crew.

"William Riker," Rashella smiled as she handed him a wee glass apple.

Riker blinked in confusion.

"How do you know-" Riker began to ask.

"Your name?" Rashella cut him off with a brilliant smile.

"We have been monitoring your communications," Radue informed them.

Radue could sense that his statement had caused discomfort.

"We would like to extend a personal invitation to a celebration on Aldea. We are keen to learn more about the universe as it is now. It has been so long since we have interacted with the wider world. So we open our home. To you, Lieutenant Commander Data," Radue said.

Data turned to the Captain.

"You are the ship's primary scientific and cultural officer, correct?" Radue inquired.

"He is," Picard answered.

He felt slightly dejected that he had been overlooked.

"And you, Captain. Of course," Radue added.

Captain Picard felt a wave of relief. He wanted to be included – desperately. The chance to actually lay eyes on Aldea was far too tempting.

"That would be delightful," Picard replied, doing his best to maintain a professional air so as not to reveal that he felt like a child.

"We will prepare for your arrival. We must leave now. Our eyes are sensitive to such bright light," Radue said as he put his hand up to shield his eyes.

Rashella and Radue locked arms and disappeared.

As soon as they were gone, Commander Riker spoke.

"Now we know who placed those breadcrumbs. We're not here by accident," Riker said.

Jean-Luc knew he had a point.

Clearly the people of Aldea had led them there for a reason.

"Counsellor, do you sense anything?" Picard asked as he looked to Deanna.

Deanna turned her attention to the viewscreen as she tried to focus on the feelings emanating from the planet.

"They want something from us. Something we value greatly. So much so, they're afraid we won't want to part with it," Deanna answered.

But there was no time to dwell on this thought.

Radue appeared on the viewscreen a moment later.

"We are ready to receive you," Radue announced.

Without warning, Data, Captain Picard, Commander Riker, and Deanna disappeared from the Bridge.

The viewscreen went blank.

Tasha attempted to hail the planet, but there was no response.

"Interesting choices," Worf remarked.

The communications array pinged.

"Sickbay to Bridge."

It was Nurse Ogawa.

"Doctor Crusher just vanished. It was like she was beamed away," Alyssa reported.

"Thank you, Sickbay," Tasha responded as she slipped under the rail to assume command.

With the Captain, Riker, and Data gone, Tasha was next in the chain of command, and she understood it was her duty to assume the big chair.

She caught Wesley's gaze as she stood up and gave him a small nod. It was a small reassurance that his mother was sick.

"Sickbay, please have the next on-duty doctor report in to cover. Doctor Crusher has been called away," Tasha ordered.

She cleared her throat and scanned the viewscreen for a moment while she collected her thoughts.

Tasha closed her fist around the glass sculpture that Rashella had given her prior to the rest of the crew's disappearance.

It had been a glass sculpture of an archer with a drawn bow.

A symbol of protection. Tasha thought bitterly.

She felt lost. Tasha had no idea how she could protect the ship when the Aldeans could so easily penetrate their shields.

"Worf, I want a level one security scan on these welcome tokens," Tasha said as she handed it over. "Ensign Crusher, establish a standard parking orbit."

Tasha turned back to Geordi.

"Start studying that shield. I want to know how they're getting in and out of our ship," Tasha said.

---

Down on the surface of the planet, the small away team found themselves in awe. The Aldean people lived in a glorious city, surrounded by beauty.

Strangely, there were no natural trees or wildlife.

"May I inquire where the flowers were produced?" Data asked.

"We have a lovely arboretum," Rashella responded as she led them into a large building.

Before stepping inside, Data conducted another scan, straining his optical receptors to see as far as he could.

There were absolutely no plants anywhere outdoors. Additionally, Data could detect no pollen in the atmosphere.

Stranger still was the fact that such a populated planet had no one outdoors. The air temperature was ambient, but hardly anyone was outside.

Data would have expected the area to be bustling with activity given the thousands of Aldeans that they had detected on the planet.

"Please, join us in here. It is difficult for us to be outdoors when the sun is at its zenith," Rashella said, directing their guests indoors.

---

Data, Captain Picard, Doctor Crusher, Deanna, and Commander Riker were escorted inside. Radue invited them to take a seat around a large, round table.

Various fruits and trays of food had been laid out in preparation of their arrival.

Radue wasted no time with pleasantries.

"We are an ancient power. But we have suffered for it," Radue began. "Our history is littered with the deaths of those Aldeans who were consumed with greed. Nothing was ever enough. So we have evolved to a simpler life."

He reached out and took hold of Rashella's hand.

"For whatever is taken, something must be given in return," Radue said, explaining the foundation of their society.

"I am sure that you have noticed we have no naturally occurring plant or animal life outside of our arboretum," Rashella said.

She had anticipated Data's curiosity on the subject.

"In building this wonderful technology, our ancestors nearly destroyed our home," Rashella explained.

"As penance for such greed, our planet is now barren outside of our cities," Radue added.

"Then paradise does come at a price," Picard remarked.

It was a bitter reality for the people of Aldea.

"It has brought us peace and prosperity. But all we know of the birds and beautiful sea creatures that once filled our oceans are stories," Radue said sadly. "All that remains are legends."

"Like Aldea itself," Riker chimed in.

Radue nodded.

"Unfortunately, we too may be nothing more than legend soon," Radue said. "We need your help."

Data's mind began to whirl.

Was there some environmental disaster? A ticking timebomb ready to destroy the planet?

Counsellor Troi had advised that the Aldeans wanted something from the Enterprise.

Perhaps evacuation and relocation?

They were such an advanced people that Data was left struggling to understand how they could not have ships capable of space travel.

Or the ability to reforest the surface of their planet. Data thought.

In fact, it was odd that such an advanced people would lack the skill to reintroduce plant and animal life.

"How can we be of assistance?" Picard asked directly.

Radue looked over to Rashella.

"You see, for some time we have been facing a crisis," Radue said.

Deanna could sense this was a difficult subject for Rashella, one she felt passionate about.

"This crisis has reached a critical state," Radue went on.

He took hold of his daughter's hand.

"You see, Rashella was the last child born on this planet," Radue announced.

"Our population has been in decline for hundreds of years," Rashella explained. "But all our efforts to fix this problem have failed."

"We need a new generation," Radue said.

"Genetically, we are human," Rashella informed them.

Doctor Crusher had a plethora of questions. Data's own thoughts were in overdrive too. Their population estimates from scans indicated that there were thousands of Aldeans.

According to Radue and Rashella, the Aldean people were genetically diverse enough to support a healthy reproductive population.

"Our medical community can do nothing," Rashella said. "We need your help to rebuild before it is too late."

"I don't understand. How can we possibly help you?" Beverly inquired.

If the advanced Aldeans hadn't solved the problem, Beverly was sure that they couldn't. From everything they had witnessed, Federation technology was primitive.

"You are uniquely positioned to help us," Radue explained. "It's precisely why we invited you here."

He glanced around the table and smiled.

"Each of you is uniquely positioned to help us circumnavigate this problem," Rashella explained.

The team had been carefully selected.

Captain Picard's natural diplomacy skills made him an excellent choice to lead the negotiations on Starfleet's behalf.

Deanna's empath abilities gave her an inside edge. She understood exactly how important the Aldean position was and how deeply committed they were to it. The Aldeans were confident she would be an ally in their corner during the proposed exchange.

Command Riker's natural curiosity and instincts made him a perfect addition to the negotiating table. He had an open mind and an open heart. More than that, Riker was a man that wasn't afraid to get down to business. He would be direct and honest.

Doctor Crusher's medical expertise was necessary. She would be able to verify the Aldean claims of sterility. She was also uniquely positioned to understand their concerns about finding a healthy, diverse population to join the Aldean way of life.

Lastly, Data was the officer the Aldeans were most keen to work with. As an exobiologist, he understood their desire to preserve their way of life. He had great respect for their cultural traditions. During their surveillance of the Enterprise, the Aldeans had also become aware of Data's strong desire to procreate.

Unbeknownst to Data, they were intimately aware of just how strong his urge to have a family was. The Aldeans had chosen Data to join the negotiating table in hopes that he would be sympathetic to their cause. After all, his own desire for children consumed his thoughts.

"We would like to propose a trade. One which will solve our problem and give something back to the Federation," Radue declared.

---

"How do they cloak the planet?" Tasha inquired.

"The theory is simple," Wesley responded.

Of course it was simple. For Wesley at least. Tasha chortled to herself.

"The shield bends light rays around the planet's contour," Wesley explained.

"Similar to a Romulan cloaking device," Geordi chimed in.

"But the implementation is quite different," Wesley said.

"Yes, to a degree. But it's the sample principle," Geordi replied.

Geordi knew that now wasn't the time or place to get into too many specifics. He recognised Tasha was just looking for a brief overview and progress update.

Wesley hadn't quite mastered that skill yet.

"The fluctuations are at completely different intervals!" Wesley exclaimed. "Not to mention that matrix grid is laid out in different tessellation."

Geordi opened his mouth to protest but Tasha cut them both off.

"Ah!" she said, stopping them but raising her hand. "You can debate the light grids or whatever later. I need to know if you can get through it."

"Matrix grid," Wesley corrected.

"Ah!" Tasha warned. "I don't care what it is. I just want to know we can get our people back."

They had been trying, unsuccessfully, to communicate with the team on the surface.

"We're working on that," Geordi assured her.

"In the meantime, I'll continue to try and find a frequency that will allow for communication," Worf offered.

Tasha crossed her arms and sat back in her chair.

"It just doesn't sit right," Tasha thought aloud.

Geordi tipped his head, awaiting an explanation.

"They have the technology to sense us, to track communications, monitor our movements. And yet, they claim they need us to learn more information about the current state of affairs?" Tasha asked.

Geordi had to admit she had a point.

Their airs of ignorance given their years in seclusion were at odds with their ability to know so much information prior to the Enterprise's arrival.

"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark," Worf remarked.

"C'mon, Wes. Let's get down to Main Engineering," Geordi said as he clapped Wes on the shoulder and guided him out the door.

"Shakespeare," Worf clarified as soon as the door closed.

"Thanks," Tasha responded with a small smile.

---

"That might be acceptable to some other people, but we are heavily attached to our offspring and to the idea of family," Deanna said, attempting to explain why they had balked at the Aldean's offer.

They wanted children.

Specifically, they wanted a select list of children from the Enterprise.

In return, the Aldeans were willing to share some of their advanced technology.

"The members of our crew will not be willing to part with their children," Data said.

"But surely you can understand our desperation," Rashella replied. "I long to raise a child of my own. And I cannot. Not without your help."

Beverly sat forward, folding her hands on the table.

"I'd like to ask again why you're opposed to the idea of taking in any number of orphaned children?" Beverly asked.

There were thousands of orphaned children throughout the galaxy – human, Bajoran, Cardassian, and Klingon alike.

Commander Riker had initially made the suggestion.

If the Aldeans were looking to adopt a new generation of children, there were many children out there looking for a forever home. Data had readily backed this idea – adding that the addition of these diverse children would add to the collective richness of Aldean culture.

But the Aldeans were steadfast in their determination.

"You see, our sensors are capable of detecting a person's true talent, their calling, from the age of messrine," Radue said.

Rashella could sense their confusion.

"Between the developmental ages of two to three years old," Rashella clarified.

"You see, the success of our society has always relied on this system," Radue went on. "We do not live as traditional families. Not in the way you know it."

"After the age of messrine, children are assigned to a unit where they will live with others that share their calling. We grow and learn in the company of masters of our craft," Rashella said.

She turned her attention to Data.

"Surely you can see the benefits of such a nurturing environment," Rashella said, pleading with him to see their position.

"It is a most intriguing structure," Data admitted.

Children on Aldea still maintained relationships with their biological family. However, the Aldean way of life recognised the importance of space to grow outside of the constraints of a traditional family setting.

They allowed children to develop their own routine that incorporated whatever their craft was.

By living in a communal setting with likeminded artists and craftsmen, there was always someone available and awake to assist and care for younger children.

"We have studied your people extensively. These are the children we require immediately to fill the gaps from our dying elders," Radue explained as he pointed to the list of names on a tablet device.

Beverly took a slow breath to steady herself.

It was nearly a quarter of the current children on the Enterprise.

But there was one name on the list that her feeling extra queasy about this entire proposal.

Wesley may have been thrilled at the prospect of moving to a place like Aldea, but Beverly vowed that she wasn't going to let that happen.

"We would like to send a delegation along with you back to your Federation. We can easily accommodate some of the guest quarters on your vessel to our specifications," Radue went on.

"We request that your Federation help this delegation to fill these quotas over the next seven years," Rashella explained.

She tapped the device twice. Suddenly, it emitted a projected, holographic image in the middle of the table.

"As you can see, these are the genetic diversity requirements we must meet in order to maintain a healthy population," she explained, indicating to one side of the image. "And these are the skillsets we will be searching for."

"It's vital we find children that meet both specifications in order to maintain balance with our Custodian," Radue added.

"Custodian?" Picard asked.

Radue and Rashella smiled to one another.

"We live in harmony with the Custodian and the Custodian ensures we are safe, fed, clothed, and tended after," Radue said.

"The Custodian was constructed by the progenitors. Our forebearers. It sees to all our needs," Rashella said.

She paused and looked down at her lap.

"Well, all our needs except our inability to produce children," Rashella said, her voice starting to break.

Deanna could sense that Rashella was on edge. She decided to proceed carefully with her next suggestion, tiptoeing so as to avoid coming across as dismissive.

"Why don't you send a delegation with us? We're only a few days away from Starbase 61 where I know there is a Starfleet orphanage in operation," Deanna offered, hoping this would entice the Aldeans. "It would only be a short journey there and back."

"Counsellor Troi is correct," Data said, jumping in. "There are numerous children from various Federation member planets awaiting adoption."

"No!" Rashella insisted.

She took a shaky breath and closed her eyes.

"Forgive me," she said, apologising for her outburst.

"The timing is very critical. It has taken us six months to study your children. We first observed them when you passed through this system on your way to the Jarada sector," Radue said. "Galor, one of our most revered elders is dying."

"It is vital we have Katie McCarthy before Galor passes. We must! Galor has so much he can teach her before his passing," Rashella pleaded.

Beverly's eyes softened.

She could tell these people were simply trying to preserve their way of life.

But she knew that their ask was too great.

"Our children are not for sale at any price," Beverly said.

It was her hope that Rashella would empathise with her position.

"As a mother, a mother whose son is on that list, I can tell you there is nothing that would make me willingly give him up," Beverly confessed.

"We sympathise with your situation, but what you ask is not possible," Picard said.

Rashella looked crushed.

"Perhaps we should take a meal? We are willing to discuss more compensation," Radue proposed.

The team exchanged an uncomfortable glance.

"This is simply something that cannot be negotiated. There is no compensation that would entice us to give away our children," Picard assured them.

"And that is your final answer?" Radue asked.

The tension level around the table had reached a fever pitch.

"That is my only answer. Now, there are other ways we can help you with-" Picard began to offer.

"I am sorry you are so intransigent," Radue sighed.

Rashella and Radue looked at one another. They did not want to proceed. But they felt they had no choice.

Without another word, Rashella activated the device to beam them back aboard the Enterprise.

---

Meanwhile, the team aboard the Enterprise were monitoring the situation with limited insight. Geordi and Wes were down in Main Engineering.

Worf and Tasha were on the Bridge.

Neither team had had much success in penetrating the Aldean shields.

"Lieutenant!" Worf said urgently from the Operations console.

"Worf?" Tasha asked.

"We're being probed by an energy beam. Some sort of scanning device," Worf reported.

Tasha leapt out of the Command Chair to join Worf at the Operations terminal.

"Shields?" Tasha asked.

Worf shook his head.

"They are functioning. But whatever this is, it is capable of penetrating our shields," Worf responded.

Tasha could see from the screen that the beam was emanating from Aldea.

"Could it be the away team returning?" Tasha asked.

Worf tapped the screen to check the personnel list.

"It does not appear so. They are not aboard the ship," Worf answered.

Tasha tapped her combadge.

"Yar to Engineering," she said.

---

"We're still working on a way to – whoa!" Geordi exclaimed.

Down in Main Engineering, a golden beam had passed through the room. It settled on Wesley Crusher, holding him in a glowing light.

Wesley looked down at his hands, studying the strange aura.

"Geordi?" he asked.

Lieutenant Craven made a move to pull Wesley out of it, but Geordi shot his hand out.

"Don't touch him!" Geordi ordered.

Without knowing what it was, Craven could have placed herself in grave danger. Geordi's VISOR allowed him to see the beam was certainly energy-based. He didn't want another crewmember trapped or injured.

"Geordi?" Tasha prompted, concerned by his comment.

"I don't know. There's some kind of, well, energy beam. It's encased Wesley," Geordi reported.

"We're being probed in a methodical pattern. All decks," Tasha explained.

"Are you alright, Wes?" Geordi asked.

But Wesley couldn't hear him.

Whatever beam had a hold on him, it blocked sound.

---

"All decks," Worf confirmed.

With half the senior officers having disappeared, they were short-handed on the Bridge as the relief crew had not yet turned up.

Tasha rushed up the ramp to her usual position at the Tactical console.

Lights and alerts were flashing wildly as reports came in from across the ship. There was a line of departments waiting to get through on the communications channel.

"Similar incidents. All decks," Tasha announced.

"I'm attempting to fluctuate our shields," Worf said.

Working in tandem, the two tried to find a way to shut down the probe.

---

As quickly as the beam had come, it disappeared.

Wesley took a deep breath and blinked a few times, processing what had happened.

"Wes?" Geordi asked, stepping forward tentatively.

"I'm alright. It was scary at first. I couldn't hear anything. But I didn't feel any pain," Wes shared.

Geordi nodded. He was relieved nothing had happened. Wild energy beams had a habit of overloading consoles – a threat that was twice as dangerous in Engineering.

"All the same, I want you to get yourself up to Sickbay. Have them give you a once over," Geordi ordered.

"Yes, sir," Wesley replied.

He had no less than gotten the words out of his mouth when he vanished.

"Bridge, we've got a problem," Geordi said as he tapped his communicator.

---

"No, no, no, no," Tasha said desperately as she tried to adjust the shield frequency.

All across the ship, children were disappearing.

From her console, Tasha could see they were being beamed away from the ship – and she was powerless to stop it.

Just like the away team, the children were vanishing without a trace.

There wasn't supposed to be any technology that was capable of beaming matter in and out of the Enterprise when the shields were raised.

Tasha stepped back and ran her hands threw her hair.

She glanced down the Bridge and met Worf's eyes.

For a second, neither of them spoke as the gravity of their predicament hit. This wasn't something they could fight their way out of. There was no defence strategy adequate to go up against such an advanced enemy.

"We have to do something," Worf said.

"Do what?" Tasha asked with a shrug.

They were both woefully out of their element.

And the brilliant minds they needed were unreachable down on the surface of the planet.

Communication to Aldea had failed. Hell, they couldn't even send a message out to Starfleet Command to request backup.

The Aldean shield was blocking their signal.

"Geordi, if we move out of orbit, do you think we might regain subspace communications capability?" Tasha asked.

There was a brief pause.

"I don't know. Worth I try, I say," Geordi responded.

Tasha slipped down from her position at Tactical. She had half a mind to arm the photon torpedoes and bring the phaser banks online. It was the standard procedure in such a situation.

Though Tasha recognised that procedure wasn't designed for a situation in which the Enterprise would be so woefully outgunned.

Feeling it was necessary to make a command decision, Tasha opted not to follow procedure and left the weapons offline.

As the Aldeans had such sophisticated scanners, Tasha figured they would be able to know they had brought their weapons online – and she had no desire to anger them.

And after seeing just what they were capable of, Tasha thought their weapons weren't much of a match for the Aldeans.

Tasha chewed on her lip as she slipped into the Helm.

"Lieutenant? Your orders?" Worf prompted.

Tasha was weighing her options.

She didn't want to abandon the away team. It was possible they might make contact or beam back.

"I'm setting a course to take us out of orbit," Tasha responded a moment later. "Mark three one four point eight nine. Warp two."

Tasha didn't want to go far – just enough to relay a message to Starfleet Command.

However, she also wanted to get out of the area before the Aldeans took any more people off the ship.

Just before she pressed the final command sequence to engage the engines, there was a flash of light as the away team rematerialised on the Bridge.

"The children?" Tasha asked, looking across the Bridge to Worf.

"No," Worf answered as he scanned the ship's personnel logs.

They had not been returned with the away team.

"It's the children," Riker said.

"That's what they want. That's why we've been brought here," Picard explained.

"And that's what they have," Tasha informed them darkly.

She cleared her throat and made eye contact with Beverly.

"I'm sorry, they've taken Wesley," Tasha said.

Beverly didn't appear surprised at this news. Rather, she seemed to react as if she had been dreading it coming.

"There are twenty-three children missing from all over the ship," Tasha went on.

"Counsellor, get the list from Lieutenant Worf and gather the parents in Ten Forward," Picard ordered. "Lieutenant Yar, keep trying to hail the Aldeans. Don't stop until we've made contact."

"Aye, sir," Tasha responded as she slipped out of the seat at the Helm.

"Doctor?" Data asked.

He turned to Beverly with eyes full of concern.

"I should go with Deanna," Beverly said.

Squaring her shoulders, she marched off the Bridge to join Deanna in gathering the parents.

On her way to the lift, Tasha caught Beverly's hand and gave it a quick, reassuring squeeze.

Beverly responded with a brief nod before stepping onto the lift.

They would get Wesley back. They had to.

---

It didn't take long for the Aldeans to contact the Enterprise. While they waited, Tasha had shared with Captain Picard her plan to take the ship out of orbit in hopes of regaining subspace communications capabilities.

"I say we go for it," Riker said, endorsing the plan.

"No, we're not leaving here without the children," Picard said tersely.

He was furious.

Finding the Aldeans had been a dream come true. He had expected that this discovery would be a step toward sharing a long and educational relationship with an advanced people. There were so many questions unanswered, so much they could learn from the Aldeans.

And in the end, their behaviour had been abhorrent.

It was a huge let-down on a personal level and as a Captain, Jean-Luc was deeply troubled that some of the ship's children had been abducted.

He felt personally responsible for all of them.

Some more than others. A sneaky voice in Picard's mind said.

Jean-Luc didn't think he could bear the thought of anything happening to Wesley Crusher – particularly not after Jack's death.

He couldn't bring himself to think of what it would do to Beverly. She would be devastated.

"Sir, onscreen," Tasha said, catching his attention.

It was Radue.

"Captain, your children are with us. My word of honour, no harm will ever come to them," Radue promised.

"Harm has already come to them!" Picard barked.

"Captain, let us renew our conversation. Begin these negotiations again. We are prepared to discuss appropriate compensation and limited visitation," Radue offered.

It was too late for diplomacy.

Jean-Luc's temper had already gotten the better of him and everyone on the Bridge could sense it.

"Compensation? Compensation?" Picard scoffed in disbelief.

The very nerve! Picard thought.

"You have stolen our children away from their classrooms, away from their parents and yet you talk about compensation? You claim to be a civilised world and yet you have just committed an act of utter barbarity!" Picard hissed.

His voice was dripping with disdain.

All regard for dealing with a technologically advanced people went out the window as Jean-Luc launched into a tirade about propriety and the rights of others.

A skilled diplomat, Radue understood Jean-Luc was heated. He could read the metaphorical room and recognised the mood wasn't right to proceed.

"Captain, we will continue these negotiations when you've calmed down," Radue said simply.

---

Wesley Crusher glanced around at his surroundings. He was standing in some unusual room with a number of other children.

He observed quickly that he was the oldest one there.

Most of the children were young – quite young.

Some were curious. Others were excited.

It was evident all of them were quite shocked. And in children, that sudden shock led to fear.

His Starfleet training kicked in immediately.

Katie Granger, one of the children that was old enough to recognise this was likely bad, reached out for Wesley's hand.

"I'm frightened," Katie confessed.

"I know you are, Katie. I am too," he shared. "But I am sure everyone on the Enterprise knows where we are. No one is going to hurt you. I promise."

Wesley's natural, easy leadership instincts were in full swing.

"Greetings," Radue said he entered the room. "I am Radue."

The children backed away from the door, huddling closer to the wall behind Wesley.

"Hello, my name is Rashella," Rashella said, greeting them.

Several more adults that Wesley had not met on the Bridge entered the room as well.

They were all smiling, as if they were pleased by their presence.

While they appeared friendly, Wes was cautious.

"We knew you would be the leader, Wesley," Radue said with a sense of pride. "You have been brought to Aldea as our guests."

"I'd like to speak with Captain Picard," Wesley requested.

"You have all been specially chosen to join us," Radue said, ignoring Wesley.

One of the women stepped forward and approached Harry Bernard.

"Hello Harry, my name is Duana. I am an artist. Like you," she said as she extended her hand.

Harry was confused.

Duana took hold of his hand and guided him over to another one of the adults.

"We have been waiting to meet you," Duana smiled.

Several other adults had stepped forward as if they were claiming the various children.

"We will provide anything you need or want," Rashella said.

"We want to go home," Wesley said in a firm tone.

"You are a very special young man, Wesley," Radue said with a bright smile. "We have much to show you. Technologies that will fascinate your keen mind. Just ask for anything and you shall have it."

Wesley was growing increasingly agitated.

"I want to speak with Captain Picard. Now," Wesley insisted. "Does Captain Picard know you're doing this?"

"We keep nothing from him," Radue answered honestly.

One of the youngest children, wee ginger-haired Alexandra Doogan, toddled forward and tugged at the seam of Rashella's clothes.

"Hello, Alexandra," Rashella said as she scooped down to pick up the girl.

She pulled her into a tight embrace and rocked her back and forth.

As the youngest Aldean, it was the very first time Rashella had ever held a child and it felt nothing short of magical.

---

The mood in Ten Forward was suffocating.

Deanna had trained for and previously counselled parents who were grieving the loss of a child.

But this was different.

So very different.

"But I don't understand. What's happened to Alexandra and the other children? How are we getting them back?" Toya Doogan asked.

Deanna was struggling to concentrate as her mind was overwhelmed by the mix of anger, confusion, and fear radiating throughout the room.

There were so many families impacted that Ten Forward was the only room large enough to fit them all.

At the table nearest Deanna, Toya and Tommy Doogan were holding hands. Next to them, Lieutenant Wen and their wife Elaine were worried sick about their child, Chyou who had just started school.

Deanna's heart went out to Doctor Sidhu and her husband, Lieutenant Ishaa B'asra. They had tried for years to conceive, struggling with one miscarriage after another. A human/Andorian relationship was no cakewalk.

Wee Kal had been their much-anticipated rainbow baby.

He was all of two and their whole world.

As she scanned the room, Deanna saw one worried family after another struggling to cope.

She couldn't even begin to imagine what Aanax, Philor, Gritox, Phenna, and Krislo were going through. As a Denobulan polycule, they were grappling with the loss of four of their children that had been taken.

"The Aldeans would like to negotiate with us. They want to discuss compensation," Beverly announced.

"Compensation?" Doctor Sidhu asked.

She was appalled.

"There is no compensation. My child has been stolen!" she said, utterly infuriated.

"Don't you think I know that?" Beverly responded tersely.

She stopped and took a shaky breath.

"I'm sorry," Beverly said, her voice trembling.

Deanna watched carefully as Beverly pushed her hands inside the pockets of her medical jacket to hide the fact they were shaking from the other parents.

Beverly wanted to maintain a stiff upper lip. It would do any good to go to pieces. She had to trust Jean-Luc and show strength. She felt it was her duty as a Bridge Officer.

"It will buy us time," Beverly explained.

"But why were these specific children taken?" Lieutenant Bernard inquired.

His son, Harry, had been one of the missing children. Meanwhile, his older daughter and infant were unharmed.

"The Aldeans have a process for selecting children. Their society depends on balancing certain artistic craftsmen and cultural practitioners," Deanna informed the parents. "It seems these children, your children, have the special talents they were seeking."

Her words did little to comfort those in the room.

"The Aldeans cannot have children," Deanna continued. "It seems to be a matter of great concern to them. They are worried their way of life is going extinct."

"Meaning they won't let them go easily," Ensign Larson remarked.

He was one of Tasha's Tactical Officers and had been sizing up the situation from the start.

"Can we at least talk to our children? Give them some reassurance? Let them know they're safe?" Lieutenant Bernard asked.

Deanna could feel that he was full of guilt.

"The last time I saw Harry I yelled at him," Lieutenant Bernard confessed as his eyes welled up with tears.

"Harry knows you love him. Of that, I am certain," Deanna assured him.

---

"You need to relax," Deanna insisted.

Jean-Luc stopped in front of his window and shot Deanna a sharp look.

"Sir, if they have the advanced sensors we suspect they do, then they can tell you're frustrated. Radue said they would not talk until you had calmed down," Deanna explained. "So you need to calm down."

"How can I relax at a time like this?" Picard demanded.

He tossed his arm flippantly as he paced in front of Livingston's tank.

"They have kidnapped our children! Our most vulnerable! The same children I swore to protect when these people entrusted me!" Picard ranted. "They trusted me! That's why they brought their children on my ship."

The notion of children on a starship was relatively new in terms of Starfleet history.

While children had been present on Starbases for quite some time, it had only been within the last thirty-five years that family quarters had been implemented.

At first, they were strictly available on some of the longer-term science and diplomatic vessels.

The smaller transport ships and large cruisers had only begun to include family quarters in the last fifteen years.

It was a risk – a considerable risk – and one that many families were still sceptical to take.

While some saw it as the future of Starfleet service, others saw families as a liability.

Jean-Luc was somewhere in between.

It was complicated by the fact that Beverly was a staunch supporter of the notion of families on starships.

It was a frequent topic of debate over breakfast.

"You need to channel these feelings into something," Deanna encouraged.

---

Several decks down, Beverly was standing in front of the windows in Ten Forward.

She had her arms crossed over her chest and was staring out at Aldea – the golden paradise that had taken her son.

"You know they say in motherhood you find strength you didn't know you had," Guinan said as she stepped up next to Beverly.

"Hmm," Beverly agreed absentmindedly.

"I think most parents would agree it feels more like an intricate balancing act. And any day you manage to hold it together is a victory," Guinan added.

"Do you have children Guinan?" Beverly asked.

"Thirty-eight," Guinan said without blinking.

Beverly chuckled softly.

"You're not kidding," Beverly said, dropping her smile.

Guinan didn't have to respond verbally for Beverly to get the message.

With hundreds of years and twenty-one marriages (of which almost half had produced offspring) Guinan had a large family by human standards.

"I decided after my fourteenth marriage that I was done have children," Guinan smiled. "Then Jovee came along. Let me tell you, that was quite a shock at 523."

Beverly watched closely as Guinan's expression changed.

"Jovee was seven when the Romulans attacked Q'rkis III," Guinan shared. "And we fled. Like everybody did."

During her lifetime, Guinan had seen her fair share of war. She never thought she would see anything like the enemy that had forced her to flee her homeworld.

But the Romulans were a close second.

Brilliant. Conniving. And zealous in their determination to conquer glory.

With the minds of Vulcans, hearts of humans, and resolve of Klingons, Romulans were perhaps the greatest threat in the quadrant.

It was a terrifying cocktail.

"So we fled Q'rkis III for my brother's home at Starbase Concord," Guinan continued. "And I broke down as soon as we reached spacedock."

She paused as the emotional weight of that washed over her. It had been no small matter to go through that experience. They had barely escaped.

And it had been the second time she had been forced to flee her home at the hands of an enemy bent on conquering anything and everything within its gaze.

It was rare for Guinan to tap into such a personal memory. But she could sense Beverly needed to know.

"I was so embarrassed. I felt like a failure. I needed to be strong for my daughter. She needed strength and protection. And there I was sobbing on the floor. Completely shaken," Guinan recalled. "It was her first distinct memory."

Guinan turned and looked at Beverly.

"So you can imagine how that felt," Guinan said with a sarcastic smile.

She took a deep breath and turned her attention back to the window as she reflected on the wisdom of her youngest child.

"When she became a parent herself, Jovee shared with me how grateful she was that she got to see that. She said it humanised me. And it's always reminded her that parents are people too," Guinan went on. "And it's okay for parents to have those emotions. And it's important for them to show those emotions."

It was an important reminder and something Guinan had wished she'd been comfortable with earlier as a parent.

"It doesn't make you weak," Guinan asserted.

Beverly had been grappling with that thought ever since seeing Wesley's name on that list.

She had put on a brave face, maintaining a cool façade during negotiations on the planet. Beverly had done her best to project confidence in the Captain throughout their meeting with the other parents.

But on the inside, she felt like a piece of crystal just waiting to shatter.

"Take care of yourself too," Guinan said as she rested her hand on Beverly's shoulder.

---

An hour later, Jean-Luc swept out of his Ready Room.

He'd listened to Rachmaninoff, stretched, and even had a glass of wine.

The wine had done little to sooth his nerves. Rather, it served to remind him that he was worked up and ready to fight.

It had been many years since Jean-Luc Picard had felt that fire within himself.

But this was no ordinary situation.

"Any response from Aldea, Lieutenant?" Picard said as he glanced to the back of the Bridge.

"Not yet, sir," Tasha responded.

"Captain, I believe Data's found something interesting," Riker said, calling Captain Picard over to the Operations terminal.

Data spun around in his chair to address the Captain.

"Sir, the Aldean shield appears to undergo random fluctuations, weakening the structure in isolated sections," Data said.

For the last hour, Data had meticulously studied the shield specifics in hopes of identifying a pattern or way to predict the next weakness.

It was only a brief window – about fifteen seconds at a time. But it was long enough to beam one or two people in or out at a time.

Unfortunately, there was no discernible pattern.

"You're saying there are holes in their defence system?" Picard clarified.

"In essence, yes," Data answered.

His expression changed as he turned back to his console and cocked his head to the side.

"Data?" Riker prompted.

"I cannot help but wonder why the Aldeans have not perfected their technology. After all, they have had eons to do so," Data pondered aloud.

"Maybe they don't know about the weak spots?" Riker suggested.

"Does it not strike you as odd that they would be unaware of such a weakness? Given their advanced level of technology, they should be capable of repairing it," Data explained.

"Can we use this? Beam down an away team through one of these weak spots?" Picard inquired.

Data quickly calculated the possibility of such a plan in his head.

"It is possible," Data began.

"But?" Riker asked.

"It would require precise timing. The window is brief. There is no guarantee it would work, nor would we be able to communicate with the team on the surface," Data said.

It wasn't much to go on.

"I don't much like those odds," Riker chimed in.

Captain Picard scratched as chin as he considered Riker's input.

"Sir, we may be more successful in deciphering the code they use to transport through the magnetic shield," Data suggested.

"Can you do that?" Picard asked, perking up.

"Eventually, sir. I am working on that now. But it will take time. The number of permutations is almost endless," Data said.

He'd been working on a way to decipher their code ever since returning the Enterprise. It was complex, unlike anything Data had ever witnessed.

"You've got three hours," Picard advised. "Number One, in the meantime, I want you down working with Geordi and Mr O'Brien. Pick two officers. If there's a window, I want us down there to locate their power source and neutralise it."

Riker nodded hesitantly.

He wasn't sure about such a plan. There were so many unknown factors.

"Captain, with your permission, I'd like to request Lieutenants La Forge and Yar to join me on that mission," Riker asked.

He would need Geordi down there to help neutralise whatever power source the Aldeans relied upon. Hopefully, Geordi would be able to easily identify it.

Tasha was one of the few officers aboard that had advanced training in covert operations – and Will Riker didn't want to take any chances down there.

"Make it so," Picard responded.

"Sir," Worf said, speaking up from the back.

The team turned around.

"Yes, Mr Worf?" Picard prompted.

"If the Aldeans have the enhanced surveillance technology they are purported to possess, is it not unwise for us to attempt an act of deception?" Worf cautioned.

He'd been uneasy enough with the idea of a cover team sneaking in through one of the holes in the shield. Adding the possibility that their plan may be intercepted was just too great a risk for Worf to let go without posing the question to the group.

"Captain, these people value honesty. They truly wish to negotiate," Deanna advised. "I think we are better served by engaging in a robust discussion."

Captain Picard smirked as he caught onto her suggestion.

"Drag out the negotiations," Picard thought aloud. "It's an interesting plan."

"But they've already taken what they want," Tasha protested.

"And now they'll throw us some sort of bone," Riker added.

Deanna shook her head.

"Their entire society is based on the principle of fair compensation. They will not be at peace until they feel we have been adequately reimbursed for or loss," Deanna explained.

"What happens when we don't accept?" Riker asked, voicing concern for the plan.

Captain Picard's eyebrows shot up as he weighed the possibilities. Aldea could simply disappear behind its impressive shield, locking them out from their children forever.

"The we'll just have to keep them talking," Picard responded with a wry grin.

---

It took another thirty minutes before the Aldeans opened contact with the Enterprise. To Beverly's relief, Wesley was present on the call.

"Captain Picard," Radue greeted him.

"Radue," Picard responded.

His voice was polite, but there was a strain evident in it.

"Wesley," Beverly said, relieved to see him.

"Hi Mum," Wes said simply.

"Radue, we would like to beam down to see the children. All of the children," Picard requested.

"They are safe," Radue assured him.

Captain Picard glanced over at Deanna.

"Radue, we do not distrust you. We are certain they are physically safe," Deanna said as she stood and approached the viewscreen. "But our children are suffering from psychological trauma due to the abrupt abduction."

"Our therapists are capable of handling that," Radue countered.

"We believe it would be in everyone's best interests if we could assure them that they were not abandoned. We want them to know we are close," Deanna explained.

She could sense that there was confusion – especially among the children that were too small to understand.

Many of the youngest kids were frightened, terrified they had been left by their parents.

The Aldeans had been prepared for the possibility that there would be an adjustment period for the children.

However, they had not predicted how obstinate the Enterprise crew would be. They had completely misjudged their bargaining position. The Aldeans had assumed that the crew would be more than enticed by their offer of technology.

After all, they were explorers.

They had spent over a year observing various Federation vessels before deciding on the Enterprise. Captain Picard's archaeological interest, Commander Riker's curiosity, Data's desire for a family, and Deanna's empathic skills made it the perfect vessel to initiate contact with.

The Aldeans had believed their technology was so superior, the Federation would jump at the chance to get their hands on it.

They never dreamed they would say no.

"We will permit you and you alone to make a brief statement to the children," Radue said in hopes that a compromise would be a show of good faith.

"Thank you. Radue, Starfleet Regulation six point five seven requires that at least one medical officer be present during any away mission involving the Captain."

"Very well," Radue said, acquiescing to his request.

"Will you transport Doctor Crusher and myself down to the surface, please?" Picard asked.

"Stand by," Radue advised before disconnecting the channel.

As soon as the viewscreen had gone dark, Data frowned.

"Sir, I am not aware of Regulation six point five seven," Data said in earnest.

"No, Data. Neither am I," Picard responded.

"I see, sir," Data paused as the meaning clicked. "Oh. I see, sir."

---

"Me?" Sonya said in disbelief.

"Look, it's got to be some kind of antimatter reactor to generate that kind of power," Geordi said as he stuffed a handful of tools into his go bag.

He paused as he debated between a secondary mobile power cell or a hyperspanner.

"You can always double the lateral isodriver for the hyperspanner functions. It just takes a little longer," Sonya advised.

"And that's why I need you down there," Geordi chuckled.

"But I've never been on an away mission," Sonya confessed as she handed him a torch.

"Thanks. Everybody's got to go sometime," Geordi responded.

Sonya was a nervous ball of energy – but Geordi absolutely needed her down there.

He was damn near certain the Aldean reactor had to be powered by antimatter. If it wasn't, it was still going to be some highly advanced piece of technology.

And when it came to theoretical power supply systems, there was nobody quite like Sonya.

Geordi paused and turned to her.

"Sonya, there's twenty-three kids down there," Geordi said as he gripped her shoulders. "They need you."

Sonya's expression was anything but confident.

"I need you down there," Geordi added.

---

"Mum," Wes said, rushing forward to give her a hug.

"Doctor Crusher?" Katie asked as she stepped forward. "Is my mum coming too?"

"Can we go home now?" Harry asked.

"I want my daddy!" wee Jack cried.

"I would like to see my mother," T'lor, a young Vulcan girl requested. "And my tribble softie. For sleeping."

A murmur went up throughout the children. The room was full of questions.

"You have fifteen minutes," Radue warned before leaving them alone.

Beverly pulled Wesley into a warm embrace – but he wasn't the only child that needed reassurance.

Much to Captain Picard's chagrin, many of the children had rushed forward. Alexandra Doogan toddled up, tugging at his trouser leg and begging to be held.

Jean-Luc was mortified.

He wasn't good with kids. He never had been.

But after one sharp look from Beverly, Jean-Luc bent down and scooped up the wee ginger lass.

"Hello, Alexandra," Picard said stiffly.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder.

Jean-Luc cleared his throat.

"Now, we're all doing our best to get you home and back to your families. Your parents are aware of what's happened and are doing everything within their power to bring you back soon," Captain Picard announced.

He felt bad. His speech was perhaps more formal than what these children needed.

"So we're stuck here?" Harry asked.

"You are going to be guests here for a while. But it's just for a little while," Picard said.

He didn't want to frighten them further.

"Your parents want you to know that they miss you. And they love you all, very much," Picard said in a softer voice.

"Mum, they've been showing me this device called the custodian," Wesley said in a hushed voice as they hugged. "I'm still learning how to use it. But one thing I did find was the sensors. I was looking for the ship."

Beverly's heart simultaneously broke and swelled with pride.

He was so young, too young to have such responsibilities. But she was incredibly proud of his ingenuity and dedication to finding a way home.

So much like Jack. She thought.

"I'm trying to keep everybody calm, but a lot of the kids are afraid," Wes went on. "I tried to think of what you would do."

Beverly tightened her embrace.

"Mum, you have to know. Something here is giving off UV radiation," Wes whispered. "I can't pinpoint it. But it's everywhere."

Beverly pulled back and cupped her son's face.

"What?" she demanded.

"I don't know what it is," Wes confessed.

He'd only been permitted to spend a short time with the custodian – and he shared as much with his mother.

"You should also know, I don't think they know how to run their own system," Wes shared. "I can't be sure, but it's like their unfamiliar with it. Or haven't been trained on it."

Beverly pulled Wes back into a hug.

They were pressed for time, and this was valuable information.

During the embrace, Beverly reached into her pocket and activated her tricorder. She rocked Wes back and forth as she scanned the room.

"Go with it, I'm scanning," Beverly whispered to her son.

Radue appeared a moment later.

Beverly managed to get a few seconds of scanning down before she had to end her embrace with Wesley.

"Doctor?" Picard asked.

"The children seem physically well. Emotionally, I'm not so sure," Beverly confessed.

"Our offer includes not only our technology, but we will gladly permit the parents of these children to come stay as our guests during the Duazan," Radue explained.

"Duazan?" Picard inquired, unfamiliar with the term.

"A period of twenty-one days in which all Aldeans take a respite from creating," Radue explained.

"Like a holiday," Beverly realised aloud.

"Correct," Radue responded. "And we would welcome subspace communications from the parents twice a year. We will also permit the children to send occasional messages and updates back."

He paused.

"However, you must understand we need to limit outside influence to ensure proper integration with our culture," Radue said.

Captain Picard's expression changed to one of regret.

"We want to help you. But this is not acceptable," Picard said.

"It will cause irreparable emotional harm to our children," Beverly said. "You cannot simply tear our families apart."

"We have offered you fair compensation," Radue insisted.

"Radue, we cannot accept this," Picard said.

"That is our offer. And it is final," Radue said.

Captain Picard shook his head.

"Please let us help you," Picard pleaded. "There are solutions to this problem that will both save your people and could help thousands of children. I know that you want to resolve this issue peaceably. Let us return with the children and you and a delegation may-"

But Jean-Luc didn't get to finish his sentence.

"Enough," Radue said. "Do you accept or not?"

"We cannot," Picard responded simply.

Without another word, Radue beamed Jean-Luc and Beverly back to the ship.

---

As soon as they rematerialised on the Bridge, everyone could sense that the negotiations had gone poorly.

"Open a channel!" Picard barked as he assumed the Command Chair.

Before Tasha could punch in the appropriate command code, Radue appeared on the viewscreen.

"Captain, we want you to understand the nature of your choice. A small demonstration of our power," Radue said.

Without warning, the Enterprise began to spin violently as it was ejected from Aldea's orbit. Everyone gripped their stations in an attempt to stay upright as they were thrown off course.

Data watched with alarm as the sensors struggled to register a location. They were hurtling away from Aldea.

Stars on the viewscreen were a blur as the ship spun out of control. Data could also see that there were ship-wide damage reports filtering in as the hull struggled under the strain.

After a gruelling eleven seconds, the ship stopped.

"Damage report?" Picard ordered as he found his footing.

"Coming across the ship now, sir. It scrambled our sensors. I believe that was a repulsor beam," Data advised.

"Our position?" Picard inquired.

It took Data two and half seconds to reconcile navigation with the stars visible on the viewscreen.

"According to my calculations, we are exactly three days, nine hours, and fourteen minutes from Aldea," Data advised. "At warp nine."

"Three days?" Beverly said in disbelief.

Instinctively, she took a step backwards as she was struck with the thought that she could truly lose her son.

"They call that a small demonstration?" Riker asked.

"Number One, get on the Helm. Take us back to Aldea. Warp nine," Picard ordered.

They wouldn't be able to maintain the pace indefinitely. They would have to drop off and cool the engines for a bit. It was a cruel reminder of just how inadequate their technology was in comparison to the Aldeans.

Riker scrambled to the Helm and input the appropriate commands.

"We're being hailed, sir," Tasha advised.

"On screen," Picard said.

It was Radue.

"Captain, if you do not accept our terms, the Enterprise will be pushed so far away that by the time you return, your children will be grandparents," Radue warned.

---

Jean-Luc pulled his uniform down to smooth it out. He then reached up to press the button to signal he was waiting outside.

He paused to tug at his uniform collar.

And then sighed in frustration as he realised he needed to smooth his uniform out again.

He hated this part of the job – more so given that this particular assignment was doubly troublesome.

Half an hour earlier, Jean-Luc had shown up outside of Guinan's door hoping for the chance to decompress to someone that wasn't one of his senior officers.

Are you in the right place? Guinan had said upon seeing him at her door.

Yes. Jean-Luc had replied.

No. You're not. Guinan had said poignantly.

Jean-Luc had looked confused.

Did we have time scheduled fencing for tonight? He had inquired.

Guinan had pursed her lips and given him a hard stare in response.

I'm not the person you need to talk to. Guinan had responded before unceremoniously shutting the door on him.

It was with a heavy heart that Jean-Luc had set off on the familiar path to the Crusher family quarters to have a conversation that he'd been avoiding all afternoon.

Jean-Luc had known Beverly Crusher for over twenty years. This was technically the second time she had served under his command – though this was the first time they had done so working so closely together.

When she had been stationed on the Stargazer with Jack, their time together had been relatively short. Beverly had only been a doctor, not the Chief Medical Officer.

It had been a simpler time when Jack Crusher was alive and Jean-Luc had simply been a friend of the family, an occasional guest for Sunday dinner, and Wesley Crusher had been learning to stack blocks.

Ever since their incident with the Traveller, Jean-Luc had felt uncomfortable around Wesley Crusher. He was an exceptional Acting Ensign and Jean-Luc knew Wesley would make a fine officer someday.

But he couldn't shake the extra feeling of responsibility he felt when it came to Wesley Crusher.

And it wasn't just because he'd brought Jack's body home.

It was because this was her son – a boy that could have very well been Jean-Luc's had things gone differently.

The one thing he hadn't been able to give Beverly. The one thing she had wanted more than anything.

The very reason they had gone their separate ways, remaining friends, burying their mutual feelings.

It had been the right choice. Jean-Luc reminded himself.

With a grumble, Jean-Luc decided it would be best to get this over with. He pinged the chime to the Crusher family quarters to alert Beverly to his presence.

He was about to turn and leave, presuming she was busy or asleep, when the door slid open.

"Captain," Beverly said in surprise.

She quickly smoothed down her hair as she pulled her dressing gown tighter.

It was evident she had been crying.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting-"

"I didn't mean to disturb your evening, I'll just-"

They both stopped and apologised for talking at once.

"Please, Beverly," Jean-Luc said as he held out his hand, encouraging her to speak first.

"No, no. After you, Captain," Beverly insisted.

Silence fell between the two.

"I came to see if you were alright and if-," Jean-Luc said.

"You've probably got a full plate and I don't want to-" Beverly began.

They had done it again.

Beverly laughed.

Jean-Luc smiled.

For a moment they said nothing, simply content to share a brief moment of levity despite their dark predicament.

"Funny how that always seems to happen," Beverly remarked.

"Only with us," Jean-Luc replied.

The words left his mouth before he could stop them.

Once more they had come right up to the brink of admitting what had remained unspoken for two decades.

"I really didn't mean to disturb you. If you would rather be alone," Picard trailed off.

"No," Beverly said quickly.

She pulled Jean-Luc into a desperate hug, clinging to him to stop him from leaving. She needed a friend. And she needed someone that understood just what a devastating loss Wesley's abduction was.

Beverly also needed someone that wouldn't look at her differently for breaking down.

Jean-Luc had been there for her after the loss of Jack. He'd stood beside her when she'd put on a brave face, displaying grace under pressure.

A smile and a wave. Hugs for Wesley. The strong, single parent she knew she had to be despite the fact that it had felt like her whole world was collapsing around her.

Jean-Luc had been there for the darkest depths of her widowhood.

"I'm so glad you came," Beverly confessed.

---

"You are unusually quiet. How are you coping?" Data asked.

They were sitting together on the sofa in Data's quarters. Data was seated upright, and Tasha was stretched out, resting her head in his lap as they both read from their respective tablets.

Tasha had gotten to their ever-rotating 'home' an hour earlier. Data had suspected she would be working late. Deanna was inundated over the situation with the abductions.

As one of the only other crew members with trauma-informed counselling experience, Tasha had been called in to help.

It wasn't as if her Security duties were of much use in the situation. The Aldeans were far too powerful.

While it was nice to feel useful, the sessions had taken their toll.

And Data could tell.

He'd prepared one of her personal favourite dinners only for Tasha to aimlessly pick at the contents. It was unusual for her to lose her appetite.

Data had suggested a walk in the Arboretum.

Tasha had desperately wanted to go for a run – but the Holodecks had been damaged by the repulsor beam and would not be operational for another forty-eight hours. They were a low-priority repair in comparison to the damage the hull had sustained.

It made her feel trapped.

So ever since cleaning up dinner, Tasha had been skimming through Federation news and the latest Parrises Squares League scores in a desperate attempt to think about anything else.

"Do you wish to discuss it?" Data offered.

Tasha dropped her PADD onto her chest and looked up at him.

"I don't know," she answered honestly. "How are you doing with all of this?"

Data raised his eyebrows.

"It is a complex and puzzling situation," Data responded.

He understood the Aldean's desire for children. More than that, Data recognised they were desperate to save themselves from extinction.

However, he felt the abduction was morally unethical. And he was struggling to rationalise such a decision.

"I fear that even if we are able to beam a team down through the gaps in their shield matrix, it is unlikely that we will be able to extract the children," Data explained.

Data, Geordi, and Chief O'Brien had spent the better part of the evening working on a plan. They currently had a series of complex analysis programmes running to try and detect a pattern or extend their beaming capabilities.

There had been little success – shaving just 0.02 seconds off the beaming time.

"I just don't get it," Tasha said as she sat upright.

She set her PADD down in a huff and flopped back against the sofa.

"There are literally thousands of orphans, and they just don't care," Tasha said in a heated voice.

She waved her hands, gesturing vaguely at nothing before crossing her arms and falling back against the sofa in a huff.

"It's like what makes them not good enough? With all their advanced technology they could have been looking there. Unless their society is just so damn perfect gods forbid they ever have to deal with something like orphans," Tasha fumed.

"You are deeply troubled by this," Data observed.

"No," Tasha said in a much softer tone.

She got up off the sofa and announced she was going to get ready for bed.

"I'm just sick of all these supposedly advanced societies deciding who deserves to live in the luxury world of no poverty and no famine and no bloody war," Tasha grumbled as she grabbed a glass of water from the replicator.

Data got up from the sofa and followed her into the bedroom.

"You are speaking of Turkana," Data realised.

"And Bajor. And Orion. And Opticor VII. And every other world that's full of people that aren't good enough to deserve this," Tasha said tersely as she threw her socks at the garment reprocessor.

Data frowned.

"Turkana. Bajor. They are not Federation planets," Data reminded her. "Therefore we are prevented from interfering in the Turkana Civil War. Just as it prohibits us from interfering in the Bajoran occupation."

Data paused and watched as Tasha stopped and closed her eyes in frustration.

"It is the Prime Directive," Data said.

"It's an excuse. It's convenient is what it is," Tasha countered. "Bajorans, Turkanans, Optricons, we don't have anything of value to offer the Federation. We're too busy trying to bake bread because we're barred from having Federation food replicators."

Tasha stopped venting and met Data's eyes.

"It's convenient," she concluded with a sad shrug. "Just like Velara III was convenient."

While Data had come to grieve and accept the destruction of the lifeform on Velara III as another reminder of the prejudice that existed against artificial and inorganic life, Tasha had been running on righteous fury ever since the event.

Tasha stopped and stepped over to Data. She rested her hands on his chest as she looked up to meet his eyes.

"We both joined Starfleet because we wanted to give something back," Tasha said.

"Correct," Data agreed. "And does not our service aboard the Enterprise satisfy that?"

Tasha hesitated.

"I don't know anymore," she said after a few seconds.

It was hard to admit. Starfleet was her life. Her entire life. It had been her home for almost half her life.

For Data, it was the only home he had ever known.

"Not when we're blasting away a lifeform just because they're different or trying to protect people that float around on a golden planet, picking and choosing the right children," Tasha scoffed.

She took a deep breath and let her head fall against Data's torso as he caressed her back.

"I'm tired of defending an organisation that gets to decide who lives and who dies because a Fleet Admiral in San Francisco determines which people are the right people to deserve a food replicator or an irrigation system," Tasha sighed.

She'd been struggling with that thought ever since Velara III. And Tasha was mentally exhausted.

"In my experience, I have observed most humanoids have the ability to mentally dissociate from suffering," Data shared.

During his time aboard the USS Trieste, Data had taken part in a relief mission. It was early in his career. Risuun, a Federation member planet, had suffered catastrophic flooding.

It had astounded Data how quickly the crew of the Trieste had adapted from rescue, recovery, and relocation one minute to hanging out in the lounge drinking ale the next.

It was like they had simply shut off their exposure to the suffering the minute they were beamed back aboard luxury – completely oblivious to the fact that there had been thousands of people on the planet below huddled around campfires in temporary shelters, their homes, loved ones, and crops washed away.

Data had never forgotten that mission.

It had replayed over and over in his mind.

It had provided him with a new insight as to how Bruce Maddox's staff had stood by, day after day, as Maddox had inflicted one trauma after another onto Data.

And in asking some of the other crew just how and why they had so easily compartmentalised the suffering, Data had frequently encountered the same answer.

Suffering existed. It was a part of life even in a modern utopia where poverty had been eradicated for the people of the Earth and her colonies.

After all, things have always been this way for some people. One of the crew had said.

Without suffering, we wouldn't know how to appreciate what we have. Another had remarked.

"Humanoids often say it is not possible to save everyone," Data recalled.

"Why?" Tasha asked.

Tasha had failed her first Starfleet philosophy paper for that very attitude. It was a necessary class for all officers and one Tasha had dreaded.

The class had been assigned to discuss a false dilemma in which a hypothetical Captain was forced to make a decision between saving colony A of a planet or colony B.

Tasha had gone so far as to argue with the professor – there were too many holes in the scenario, too many options unexplored. And Tasha had refused to accept that with all of their technology and brilliant minds, why they simply couldn't save everyone.

Her professor had, in turn, argued that the point of the exercise was to learn to delegate resources as a starship captain.

Tasha had questioned why they couldn't obtain more – she had argued it made no sense that they were prohibited from contacting other ships, transporting the people to a different area, or using the replicators.

The professor had insisted that there would be times such resources were not available, that the Federation could simply not save everyone.

Why? Tasha had demanded.

But Tasha understood why. She understood it better than most of her colleagues.

While the Federation theoretically had the ability to save everyone, there was a cost involved.

And it wasn't simply resources.

The Federation had always hidden behind its non-interference policy.

Because interference meant putting themselves at risk of Cardassian, or Breen, or Romulan retribution. It may have had airs of being a sophisticated diplomatic stance, but it was really a matter of self-preservation.

"Why?" Tasha repeated.

Data didn't respond verbally. Instead, he brushed the top of her head with a soft kiss.

"One of the things I love about you is your refusal to leave anyone behind," Data confessed.

It was one of her best attributes. Tasha was usually the one to voice such a concern during officer meetings or crisis situations.

And while Data admired that perspective (and felt it was vital for any team), it was also one of the things that terrified him about Tasha.

"We will get the children back," Data assured her. "And if it will make you happy, we can adopt an entire orphanage full of Bajoran children."

Tasha leaned back and looked up at him with a small smirk.

"You really know how to work having kids into every situation, don't you?" she teased.

"One of my many talents," Data said as they embraced.

"What do you think they're doing right now?" Tasha asked as they held one another.

---

"Come in, don't be alarmed," Radue said as he waved Wesley into the main room of his unit.

Wesley had been assigned to a unit along with Radue, Rashella, and a handful of other diplomats. All of the other children were absent except Alexandra.

"Don't be alarmed, the other children have been assigned to their units," Radue explained. "They are settling in for the evening."

Alexandra giggled, rushing past as Rashella chased her around the table.

"We have been waiting for you for so long, Wesley," Radue said. "Your keen mind. Your curiosity. You will be happy here. In time."

Wes glanced down at Alexandra who was hiding behind him.

"Maudon and Treir will be by tomorrow to take Alexandra," Radue informed him.

"No," Rashella said quickly.

She approached her father.

"No, I won't. I-I can't," Rashella stammered.

She looked longing at Alexandra and then back to her father.

"She's happy here," Rashella pleaded.

She had waited so long for a child. While she certainly was ready to care for young Mr Crusher, Rashella had been hoping to have a younger child that she could raise as her own.

She did not want to miss out on the opportunity of play and story time, watching someone grow and learn under her care.

Alexandra made a break for the table and Rashella scooped her up.

"I've got you now!" she said as she nuzzled her nose.