Today had been a whirlwind and she could not understand why. It had been a Tuesday, for Pete's sake. Molly let out a breath and took a moment to just sit on the little loveseat in her quarters. This had been the first time she could sit all day.
Molly had woken up today at 0700 hours, grabbed a banana, went to the classrooms to answer questions for all the children, and then checked into sickbay by 1200 hours. From then until 1900hours she had been bombarded with injuries of all shapes and sizes.
One crewman had burned his hand on a loose coil, another had broken their leg while spending leisure time on the Holodeck, she had even had to help straighten someone who threw out their back while in a Jefferies tube. Bumps and bruises to broken bones and swollen ankles, she had seen it all today. Even had someone throw up on her.
Thankfully, Doctor Crusher had given her permission to go shower and dress in a new uniform after the vomit incident, Beverley was impressed when Molly didn't throw up herself. Guess everyone in the future had a weak stomach, at least that's what she had to surmise considering she was the only medical officer to rush to the aid of the poor pregnant lieutenant.
"We don't see too many upset stomachs nowadays,"
that's what Beverley had said, like it was common knowledge. Like Molly should understand that headaches, migraines, vomiting, all these normal common illnesses were a thing of the past. Today had just been… Too much.
Tears were prickling at the back of her eyes, but she sniffled and fought back. One deep breath in through her nose. One slow breath out of her mouth. Deep down she wasn't really shocked by the information, there had been much more detrimental knowledge she'd been forced to learn. She was just tired after a long day and after being pushed just a little too hard.
Her stomach grumbled in the quiet quarters and she felt a twitch of her lips. Her emotions were probably fried from not eating since that banana. Molly swung her arms forward and lifted herself off the couch. She turned the lights on for the first time and walked towards the replicator.
Not having a real kitchen was weird, but time saving for sure. She pushed the button they'd shown her a few years ago when she awoke to the future, cleared her throat, and said, "Computer, would you make me a bowl of Chicken tortilla soup?"
Was this a strange dinner? It was what she wanted right now. Something to warm the coldness in the pit of her stomach.
"Please indicate a level of spice" The matter of fact, monotone, voice of the ship's computer rang out.
"Uh-mild?" She wanted warmth, not fire.
A few beeping sounds answered her request as the replicator processed the food. Quicker than she could ever grow accustomed, a beautiful clear bowl was resting under the replicator. It was filled with a steaming, creamy liquid. She could see the chicken and a few kerns of corn floating in the liquid.
"Thank you, computer." Molly whispered as she brought the bowl and spoon back to the little table with one chair. She never heard a response to her gratitude, but it made her feel good to express her thanks to the machine that supplied her with shelter, food, and safety.
Molly finished the soup quickly and then decided to dress in a pair of her own clothes. She walked toward the closet and there she had tucked away in the back corner some black leggings. She pushed the shirts and Starfleet uniforms out of the way until she found a sweatshirt with a picture of a black cat. She pulled both on and threw her second uniform of the day into her hamper.
She felt a lot warmer now, her heart felt like it was going to be ok to keep going. But there was one last thing she needed to do tonight before she allowed herself to sleep. She needed to get memories out of her system. She grabbed a box from her closet and smiled when she saw her noise canceling headphones and her old mp3 player inside.
These precious instruments had nearly made Lieutenant Commander La Forge giggle in excitement. He had begged Molly to let him run some experiments on them, but she couldn't let him. These were some of the last remnants of a past she'd never get to go back to. When she had first been assigned to the Enterprise D, Molly had already been in the future for three years. Both devices had been long since dead, unfortunately no one had charger ports or outlets anymore.
But thank heavens for Wesley Crusher.
Young Ensign Crusher had heard Geordi and Molly discussing the devices and he had made it his own, personal mission to make them work again. He had taken one look at both the headphones and the mp3, found their instructions, and then created a power block with extensions to charge both. She feels a little bad for crying on the kid, but she couldn't say thank you through all her emotions. Hopefully, he understood.
Molly walked down the hallway and smiled to the few curious glances she received. Most knew her strange tendencies but all of them thought she looked like a nutjob wearing clothes that just didn't exist in this decade. She reached the turbolift and called out her desired destination with a smile in her voice.
"Ten Forward please, computer."
It was nearing 2300 hours now; this was her favorite time to come to Ten Forward. Not a soul in sight other than Guinan, but she never judged Molly. Guinan smiled and gave her a knowing look as she practically skipped into the mess hall.
"I suppose I should just save my breath; it doesn't matter that we have a cleaning machine who will take care of all of this, right?"
Molly smiled toothily at Guinan and walked behind the barstool to head back towards a door tucked neatly out of sight.
"Oh, my dear Guinan, how well you know me."
Guinan rolled her eyes and didn't say anything else as Molly pulled out a powered mop, another luxury created by the replicator. She brought it out front and Guinan followed her to move the chairs and tables out of the way.
"Did you hear all the excitement today?" Guinan asked.
"Did it have to do with Ensign Stevens breaking his leg while pro wrestling on the holodeck?" Molly remarked as she lifted the corner of the table Guinan was holding.
Guinan nearly dropped her side as she chortled. "No, but you're gonna have to tell me that story sometime."
Molly smiled and nodded as they created a wider area of range.
"Lieutenant Commander Data was kidnapped today." Molly actually did drop her side of this new table.
She grabbed it immediately, "Sorry, Guinan, did it drop on your feet?"
Guinan shook her head but her eyes sparkled at Molly's reaction.
"Is the Lieutenant Commander alright?" She tried to keep her eyes locked on her work, Guinan always had a way of reading her mind when she looked into her eyes and right now, she wanted her thoughts to be left alone.
"He seems to be just fine, but he is an Android so no matter what happened to him he wouldn't really be able to feel it anyways."
Molly felt her brow furrow with this last statement. Scientifically that was probably true, but she didn't exactly agree with it. Data was more than just a cold robot; he could learn and adapt. It felt wrong to dismiss any potential harm that may have befallen him.
"Do we know what happened to the kidnapper?" Molly tried to shift the conversation away from Datas less than human build. She finally met Guinan's eyes when she heard her give out a snort.
"Oh boy do we, he's in our custody."
"He's here? On the Enterprise?" Molly felt her eyes widen in shock; they could keep someone who caused so much harm? Wasn't that a conflict of interest?
"Yup," Guinan popped her p, "his name is Fajo, or something, apparently he's a real ruthless man. Collecting rare and extinct oddities."
Molly pushed away from the last table and stood in the middle of the almost empty Ten Forward. She folded her arms as she thought of Data, trapped by a mad man obsessed with collecting him.
She shivered and even Molly could hear the disgust in her voice as she whispered, "What a creep."
Guinan tilted her head in agreeance and then sighed, "well, I suppose I should leave you to it. Enjoy."
Guinan left and Molly was alone.
She shook her head of thoughts and grabbed her headphones. She flipped on the mp3 and let the shuffle take her away.
She turned on the mop and smiled as the music filled her ears. The noise cancelling headphones were the greatest gift her brother had ever given her.
She began to push the mop around in a circle and then in lines to reach every angle, but ultimately the lines blurred as she let the rhythm take her away. Soon she was swaying and jumping to the beats in her ears.
First it was "Wake me up before you go-go."
Then it was "Waterloo"
Each song filled her heart and made her soul soar, all her sadness fled at the happy trumpets and booming voices. She might not be able to be with her family, but they were here still. She could almost see them as she remembered the way they'd all scream the words.
The last song faded, and Molly realized she'd finished the floors already. She turned to put the mop away as a sultry voice began to vocalize in her ears. Molly smiled as she set the mop down and turned back towards the empty room. She could see the freshly clean floors glisten, still damp. She rushed forward and let her feet slide across them, singing along out loud, as loud as she could, "Whoo!"
She clapped to the beat and smiled, glad she couldn't hear herself, "Clock strikes upon the hour and the sun begins to fade. Still enough time to figure out, how to chase my blues away."
She stamped her feet and let her hands flow through the air above her.
"I've done alright up till now it's the light of day that shows me how, and when the night falls. The loneliness calls."
Wow did this last line hit her hard today. But Molly allowed herself to be completely engulfed in the song, trying not to put too much thought into the words right now.
"Oh, I wanna dance with somebody. Yeah, I wanna dance with somebody, with somebody who loves me!"
She felt the headphones pull off her ears. She was thrown into the silence of Ten Forward. She turned and her hands flew towards her face, trying to catch them. She assumed they must have slipped off in her jumping. She froze as a soft, golden tone caught her eye.
Her back automatically straightened as she realized Lieutenant Commander Data was standing before her.
Data had taken the headphones and was now wearing them over his own ears. His eyes never left her face and Molly realized she was sweating. When had it become so hot in here?
She could just slightly hear the music, she really needed to learn volume control, her face felt warm as she realized Data was listening to I wanna dance with somebody.
"I wanna feel the heat with somebody!" She heard softly and now she wished she were anywhere else.
Commander Datas head tilted, and she watched him close his eyes. He was focusing on the words now, oh no.
She watched his face for any sign of annoyance or confusion or even disgust, but there was nothing. She sighed and then startled as she realized just how close they were standing. Molly took a step back and Datas eyes snapped open, refocusing on her.
Molly gasped just lightly, how was it possible that this man was a robot? His pupils even dilated to adjust to the light as he opened his eyes. Molly realized they were both just staring, and she broke first to stare at her feet.
"Oh, Molly, what an awkward situation you've put us in." She thought to herself as she began to worry her lip.
"Doctor Williams, is this the type of music you listen to every time you dance in Ten Forward?"
Molly shook her head and immediately responded, "Oh, no, tonight just felt like an 80s kind of night." She shrugged but Datas head tilted in confusion. His eyes even crinkled at the edges as he processed her answer. Molly wanted to stare at him again.
"80s night?" Datas eyes began to swivel back and forth, and Molly blinked having time to think over his words. Wait a minute…
"Ah! 80s music, you are referring to the decade 1980 to 1989. This music has a beat and rhythm that would help induce dance."
"Commander, did you ask if I listen to this, every time?"
Data snapped his eyes back to Molly's and she had to fight to keep her eyes locked with his own.
"Yes, Doctor, this the fifteenth time I have watched you dance in Ten Forward."
Molly nearly collapsed. Datas hand shot forward before she could even process the air leaving her lungs. His hand felt strange against her elbow as he helped keep her upright. It wasn't cold but wasn't warm either. Then again, Molly was quite flushed in this moment. She wasn't exactly a normal temperature herself currently.
"Fifteenth time?" She rasped as her lungs filled again.
"Yes, Doctor, was this inappropriate of me? Ten Forward is a public space and I only came when I heard the singing the first time."
A pucker formed between his brow and even as she felt incredibly embarrassed, she couldn't help but feel slightly guilty. Of course, Commander Data was right. This was a completely open space, there weren't even doors to keep anyone out. She was the fool here, a real live dancing jester.
"Doctor?" Data called out a second time, his voice sounded strange today. Molly sighed and bit her lip as she rested her hand on his one still supporting her arm.
"No, Commander, I'm afraid I'm the inappropriate one. I shouldn't have been dancing in Ten Forward."
Data still had her headphones; they were resting lower on his ears so he could hear their conversation, but she could hear "Under Pressure" begin to play and she rolled her eyes.
She reached out her hand to take the headphones but to her surprise Data stepped back out of her reach.
"Commander?" She voiced her confusion with her hand inclined towards his face.
His voice seemed small as he asked, "May I listen, just for a few minutes more?"
Molly let her hand fall and she nodded. Data moved the headphones back over his ears and closed his eyes again. They stood in silence the remainder of the song and Molly couldn't help but examine his reaction. Data was almost pained.
Oh. Oh, of course he was in pain. Data had just been kidnapped today.
The song stopped and Molly could only assume the batteries had run out. Data removed the headphones and there was no sound now.
"This is quite a fascinating genre of music, you seem to favor synthpop, is that correct?" Data didn't let go of the headphones even as they rested in Molly's outstretched palms.
"I suppose that's one of the genre's I enjoy most, but I like all kinds of music."
"I see." Data monotoned in response. His hands still held the other end of her headphones. Molly leaned forward and peered up at the Lieutenant Commander for a moment before his eyes found hers again.
"Commander, is something wrong?"
Data stood taller and his hands finally fell away, he even took a step back.
"Everything is as it should be Doctor, why do you ask?" He clasped his hands together and stared down at Molly.
"I don't know, you seem a little, sad?" She could count on one hand the times she's spoken with the Lieutenant Commander but something about his eyes, this look made the sadness in her stomach flare lightly. Almost as though it had found another kindred wounded animal.
"That is not possible Doctor, I am an Android, I can not feel sadness." What an automatic response, Molly couldn't help but think.
"Commander, I heard about what happened today. I'm very sorry, is there anything I can do for you?"
Perhaps this was the wrong subject to discuss. Once the words left her lips Data cast a glance towards the door, then he answered,
"No Doctor, everything will be alright, now that the perpetrator has been captured."
She felt awkward again. Molly glanced at her headphones and then towards her mp3 laying against the barstool.
"Commander, if you ever want to hear more of this music, you are more than welcome to come to my quarters and listen."
"Would we be able to listen to more now?" This had caught Datas interest.
"No, I'm sorry. The mp3 will need to be charged again." Data followed her nod and stared at the little black box.
He walked forward and grabbed it delicately from the bar. Turning it over a few times as his eyes darted back and forth again.
"It only holds 18 hours after one charge. That seems inopportune for an object created to be used every day." Data voiced his thoughts, but Molly knew he wasn't looking for an answer. In those few seconds he had now become a better expert on the mp3 player than she ever could.
"It gets me through the week well enough. I only use it when I'm here." Molly gestured around them and only now remembered the tables.
It was almost 0100 and she still had to put Ten Forward back to its normal arrangement.
Molly grabbed the nearest table and began scooting it along the clean floor towards one of the windows.
"Would you like my assistance Doctor?" Molly looked toward Data still standing in the middle of the room with the music player.
"It's alright Commander, I'm the one who made the mess. I'll clean it up."
She positioned the table perfectly and then went to grab the two chairs that would flank it. She halted mid step to see four other tables and chairs already in their proper place. A nudge against her leg forced her to turn as Data held out one of the two chairs for her table.
"Commander, you really didn't have to—"
"Helping humans seems to be my objective in life." Data cut her off.
Molly tilted her head and frowned at his statement.
"Objective? Why does everything need to have an objective?" Molly was merely voicing her confusion out loud.
"Fajo told me everything has a purpose, an objective. I have been pondering on what mine must be." Data set the chair down opposite Molly and turned to grab another table.
Molly sat hers down and let her eyes follow his back. He always looked so perfectly calm and collected, but this conversation didn't feel right. His shoulders were slightly pinched, and the lines hadn't left the space between his eyebrows.
"You don't owe anything to anyone, commander." Her words sounded much stronger and slightly more bitter than she had intended but they held the effect she wanted. Data stopped and gave her his full attention. How could it be possible that Data had no emotions? He was very obviously taken aback right now.
"Doctor?"
"Commander, did anyone ever tell you what happened when they found me floating alone in that ship? Did you ever hear who found me?"
Data gave a shake and waited as she blew out a sigh.
"It was a merchant. He found our ship and decided to raid us in order to make a quick buck. When he found me, still alive, he woke me up. Tried to convince me that he was the future and that I owed him my life. He wanted me to serve him and work for him."
She clenched her fingers into a tight fist, she wished she could go back with all the Starfleet combat training she had now. It would ease her conscience to give that monster a kick in the jaw.
Data shuffled closer to her and Molly found herself looking up into his neon green eyes. She felt flushed again, but with anger. The tears were back, this time they did trickle down her face. Being an angry crier was just the worst.
"Why do you bring this up now, Doctor? It gives you much pain to discuss." Data reached a hand up and let his finger grab hold of one of her tears. He watched it travel down his hand and only dismissed the liquid when Molly grabbed onto his arm.
"I bring this up Commander because you don't owe anything to those who found you. Your objective isn't to serve or slave over others. Your objective is to live, live and learn and grow. Your objective, commander, is up to you to decide."
She breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth, trying to regain whatever composure she could. Trying to save whatever amount of face she had left in front of the Lieutenant Commander.
"Data." She refocused on the android in front of her and felt her frown return.
"Excuse me?"
"My name is Data; I would like it if you used my name. Neither of us are on duty, it seems only right for you to use my name."
Molly sighed and felt her lips twitch in a slight smile. He was one smooth criminal.
"Alright, Data. I wouldn't mind it if you called me Molly either." She turned back towards their work only to find that Ten Forward was complete.
Molly rested her hands on her hips and looked up into Datas glittery face.
"You are much quicker than I am, Com—Data. Thank you for helping me."
Data gave a nod and then tilted his head, "Molly," he began. "when would I be able to listen to more of your music?"
Molly smiled fully at his question and then thought over her working hours this week.
"Would Sunday be alright, Data? At 2100 hours?"
Data nodded and his own lips turned in a slight smirk. He gestured for Molly to lead the way out and both headed for the turbolifts. They chatted about what genre music they each typically enjoyed until the computer informed them, they had reached Molly's floor.
She stepped out of the turbolift and waved goodbye to Data.
"I'll see you on Sunday, Data. Have a good night."
She turned to walk to her room but not before she heard her name one last time. She turned and saw Data with an open, curious face. Data called out,
"I hope that on Sunday you will explain to me the meaning behind some of the words to your song. 'I want to feel the heat with somebody'? Also, why do you wear clothing that is tight around your lower half and larger for your top half? Goodnight."
The doors shut and Data was gone. Molly turned bright red and rushed towards her quarters.
