Chapter Fifteen: Glitch

Boy, they sure weren't lying when they said the exam was tough! During a few questions, I started to draw a blank, but I remembered my training once I took a few deep breaths and centered my thoughts. When all was said and done, I passed the Starfleet Academy entrance exam on my first try and couldn't wait to tell Data. He was on bridge duty at the time of my communiqué, so I left him a message, hoping he would get it and respond soon. I didn't have to wait long; he contacted me in less than half an hour to congratulate me. He was thrilled. When I returned to the Enterprise, I was shocked to be greeted by no one at all. All of my friends and colleagues were on duty. It was a counter-climactic return to say the least. I figured it was just as well since I was exhausted. I returned to my quarters, planning to take a hot shower, but when the doors opened I was utterly startled and jolted out of my thoughts. At that moment, I was so happy I had used the bathroom before my return to the ship; otherwise, it would have been a messy and embarrassing experience.

"Surprise!" a group yelled from inside.

Data, Geordi, Beverly, Cmdr. Riker and Counselor Troi were gathered in my quarters with a cake. The surprise had been orchestrated by Data. The celebration was brief since all had to return to their duties, except for Data who was scheduled for the night watch later that evening. As we ate cake, Geordi half-joked that I'd better enjoy my leisurely meals while I was aboard the Enterprise.

"At first it'll be fine, but once those exams come up, you'll master the art of multitasking… studying through nearly all your meals." Geordi chuckled.

"Well, I guess all's well. I need to lose a few pounds anyway." I chuckled.

After the group dispersed, Data and I were left all alone with nothing but silence to fill the air. He moved close and kissed me tenderly.

"Congratulations on your acceptance to the academy. I knew you could do it." Data proudly whispered as he embraced me, "Although I am proud of you, I find that I am also saddened by your acceptance since it will drastically reduce the amount of time we spend together. I will miss you… very much."

I gently broke the embrace and looked up at him.

"I'll miss you too, Data." I replied, "But it's not permanent and I'm only going to attend the two-year program since I don't plan on becoming a full-fledged officer. I'll have holidays off and will be able to see you during those times."

"It is not sufficient. However, I have no choice but to accept it. Although, you do realize that in the event the Enterprise is called away on a dangerous mission during your scheduled leave from the academy, you will not be able to return to the ship during that time." He answered.

"I hadn't thought of that. I guess we can only hope for the best." I replied glumly.

Once again, Data pulled me close and kissed me, but more passionately this time. We got lost in the gentle sensation of the kiss. He gently traced the contours of my face as he continued to kiss me, moving his lips to concentrate on the delicate spot on my neck. At the same time, he began to unfasten the front of my uniform when I pulled away.

"Data, I'm sorry. I'm still not ready." I said gently, before he could ask what was wrong. However, he still had questions.

"Do you not wish to make love because of what happened the first time? Are you afraid of me… that I will injure you again?"

"No! Data. Don't you dare blame yourself for that. You asked was I alright and I said yes. It was my fault for not knowing when to stop. I thought it was just a little discomfort that would pass. Anyway, it's not like I was seriously injured or anything. I was fine. Lt. Gomez took something very minor and blew it way out of proportion!"

Seeing Data's glum look brighten only slightly, I took his hands into my own.

"Data. You are gentle, attentive, caring and loving. For all those reasons and more, I trust you. I know you wouldn't hurt me intentionally. I love you." I reassured and he smiled even broader.

"I love you, Kadalynn. I will be patient until you are ready. I would like us to both enjoy the experience when the time is right… for both of us."

At that moment, his words solidified my knowledge of how lucky I was to be in a relationship with him.

The semesters at the academy were very tough, yet they seemed to fly by very quickly. Before I knew it, I was just two semesters away from graduating. Data and I made the most of whatever time we had together during my breaks. There were several times when we almost consummated our relationship, but I could never go through with it. I realized that I was terrified, not of him, but of having the scary sensation I felt the first time we were intimate. I think Data and I set a record in terms of how long we continued to date without the element of physical intimacy. Data continued to be very understanding, but I noticed that he was becoming a bit concerned and I could tell his patience was waning. One semester, I finally decided to put an end to it and vowed to get over my fears during my next break, which was just a few weeks away.

Data and I missed each other like mad and we contacted one another regularly, using only secure channels in order to maintain our privacy. However, despite our carefulness, news of our relationship had gotten out on campus. I was initially bombarded with questions from my fellow cadets. Some were cute and harmless, but others were rude and perverted. However, I decided to keep the details of my love life to myself.

Thankfully, the cadets respected my privacy regarding my relationship with Data — for the most part. There were still the occasional whispers and conversations that would end abruptly in my presence. I ignored it and threw myself into my studies, pulling relatively decent grades in most areas, others needed significant improvement. I only had one more semesters to go. My contact had broken off with Data since he and the Enterprise crew had traveled for a mission on the Ba'ku planet. He had mentioned it to me a few weeks beforehand, not revealing any specifics of course. I missed him terribly and I longed to see him again. I missed Spot too. I found myself missing all things connected to Data's life.

One day, I was in one of the lounges, studying for an exam, when my Stellar Cartography instructor, Professor Lockwell, urgently called me into her office. She told me that Data had snapped during his assignment and attacked some of the Starfleet officers during their mission. At first I laughed, thinking it was some sort of joke, but the seriousness in her face sobered me. She showed me a video on her screen after warning me that it would be disturbing to watch. No warning could have ever prepared me for what I saw: Data aggressively striking the other officers, sending them flying like rag dolls. I could've sworn he killed at least two of them. I'd never seen him exhibit such brutal force. I shook my head as I saw him head-butt another officer before violently flipping him over the shoulder and slamming him to the ground. Tears filled my eyes as I watched him unsheathe his phaser and fire it repeatedly at the command center. I was speechless. I couldn't believe the same arms, that held and caressed me so gently could be so brutal. The professor ended the video and regarded me with a sympathetic look.

"I'm sorry I had to show you that, but you wouldn't have believed me otherwise." Professor Lockwell stated with a sigh, "I'm afraid to tell you that unless Capt. Picard is able to apprehend Cmdr. Data, he will likely be destroyed."

I shrieked and sobbed as I demanded to be taken back to the Enterprise, but I was told it wasn't possible since the crew were on a delicate mission. I was devastated. All I could do was to sit and wait. I felt so helpless! It was very difficult for me to focus on my studies, but I did my best, knowing that Data would want me to continue my education. I eventually received an update stating that Capt. Picard and Lt. Worf had successfully apprehended Data. However, he nearly killed them in the process. I was relieved to hear the news that he was safely taken into custody, but was still worried about him.

The situation forced me to contemplate our relationship. I wondered if he might hurt or even kill me if such a malfunction were to happen again. Terrible scenarios played in my mind. What if he malfunctioned during our most intimate moments? How could I possibly defend myself? I then realized how powerless I'd be against him and it shook me up inside.

Once Data's damages had been repaired, I spoke to him once through a communiqué. He tried to discuss what happened, but I refused to talk about it. I was too scared. He repeatedly tried to contact me after that, but I made myself unavailable for awhile. I needed time to think. I wanted to make sure I didn't say the wrong things to him. After I felt a bit more confident, I was finally able to speak to him, but I kept our conversations brief.