Naseema reasserted her grip on Picard, and wrapped her arms around his neck as he used both hands to grab another tube, and swing them to the solid foothold of the catwalk's grating. Once their feet were firmly planted, Picard hugged the Feeonix tightly to him, and they stayed frozen there for several seconds, both gasping with relief before making their way along the catwalk. They moved quickly, keeping each other close, each maintaining their tight hold on the other as the Borg pods popped, and crackled next to them, spitting neon sparks as the collective collapsed. The reached the control panel on the far side of the second level, and Picard activated the emergency ventilation. The gas rapidly dissipated, revealing the Borg carnage on the floor below.
Naseema quickly scanned the room, and unable to locate Data, she followed Picard down the ladder to the main level. They picked their way through the tangled metal of the Borg bodies, taking in the enormity of what the Borg had done to engineering, and how close they'd, once again, come to imminent destruction. Naseema noticed her captain seemed to be searching for something, and she stopped with him when he abruptly halted his silent quest as his eyes found what he'd been looking for. It was the flesh-less corpse of the queen, her synthetic skull, with twitching, blinking spine attached, still in her armour-clad, artificial body. She stood at his back, and watched him with quiet understanding as he stooped next to the predominantly lifeless body, and picked up the skull. He almost appeared to be examining it, but then he tightened his hand around the fifth vertebrae, and snapped it apart. It's red lights flickered, went out, and the twisting metal went limp. He dropped the two pieces unceremoniously, but before he could turn around to face his ambassador, a soft, gentle voice caught both their attentions.
"Captain," Data said quietly. Picard and Naseema each spun around towards the sound, and saw the android sitting on the floor, leaning against a pod. They very pod they'd climbed to escape the river of plasma coolant.
"Data!" Picard exclaimed as he straightened himself up, and hurried over to his second officer. "Are you alright?" he asked, looking the android over with concern. Naseema stayed where she was paralyzed as everything that had happened in the last eighteen hours came rushing back to her.
"I would imagine I look worse than I-" Data replied, pausing to let out an amused sigh, "feel." He glanced past Picard at the body of the queen. "Strange," he said quietly, his voice slightly shaky. "Part of me is sorry she is dead."
"She was unique," Picard replied.
Data continued to gaze at the pieces on the floor. "She brought me closer to humanity than I ever thought possible, and for a time, I was tempted by her offer." he admitted.
Picard furrowed his brow with sudden concern. "How long a time?" he asked. Neither man heard Naseema hold her breath.
"Zero point six eight seconds, sir," Data replied with a weak smile. "For an android, that is nearly an eternity."
Picard gave the android a relieved smile in return for his confession, and extended his hand. He pulled Data to his feet, and followed his gaze as it moved over his shoulder to meet Naseema's tear-filled eyes. This time it was Picard's turn for quiet understanding as he watched Data approach the Feeonix, who was still frozen in position. They said nothing to each other, but each one's eyes searched the other, and time seemed to stand still as Picard waited for some kind of reaction from either of them.
He didn't know exactly what had transpired between the pair, but he had his suspicions, and he knew them well enough to know that whatever had happened had changed the gravity of their friendship. Trusts had been shaken to their foundations. Hidden desires, and buried emotions had been revealed, and remained unresolved. The kinds of things one keeps deep in their soul, and that have the power to destroy friendships, even ones as strong as Data and Naseema's. He had seen them come through harrowing experiences before, and their last run in with the Borg, and Data's vicious brother pushed it's way to the forefront of his memory. Naseema had confessed to him what Lore had done to her, and made him swear never to tell Data. He had kept his word, and even though he knew the Feeonix still suffered from that terrible incident, she never let on that anything was wrong. She had refused to let it change her feelings for Data, and within days, it was as if nothing had interrupted their routine. It was a merciful relief for the android, who struggled to get back what he'd lost while he'd been the victim of his twin's aggressive ambition. The shoe was on the other foot now. This time it was Naseema who'd been controlled, and used by another to do harm to the ones she loved. Human sensibilities called that full circle, but these two were not human, and didn't see things the same way as their human friends. He harbored serious doubts that they would recover from this as quickly, and that was even if they recovered at all, but he hoped against hope that they were strong enough not to let it permanently damage their faith in each other. They belonged together, and he, just as every other member of the crew, could see it. He wanted that for them. They deserved it.
After they stood there, almost touching, for what seemed like hours, Naseema finally flung her arms around Data's neck. She buried her face in the crook of his shoulder, and held on for dear life. Abrupt gestures of affection usually left the android in a state of shock, but this time there was no such reaction from him. Picard felt his heart swell as he watched Data tenderly circle his own arms around the Feeonix's small frame, and squeeze her tightly to him. He rested his head on hers, and they stayed there for several minutes, silently holding each other. The android released a long, pent-up sigh of relief, and Naseema let out several shuddering gasps, finally releasing the tears Picard knew she'd been fighting to keep at bay. He wondered if he would be able to slink from the room unnoticed, but just as he'd decided to take his first step backwards, the pair broke their embrace. Naseema took Data's face in her hands, completely at ease with the missing eye, and skin. He started to let his hands slip from her back, but stopped, and held them at her waist. Picard's swollen heart skipped a beat as he was sure Naseema was about to kiss the android, but she didn't, and Data only rested his forehead against hers for a few seconds before they separated completely, and came over to join their admittedly disappointed captain.
The three of them stood in the entryway, and turned to absorb the sight of the scarred and brutalized engineering section one last time before leaving for the bridge.
Naseema's sense of innappropriate humor got the better of her, and with an exaggerated sigh, she folded her arms across her chest. "Geordi is going to commit ritual suicide when he sees what these fucking Borg did to his office," she said dryly.
Picard burst out laughing, and slung his arm around her shoulder. "Naseema, my dear," he sighed. "I do believe we have earned a drink."
She glanced at him, and with a sly smile, asked, "We are not going to be drinking tea, are we, sir?"
He laughed again, and shook his head. "No, we are not," he replied.
Data smiled at their familiar cameraderie. He didn't get what was so funny about Geordi committing suicide, but it put him at ease to see Naseema forget the terrible thing he had done, and return to her old self. It gave him hope that she would forgive him for taking advantage of her, and being weak enough to be so easily tempted.