Author's note: Welcome to chapter 2 of my first ever fanfiction. Reviews and tips are welcomed! I hope you like this second installment. In this chapter, we skip to the episode Code of Honour. Poor old Natasha Yar has been kiddnapped by macho man Lutan. Lutan's wife is obviously a touch pissed about this whole scenario. Let's just rate it M to be on the safe side so nobody gets upset. This is a very tame chapter.
Code of Honour
Pride, anger and jealousy swilled around angrily inside of Yar. Lutan's wife was such a primitive fool. How could Yarrena think that she'd be willing to sacrifice her career with Starfleet for such a brute?
Lutan had the charm and forcefulness of a gorilla. Yar refused to admit to herself, deep down she was attracted to these primaeval men. On some primitive level, she felt her body betray her and respond to his overly muscled arrogant body.
On her colony, brute strength put you on top, it meant you had a food and you were safe. If you attached yourself to a strong male you'd stand a better chance against the rape gangs. But this was a dark part of her that she wouldn't acknowledge to herself. That was the Yar from before Starfleet, not who she was now. She was different, wasn't she?
Yarrena had just left her alone in her prison chamber. Like any angry scorned wife who could smell a threat, she was vicious towards Yar, like viper protecting its eggs. She'd spit venom at her and despite herself, Yar had felt her temper flare and her competitive edge go razor sharp.
Yarrena had just stormed out of the room bellowing like an imperious queen "you are on our world!" in response to Yar's statement that it would be even more noble to refuse. Yarrena was right, they were on her world and their customs shouldn't be dismissed just because they didn't meet Starfleet's standard.
Yar hated and respected Yarrena at once. The snide hurt little girl voice inside her said: "I'm going to show you what a Starfleet officer can do you arrogant bitch". But at the same time, she admired her conviction and strength. Nobody would have messed with this bitch on Yar's colony. In other life, they might have been sparring buddies.
This competitive edge, which both helped and hindered Yar had served her well at the academy but in this situation it made her look vain and petty. She knew it and it disgusted her.
Just as she was staring angrily at herself in the mirror the Captain, Deanna, Geordie and Data entered the room through the sliding doors. Closing up her feelings she tried to push them down were Deanna, the alien empath wouldn't be able to find them. She was ashamed of her lust and felt exposed by her emotions, a feeling she didn't enjoy.
Data and Geordie were here to tell her what she needed to know about these weapons. Deanna was here as an advisor to the Captain. Without any preamble, Data began by saying "the weapons in that room are deadly, flexible, lightweight and durable. They were made small as if for women".
Geordie chirped in sounding fascinated "There are still traces of blood and poison on them."
Yar didn't care, she could win any battle with her bare hands, but she listened politely her feelings starting to crash loudly inside her ribs. Weapons hadn't always been a luxury for Yar and she'd learnt to be quick and deadly using her body. She was pretty lethal at close combat, at that thought she felt her pride rear its snarling head again.
"Poison?" said Picard his noble brow furrowing in concern. Geordie took this as an invitation to explain more fully.
"Yes, Captain, poison, Alkaloid base. Lethal." Geordie seemed to put an emphasis on the word, lethal. It didn't matter she'd just be careful to not get cut.
Deanna's face remained focused as she absorbed the information but also all the feeling in the room. Yar wondered if Deanna had her empathic antenna trained on her at that very moment.
Picard continued "What about those lengths of metal outside in the yard?" This time Data replied in his same smooth emotionless voice that made him sound like a talking Filofax of knowledge.
"Uncertain Sir, however, joined together they would make a rectangle or square enclosing 121 square meters."
Yar liked when he sounded like this, so free from emotion and ego. She longed to be like that. Like a woman of ice, no horrifying memories and shame from her childhood plaguing her or threatening to destroy her professional veneer she tried to maintain at work.
She wanted to be perceived as strong and capable, not a street urchin rescued like a stray kitten from one of the worst colonies in the galaxy. She wanted to be more than what she was. That was one of the reasons she liked Data, he was devoid of these problems.
"If put end to end vertically" Data continued, "they would make a pole 44 meters high. Or 2 of 22." You could hear from the pattern of his voice he was ready to provide insights like a super computer without stopping. A quirk of his that made him endearing to her. But Piccard cut in smoothly "Thank you, Data."
Someone with feeling might have thought they'd been cut off but sweet simple Data thanked Piccard and meant it. He always wanted to give you every fact and really thought he was being helpful.
Piccard turned to Yar at this point "How was your meeting with Lutan's wife?" Yar did her best to be like Data and calm her feelings. But she still felt the after waves of anger from being shouted at and spoke down to by Yarrena. She shook her blonde head looking down briefly to show she had failed in her task to reason with Yarrena.
"She won't budge Sir, she loves him without reservation," she paused her eyes flicking just for a moment at Data's face before looking back at Piccard. "She thinks I love him too…"
Data didn't feel so why was she concerned at how he might react. Would he give away their secret, would he be hurt. Data's brow dipped a fraction, which would have been imperceptible to anyone but Yar.
"Most interesting" Data said his face taking on that look of a curious child. Then bluntly and without warning, he asked, "Do you?" his eyes stared unblinkingly into hers in that way that occasionally unnerved her.
"Of course I don't Data" when the words left her she knew at once she sounded fake and like she was trying too hard to reassure him and herself.
She tried to dig her way out of it, of what she wasn't exactly sure but she scrambled for her words "As Troi pointed out to me, I'm attracted to him" she shifted her gaze to Deanna as if trying to lay some blame at her door. Deanna looked at her impassively her large brown eyes almost black.
Looking back at Data she finished "but that's entirely different." It sounded all wrong in her mouth and she already wished she could have a do-over, another go at sounding like her attraction to a monkey man hadn't just been exposed to her one-time android lover.
Before she could say more and put her foot deeper into her mouth Riker beeped in on Piccard's coms. "Riker to Captain Picard" came the Hollywood boyish voice.
"Go ahead Riker" the Picard replied tapping his Starfleet badge. "We're alone."
"Captain we can see that your hosts are congregating outside and three are headed your way. It is time Captain." Riker's voice sounded regretful like the situation was distasteful to him. You could hear that just from the way he said 'hosts' as if it was a farce to call them hosts considering how inhospitable they'd been.
"Thank you number one" replied Picard and already his wise gentle blue eyes were on Yar's face.
"Lieutenant, you still feel that you want to go through with this challenge?" Picard asked gently enough but Yar felt a dig of annoyance at the question. Her resolve steeled and she thought to herself 'I'll show you!'
It almost felt as if he was trying to talk a headstrong teenager out of some foolish escapade.
"You judge your condition good?" he asked.
Yar knew it wasn't personal, he wanted that vaccine but felt sickened at having one of his crew made to fight like a female gladiator for the amusement of men. Yar still felt that spark, that fight and that need to prove herself burning in her belly.
"I judge it excellent Sir" she replied, her gaze holding his steadily. She wouldn't tremble and she wouldn't shrink. She'd prove to Picard, Lutan, Yarrena and to everyone she wasn't afraid.
Just then the red doors of her chamber opened and Lutan's second in command appeared with grey suited attendants carrying red boxes.
"Your weapons Lieutenant Yar" he motioned with his muscular arm at the boxes the attendants were laid down on a table. "You may choose your weapon size".
Without another word he spun on his heel and left. This guy didn't like her or her crew and it was obvious in the disdainful way he addressed her. Well, she thought, she'd show him too when she won and Yarrena had a fat lip to show for it.
As soon as the attendants left, they all went to the boxes. Yar removed the lid from the first box and felt a small convulsion in her abdomen. The weapon looked like a spiked mace with a bird's beak, the sort medieval knights used in the historical movies she'd watched on the weekends at the academy.
Gingerly she reached in to pick it out but Geordie cut in quickly sounding concerned. "Tasha don't touch the spines. They're poisoned. If you're not careful you could kill yourself." Already her warrior mind was taking over and she felt calmer as she handled the weapon.
Confidently she continued looking at the weapon getting to know it with her eyes "These I understand" she replied indicating this object of war she was holding.
Picard turned and sounded like the master and commander he was. "Lieutenant Yar, I expect you to conduct yourself like a Starfleet officer," he paused and his voice softened just a fraction "but I also expect you not to die, survive". Looking to Picard she nodded "Aye Captain".
"Geordie, Troi, you two come with me, we will go meet Lutan, Data you stay and impart any wisdom you can about these weapons to Lieutenant Yar, though I doubt she'll need it."
Yar felt a ridiculous swell of pride at the Captain's faith in her. She wanted to make him proud like a child wants approbation from a parent.
"Aye Captain" replied Data his face returned to its state of calm. Then they were alone.
Show Me Kindness
Data immediately started to prattle on about the history of the weapon but Yar replaced it in the box and looked at Data. "You don't need to help me Data, I can do this myself," Yar said softly.
"I am sorry Tasha I was merely following the Captain's…" before he could finish she ran her hand through her short hair and smiled at him shrugging her shoulders carelessly.
"Stop," she interrupted him, "don't apologise," Data's mouth shut immediately and a look of confusion rippled over his face.
"Data why did you ask if I loved Lutan?" Yar asked tentatively.
Data's eyebrows quirked slightly, as they often did when he was processing things related to human emotions.
"I fail to see how this will assist in preparing you for your fight with Yarrena" he responded, artfully yet dutifully dodging her question.
Yar stared at him and didn't respond, she wondered if he felt jealousy. Data could be so childlike in his responses and for one who knew so much he knew so little about what really made humans tick.
Maybe he didn't know what it was, after-all he was still an infant in terms of the whole human experience, and maybe he didn't realise he was jealous. Of course, it wasn't jealous the way a human is. His response would be a fraction of a red-blooded male's reaction. For instance, you could see blatantly Riker's displeasure when other men ran their eyes over Deanna's incredible body, snuggly fitted inside her Starfleet uniform.
When she didn't speak Data spoke "I am interested in the human experience of love and family. I wanted to know how Lutan's stimuli could have generated a love response in you. I have read that love is an emotion fostered through a variety of…" before he could finish Yar had closed the space between them and placed her hand over his mouth to quiet him. His eyebrows raised in surprise .
"Just be quiet Data, humans aren't logical, we aren't Vulcan and feelings can't always be explained." Her blue eyes scanned his amber ones and she could see he hadn't yet caught her meaning.
"Data, kiss me, I want gentleness and kindness before I go face Yarrena." Pulling her hand away she closed her eyes waiting for his lips to press against hers. But when she felt nothing she opened her eyes to see a confused looking android trying to process and quantify this irrational request.
"But how can the human act of…" but before he could finish she pressed her mouth against his and his arms immediately wrapped around her. One arm was across her shoulder, with the other he was applying pressure pushing the small of her back towards him firmly so that their stomachs were touching.
She felt her whole body soften and for that moment she felt safe in his arms. Data would never become enraged and hit her, he wouldn't rape her or degrade her, he wouldn't toy with her or make her fight another woman for his pleasure. His steady emotionless calm silenced the war drums inside of her. For a moment she forgot about Yarrena and Lutan.
Pulling back Data looked pleased and confused at once "why have you kissed me Tasha?" his hands didn't release her to let her pull away "you indicated you didn't want to repeat our actions, you said it never happened."
Yar's face flushed hotly and she could feel her body responding to his solidity. "I don't know, just a human weakness I guess."
Data kissed her this time forcefully but without hurting her. He calculated the correct pressure so that he wouldn't fracture her skull while running through his memory banks on human interaction and searching for appropriate responses and etiquette. Data had longed to experience all human emotions and love was one he was sure would have eluded him, although, he wanted to feel it. He would never achieve his goal of humanity if he could not love and be loved.
To Data love was one of the most intriguing human experiences, it was both mental and physical. It kept the species going and made sane people act quite irrationally. It was a unifying emotion that all species seemed to share in one form or another. Therefore, to Data, it seemed central to the human experience.
Maybe with this striking human, he could learn more about it. As his positronic brain searched for information it became clear to him why he'd asked Yar about Lutan. Data had failed to see the correlation between himself and Lutan. Yar had expressed human sexual desire for both but they were quite different. Before they ended their second kiss loud drumming and ceremonial clattering began, which signalled it was time for Yar to face Yarrena in the arena.
Data let her go "I must beam back to the Enterprise, I must inform Dr Crusher and Commander Ricker of Captain Picard's orders." Suddenly he was all duty again and the tender moment was gone. Yar nodded and turned back to the box to ready herself for battle.
Suddenly she felt his hand under her chin and Data gently turned her face back to his " Tasha, please don't misunderstand my abrupt departure for lack of care. As you humans say 'good luck,' I believe I will see you again soon if all goes according to plan."
Yar smiled and nodded "Data just go already, I told you I'm fine" she meant what she said but was inwardly pleased he was showing concern for her feelings. He was behaving as if she were some damsel off to meet a villain.
After Data had beamed back to the ship Yar found herself struggling to suppress laughter. How absurd to think of her as a damsel, she'd never known anyone less 'damsely' in her life!
Show Me Your War Face!
Picking up her black bandana Yar tied it her forehead to keep her blonde hair out of her eyes and put on her spikey gauntlet. The guards came to lead her to the arena where everyone was assembled to watch.
Her crew mates and captain sat near Lutan, Yar's eyes met briefly with Deanna's brown ones. Deanna nodded to her and Yar didn't have to be a betazoid to know Deanna was worried for her. Suddenly the clamouring and drumming stopped and Yarrena made her entrance like a boxing champion, hooded and already wearing her weapon of choice.
The spectators went wild while Yarrena was unrobed by her male attendants. She was wearing a pink spangled jumpsuit. Again Yar had to keep her war face on otherwise she might laugh. While Yarrena's outfit was indeed ridiculous Yarrena's beautiful dark skin shone healthily from under her immaculate makeup and her fit physique was noticeable under the clinging material.
Yarrena's contemptuous regal face regarded Yar as if she were beneath her.
Lutan's commander spoke up over the crowd "I speak for Lutan, the rules are known. Let combat continue until there is a victor". He then clapped signalling the fight was to commence.
Yar and Yarrena entered from opposite sides of the arena but quickly Yarrena was on the attack. Like a leopard, she sprang forward over the metal apparatus and swung her poisoned weapon at Yar's head. Yar easily dodged, putting her weight back on her left foot so that the spines swiped a centimetre past her nose.
Yarrena's hand flew past Yar's head again and slammed into one of the metal poles, which sparked angrily from the impact. It seemed some of the apparatus was electrified. Yar defended keeping the shorter Yarrena at bay with her long well-trained Muay Thai boxer's legs.
Frustrated and enraged Yarrena climbed high onto the bars before coming down on Yar from above. Yareena was fast and nimble like a gymnast and kept Yar constantly moving to defend from Yarrena's poisoned spines. Their gauntlet hands met again and this time Yareena seemed to have the advantage of the high-ground. Forcing her weight into her arm Yareena bore down her gauntlet towards Yar's face.
With a shout of exertion, Yar pushed back causing Yarrena's glove to fly off her hand and into the crowd. Yarrena flipped backwards away from Yar's thrusting knee and looked like a cornered beast. She was weaponless.
The unfortunate man in the crowd who'd caught the weapon had already died, as one of the spines had grazed his bare skin. The crowd cheered and made noise, encouraging Yar to strike. But Lutan's voice suddenly overruled their rowdy jeers. "Combatants hold your positions!" he boomed raising his hands up to signal a pause "Return the weapon!" he pointed at the dead man then indicated towards Yarrena.
Yar's eyes flew to Lutan's face, he was flushed with lust at the sight of two women fighting for him. He was enjoying watching her dodge death for him. That macho prick bastard she thought. As soon as Yarrena had her weapon returned Yar decided it was time to end this. Using a feint Yar made Yareena expose her left flank and as soon as her guard lowered to strike Yar struck first and grazed Yarrena with the poison spikes.
Yarrena fell to the ground dead. As soon as Yarrena hit the ground Yar leapt and pressed herself over her corpse, both were immediately beamed back to the ship.
END NOTE: The end of this episode is in the process of being written up. I hope you enjoyed this. I promise there will be more Data - Yar moments in the next chapter!