(Three weeks later.)
"Captain's log. We are en route to meet with the Tecumseh to aid my friend Captain Bla Raginmund in the relocation of some settlers. They have turned out to be the descendents of two groups of human colonists who crash landed on a planet in the Ficus Sector almost two and a half centuries ago. On a related note, Bl agreed to let me 'borrow' his chief of security for awhile, perhaps permanently, in return for a favor or sorts I did for him over a year ago. I was impressed with his chief of security's performance on Juhraya in the Cardassian demilitarized zone when she rescued a colonist from a minefield, and based on her abilities and courage shown there as well as other reports of her, I have high hopes for her here on the Enterprise."
=/\= =/\= =/\= =/\= =/\=
"Yes, sir.", Data confirmed to the captain as they made their way to the transporter rooms to meet their newest guests. "If the number of civilians in the report is accurate, I believe there will be just enough room for them all aboard Enterprise without the need to create a temporary living situation on the hol" The captain immediately looked up at him when Data uncharacteristically stopped speaking mid-sentence. Not only had Data stopped talking, but he had stopped walking as well, neither of which the captain had seen him do before - or had even heard of him doing. Picard glanced ahead of them in order to discern what had apparently caught his second officer's attention, and he heard a woman's voice for a second before two officers, one in red and one in gold, who he presumed to be his new security chief, rounded the corner just before them. Data called out, "Tasha?" If Picard didn't know better, he would have sworn the android sounded almost... astonished.
At the sound of his voice, the officer in gold came to an abrupt halt in speech and movement, not much unlike Data had moments earlier, and looked up from her PADD. "Data!", she exclaimed.
The officer with her, Commander Riker, stopped along with her, though not as abruptly, wondering what was going on. She looked to Riker for approval, which he nodded in an 'I have no idea what you plan to do, but go ahead' sort of way, and when she looked back, she noticed the captain. "Sir!"
"Go ahead.", he motioned, smiling.
She sprinted the couple of steps necessary to embrace Data in a good hug as he stepped forward himself. He returned it, seeming contemplative with eyes closed, to which Riker's eyes widened considerably before looking over to his captain, conveying a "What the hell?" questioning expression before his gaze settled back on the two of them. Yar took a good, friendly look at him after they separated and noticed something that made her brow begin to wrinke, just as it simultaneously dawned on her where she was and what she had been doing. She looked over and took notice of the captain again. "Sirs! I'm sorry, sirs.", she apologized sincerely, to Picard and, literally in turn, to Riker.
"I apologize as well, Captain, Commander.", Data offered, as he had essentially ignored the captain for the last few moments.
"As you were.", Picard replied kindly to the both of them, nearly as curious at Data's behavior as his first officer was. "Lieutenant Yar." He stuck out his hand. "Good to have you onboard."
She shook it enthusiastically. "Thank you, Captain. I'm very honored to be here."
"Lieutenant, this is Commander Riker.", he pointed his hand that way.
She turned and shook the commander's hand as well. "Nice to meet you, sir."
"Likewise.", he grinned charmingly.
Data's eyes hadn't left her, thinking this was one of those moments where a human might use the phrase 'pinch me'. "Mister Data, I take it the two of you have met?", asked the captain.
"Yes, sir. We met during her second year at the Academy. She is...", he paused for the briefest moment in thought, "a good friend." Riker's eyebrows went lifted at that, and Picard's followed part-way. "But I did not expect to see her here." It was as much a statement as it was a question, and true to the appropriate language function, Data tended to save his uncontracted words for use of emphasis.
"You were busy during the meeting this morning, so I was just about to tell you: She is our new chief of security.", Picard explained with a hint of pride. Then he added, "And that reminds me; I must be getting to transporter room one. I would like for all of you to join me as soon as possible.", he suggested leniently. It was rare his senior staff requested any personal time or took any personal leave, for that matter, so he was willing to give them a minute while on duty.
"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.", Data replied. With that, Picard was off, and Data turned to the commander, whose face still wore a look of surprise. Data did not address that and instead asked, "Sir, as I was unaware of the addition to personnel, I have already allotted all the extra quarters to our guests."
"I completely forgot. I'm sorry about that, Lieutenant.", he frowned regretfully. "Lieutenant Hernandez will still be in your quarters until we get to Starbase Rhaeoto to meet up with the relief ships." He gave it a moment's thought. "Maybe Counselor Troi wouldn't mind sharing her quarters with you 'til then, though? I can ask her and let you know."
Data cocked his head ever so slightly and tried to relieve Tasha of the awkward situation by asking, "That is thoughtful of you to suggest, sir, but would it be possible for Lieutenant Yar to share my quarters until our guests have departed?"
It was all Riker could do not to let out either a cough or a chuckle - or both, he wasn't sure. "I think that'd be alright. Lieutenant," he nodded toward her, "would that be okay with you?"
"That'd be perfectly fine, Commander. Thank you."
"Thank you, sir.", Data nodded to him.
"We should all go meet up with the captain."
"Yes, sir.", she quickly affirmed before they all found their way to the nearest turbolift. Riker had taken the lead, leaving the two of them to walk together so as not to appear to invade their discussion. "Thanks for thinking of me.", she said softly to Data with a grateful smile. She hadn't slept in a day and a half because she had been so busy, so she she hadn't had a chance to give her future sleeping arrangements a second's thought. But given the choice, if she had to bunk with someone here, she'd much prefer to bunk with her friend.
"Of course, Tasha."
"I'm sorry.", she apologized for the second time in almost as many minutes, shaking her head slightly. "I meant to let you know I was coming aboard, but when I found out yesterday, things had just gotten so busy."
Data looked at her intently, noting her tired eyes, as she chattered her explanation. "I am glad to see you." At that she calmed and smiled, and he returned her smile. The way he did so these last few years had made her regard him curiously, unable to tell if he was simply imitating or if he was actually emoting, although he had told her he had been working on his facial expressions.
Riker gentlemanly ushered her as well as Data into the lift before him. As the lift started, Riker began to wonder about their guest colonists. 'If they are like I hear they are...'
Yar had glanced up to Data, seeing that hint of a particular look in his eyes that indicated he was running another self-diagnostic, and she did manage to furrow a brow this time. She didn't necessarily want to have a personal conversation in front of her new XO, but she really did want to know if he was okay. "You're doing it again.", she remarked just short of a whisper. "What's wrong?"
Riker cocked his head, now studying Data, his attention drawn away from his own train of thought. 'Again? What's he doing? Looks normal enough to me.'
"I'm not certain." was Data's simple and equally soft answer. "Although I didn't realize you could tell; you've never mentioned it before."
"But I've never not noticed before either. An oblivious security officer isn't a good hire.", she joked, though still concerned.
"Fair enough, as Geordie would say.", he agreed in a like manner. But noticing her lack of satisfaction with his answer, he added, "I will try to explain later."
She nodded once, still eyeing him.
"Vatis to Yar."
She looked down and tapped her commbadge. "Go ahead."
Riker took the opportunity to ask, "Is everything alright, Commander?" He hadn't pretended not to overhear this part of their conversation, but he nonetheless wasn't able to decipher what they were talking about, and it had made him wonder if Data might not be fit for duty.
"Lieutenant, we have a situation in transporter room three and request your presence as soon as possible.", came in Vatis's voice over the top of them.
"Yes, Commander, I believe I am fine.", Data nodded as the lift came to a halt. He offered no other information, puzzling Riker all the more.
"Acknowledged. I'm almost there. Yar out."
They filed out as Riker finished with Data. "Well if you should start 'believing you're not fine', be sure to let me know."
"Certainly, sir.", he acknowledged.
As they approached the transporter rooms, Yar asked Data, "Would you let the captain know I'll be in trans room one to meet him when she I'm done with the situation over here?" She dipped her head toward trans room three.
He nodded in the affirmative. "'Have fun.'", he told her in his natural dead-pan, to which she gave a little laugh before heading in and leaving them to do the same across the hall. Riker just shook his head, not sure what to make of it all.