Chapter 3

Will quickly bent down to feel for a pulse. "How in the world did she get here?" He mumbled quietly. He stood back up. "Her pulse is weak, but she's still alive." He quickly tapped his comm badge. "Riker to Transporter room."

"Go ahead captain."

"We have a medical emergency. Four to beam directly to Sickbay."

"Aye sir." In a moment, the away team began to slowly dematerialize. Within seconds they were safely transported to Sickbay. Dr. Alyssa Powell and some nurses quickly lifted Tasha onto a table.

Will turned to Data. "Data, are you sure there were no other humanoid life readings on that planet?" There was a pause as Data re-checked his tricorder readings. "No sir, there were not." He answered distractedly.

"Data, are you feeling alright? You seem…preoccupied." Will asked, his concern evident.

Data furrowed his eyebrows. "I am not sure. I am feeling very…strange."

Will gestured to where Tasha was lying on the table. "I know, seeing Tasha here is pretty bizarre for all of us. Last we knew she was dead."

Data shook his head. "No, it is more than that. It is a feeling I'm not sure I have encountered since I have received my emotion chip."

Will placed his hand on Data's shoulder in a gesture of comfort. "I'm sure you'll figure it out." Riker and the rest of the team filed out of Sickbay. "Doctor, please alert me when she is ready to talk."

Dr. Alyssa Powell nodded. "Yes sir."

Data turned back to where Tasha lay on the table. He was surprised to see that she had awoken and was now sitting up.

Dr. Powell seemed equally amazed. "Miss Yar, please lay down so I can finish checking you." She insisted.

"That really is not necessary." Tasha objected attempting to get off of the table.

Data strolled over. "What happened?"

Alyssa shrugged. "I have no idea. I had just asked my nurse for a medical tricorder when Miss Yar suddenly sat up."

"I am fine now really." She looked up and locked eyes with Data. "Am I not?"

Data opened his mouth to say something before quickly shutting it again. He furrowed his eyebrows. "I believe that is for the doctor to decide." He turned to leave Sickbay. "I should leave now."

"Wait!" Tasha called.

Data turned to look at her.

"Data please stay. I-I need you." Data looked at Alyssa who nodded her consent. He slowly walked back over and stood next to her while Alyssa finished scanning her.

"First officer's personal log, stardate 2382.35. Ever since encountering Tasha Yar, I seem to be experiencing a strange new emotion. It seems to give me multiple conflicting reactions all at once. While I am curious about this new emotion I am approaching it cautiously."

Data stood in his room. Spot meowed and wound around his legs. Data bent down and scooped up his beloved cat. He tickled her chin before setting her back on the floor.

Data strolled over to the replicator. "Feline supplement number 6." He took the dish after it materialized and set it on the ground. Spot ran to it purring her immense pleasure.

Data walked over to his desk and stared at it momentarily. Slowly he opened a drawer and pulled out an old portrait. He hesitated before pressing a button on the front. The image of Tasha Yar appeared, smiling back at him. Data looked up as his door chime sounded.

"Enter!" He called. The doors opened revealing Geordi La Forge. "Hi Data." Geordi answered as he wandered over.

"Hello Geordi."

Geordi looked at the picture that Data held. "What's that?"

"It is a portrait."

"Of Tasha?"

Data nodded a bit embarrassed. "Yes." Data began as he set the picture down. "I would rather not discuss it."

"Oh I see." Geordi grinned. "You were in love with her."

Data shook his head. "That is an incorrect assumption. At the point of time I did not have emotions."

"But you do now…" Geordi pointed out.

Data opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by the ring of his comm badge. Data tapped his badge. "Data here."

"Data this is Captain Riker, all senior officers are needed at a meeting in my Ready Room immediately."

"Acknowledged sir." He tapped his comm badge once more before he and Geordi started off for the meeting.

Will Riker sat in the Ready Room with the rest of the senior officers and Tasha.

"How exactly did you end up in that cave?" Will questioned Tasha.

"I told you commander, I mean captain," She began. I am not sure. Last thing I remember was being scheduled for execution for trying to escape Romulus with Sela. But my Romulan husband did not wish me to be killed and finally persuaded the government to use me for testing their new technology so that I might have a chance of survival. That is all I remember."

"What kind of technology?" Will asked.

Tasha shrugged. "I think it was some kind of transporting device that could be used from planet to planet. But I'm not sure."

"Will looked over at Geordi. "Do you think that the Romulans have that sort of technology?"

Geordi puffed out his cheeks and blew out a breath. "I'm really not sure. Whatever it was, it obviously worked."

Leah La Forge, his wife, looked doubtful. "I know that there is a theory about folding space for transporting, but to my knowledge it's never been attempted. So I'm not convinced."

Will looked at Tasha suspiciously. "Tasha, what is our current stardate?"

Tasha looked confused. "2350.2, why do you ask?"

All of the senior officers looked at the captain with wide eyes.

"What is the matter?" Tasha asked confused. "Why are you all staring like that?"

"Our current stardate," Captain Riker began slowly. "Is 2382.35."

"But, that is impossible. I was on Romulus, with my daughter who was five years old!" Tasha spluttered completely confused.

Will nodded. "Dismissed. Tasha, Commander Data will show you to your quarters."

"Yes sir, thank you." Tasha replied before following Data out.

"Ideas anyone?" Captain Riker looked around in astonishment after they left.

"I see it this way," Leah La Forge began straightforwardly. "There are three possibilities. First, that she's telling the truth and she's not only been transported across the quadrant, but has traveled nearly forty years into the future. Second, that she's been transported and been in some kind stasis for nearly forty years. Or third, that she's lying and not really who she claims to be."

"I have done some tricorder scans on her," Dr. Alyssa Powell added. "And I find no trace of spatial distortions of any kind. That pretty much eliminates the first theory."

Will nodded. "Well, is she lying? Did you monitor her vitals?"

"Yes," Alyssa answered. "She is telling us what she believes to be true."

"But we didn't detect her life signs at first, why?" Geordi asked completely baffled.

There was silence. "Well," Captain Riker began. "I guess we'll just have to keep an eye on her."

Data and Tasha walked for a while is silence. "It has been a long time since I have been on the Enterprise." Tasha sighed looking around.

"This is not the same Enterprise that we were on all those years ago." Data reminded her.

"Well anyway," Tasha shrugged. "It is good to be back."

"What will you do now?" Data asked abruptly.

"Well I suppose I will try to resume my career in Starfleet." She answered simply. "Or, maybe I will settle down and start a family." She looked up at Data. "This whole thing with the Romulans has really made me think about my life."

They stopped upon reaching her quarters. "Here is your room." Data announced.

"Thank you Data." Tasha smiled as she opened her door to her quarters. "For everything." Then she reached up and planted a small kiss on Data's cheek before disappearing into her room.