In this chapter, we've got quite a build-up before concluding with a major shift in the relationship between Lore and Beverly and Data and Tasha. It's written intentionally to be a back-and-forth in order to contrast the two situations.
Once that's out of the way, we're going to have a chapter that focuses heavily on Lore's backstory. We'll learn a little more about why Lore is motivated to act this way and get a glimpse at the events that led to his fractured psyche.
This will be followed by the introduction of the Crystalline Entity for the first (but certainly not last) time in this story.
C/W: Contains abusive behaviour, smut, and dub con/rape. Will contain Data/Tasha fluff and eventual smut. Lore is a master of manipulation. Lore/Beverly (but it's not what it seems).
This is a fic in which Lore (still his lovably flawed, chaotic self) plays the long con before showing his true colours. Also, Lore and Data have significantly greater capacity to feel than canon suggests.
When Data returned to his quarters, he found Tasha sitting at the table alone.
She was starting at nothing and refused to look him in the eye when he tried to engage in conversation.
"Tasha, I am so sorry for-" Data began to say.
"I'm tired of hearing how sorry you are," Tasha said. "I don't need your pity for something that was my own fault."
"This was not your fault," Data said as he sat down across from her. "None of this was your fault, Tasha."
She sat back in the chair and scratched her neck.
"He was in here, wasn't he?" Tasha asked.
A look of sadness flashed in Data's face as he felt overcome with regret.
He shouldn't have left her alone. She had come to his quarters seeking sanctuary from the fear of being alone. Data had promised her safety and his actions had only brought her further torment.
"I should not have left you alone," Data confessed.
Tasha froze.
Data noticed a marked change in her breathing.
"What do you mean you left?" Tasha asked as she was gripped with fear.
She had been disturbed at the idea of Lore being in Data's quarters. Tasha had no inking that he had been inside while Data was gone.
"I thought that is what you were asking," Data admitted. "I took a walk to clear my head. When I returned, he was here waiting."
Tasha felt like she was going to be sick all over Data's table.
She pushed the chair back and took a series of slow, shaky breaths.
"Tasha, I will never leave you alone again," Data assured her.
He could see she was struggling to process this information.
"No," Tasha replied as she stood up.
Data got up from the table and took a step toward her.
"No," Tasha repeated as she put up her hand and backed away from him.
Data was at loss.
"How may I help?" he asked.
"You don't," Tasha said through gritted teeth.
At this latest revelation, Tasha's mind fell back on an old adage she had learned the hard way.
The only person you can trust is yourself.
Data was struggling too between balancing the need to give her space and his concern for her safety.
"At least permit me to escort you to your quarters to ensure your safety," Data pleaded.
"I don't need you or anyone else," Tasha snapped. "The only time I'm safe is when I'm alone."
Data watched with a heavy heart as she stepped out into the corridor and farther away from him.
When Tasha reached her quarters, she placed a level one security lock on the door with a double verification passcode requirement.
She activated the alarm function on her door so that it would sound in the event of it being breached.
After conducting a thorough search of her personal quarters – checking every possible corner and hiding spot – she checked her phaser charge level.
With a fully charged phaser in hand, Tasha grabbed a pillow and made for her bathtub. It was the only place in which she had two locks between her and the world.
Tasha curled up in her bathtub, facing the door, and clutched her phaser to her chest.
Boots on. Phaser in hand. Ready to run or fight if the need arises. She told herself.
Tasha knew she would keep her eyes trained on the sole entrance and exit to her sleeping space until exhaustion overcame her.
She was used to falling asleep in such a manner. It was strangely comfortable. She had become accustomed to sleeping in her boots, fully clothed, and ready to run a moment's notice.
After all, it was exactly how she'd slept on Turkana for years.
Just before 05:00 hours, Commander Riker was waiting with a tablet in hand outside of the canteen.
Part of his job as First Officer was to oversee the disciplinary actions for those that were on report. Today, the officers that were on report would be helping to clean out the coolant waste for processing and decontamination.
It was a tough job – both in terms of it being a labour-intensive task and for the fact it had to be done under physically demanding conditions. They would need to crawl into the Jefferies tubes, drain the coolant into storage containers, and then haul them back out.
It was a design flaw of the Galaxy class ships and a job that everyone onboard dreaded.
At 05:00 exactly, Riker stepped into the canteen and was grateful to see that no one was late today.
Ensigns Hernandez, Phillips, and Urquhart were frequent fliers. They had quite a report with Commander Riker from their frequent misconduct. In part, Riker thought they intentionally misbehaved in order to get on report just to spend more time with Riker.
There was an astrogeologist that had been sent on report for 3 days after numerous incidents of carelessness in the lab had cost the department weeks of research.
Lieutenant Clifford was back for the second time that month. She'd mouthed off to Miles O'Brien one too many times in the last few weeks. While Miles was fairly relaxed, he didn't stand for other officers belittling one another. When Miles had asked her to lay off a new Ensign, Clifford had laid into him.
Riker wasn't surprised to see Lieutenant Yar sitting alone at one of the tables in the canteen. She occasionally filled in for him whenever Riker couldn't see to the Report duties or joined him when there was anything particularly dangerous.
"I wasn't expecting you to join us this morning," Riker commented as he stepped over Tasha. "But I'm glad you're here. You can oversee the three amigos. Might make them think twice about coming back here."
"No, sir. If you check your log, you'll see I am here on report," Tasha said without looking up from the table.
"Very funny, Tasha," Riker chuckled. "For real, I don't want to see those three back here again."
Only Tasha didn't laugh.
"Sir, I am here on report," Tasha repeated. "And I will be here for the next thirty days."
She looked up and met his eyes.
"What is our assignment today, Commander?" Tasha asked politely.
Riker's brow furrowed.
He tapped his tablet and accessed the daily record for officers on report.
There she was.
On report for thirty days no less.
It was an extreme punishment on a starship like the Enterprise – particularly for a senior officer.
Riker scanned across the disciplinary record and saw that the assigning officer was none other than Captain Picard himself.
"So you are, my apologies," Riker said awkwardly.
He cleared his throat and stepped over to the front of the room to address the group.
"Alright, we're going to be cleaning the coolant waste this morning in subsections F through K. You'll each take one of the tanks," Riker announced.
A series of groans erupted from the group. It was one of the worst tasks aboard and it was no surprise this morning's batch would be disappointed with their assignment.
Everyone was grumbling. Everyone, that was, except for Tasha, Riker noted.
She simply took her assignment and storage container devoid of complaint before crawling into her designated section without a word to anyone.
An hour later, Commander Riker had finally reached her position. It was part of his job to check on the progress of each individual under his charge.
"Everything alright?" Riker questioned as he crawled toward her.
"Yes, sir," Tasha replied.
"You want to stop and take a break?" Riker encouraged.
Breaks were encouraged in order to keep the crew members healthy and mentally focused.
Tasha didn't respond.
"You know report is intended as a punishment, not torture," Riker said in a jovial voice, hoping to get a smile from her.
However, much to his dismay, Tasha did not pause.
"What happened?" Riker asked bluntly.
It had been weighing heavily on his mind since he'd seen that Captain Picard had placed her on duty. Tasha was an exemplary officer – almost too 'by the book.'
It was out of character for her to engage in any kind of behaviour to warrant being put on report.
Tasha didn't answer.
"Tasha, I asked you a question," Riker pressed.
"I disobeyed an order, sir," Tasha replied flatly.
Riker scoffed in disbelief.
"An order from Captain Picard? An order serious enough to warrant thirty days on report?" Riker asked.
Something about this whole situation seemed odd.
"The details are not important, Commander," Tasha said without meeting his eye. "I disobeyed a direct order. Worse, I know better than that and chose to do so regardless."
Riker reached out and took the sonic driver from her hand. It forced her to stop.
"I know you well enough to know that you wouldn't refuse an order without good reason," Riker said.
Tasha closed her eyes and took a deep breath to steady her nerves.
A part of her mind was screaming this wasn't fair. The very injustice of being punished for a situation in which she had been the victim was overwhelming.
But another part of Tasha told her this was her fault, her choice. It came from the darkest parts of her mind, reaching out to strangle her with thoughts of insecurity and self-deprecation.
She opted to go to the holodeck.
She chose not to pursue the matter.
She ignored the Captain's offer to reveal the burden she carried.
Tasha knew she had put herself in this position.
"Sir, I understand if you need to add time to my being on report, or write me up for insubordination," Tasha explained. "But please understand that I will continue to refuse to answer these questions and further disciplinary action will not change my mind."
Her voice contained no anger or bitterness. Rather, it was as calm and collected as she had always seemed.
"Tasha, I'm not buying it," Riker protested. "What's really going on here?"
Tasha took the sonic driver back from him.
"I would prefer to serve my penance in silence, Commander," she said firmly.
Without another word, Tasha turned back to the coolant tank and resumed her work.
"Of course," Riker said politely.
He turned and crawled away. As he rounded the corner a metre away, he stopped.
Riker put his head back against the wall and closed his eyes.
This whole situation reeked of something fishy.
Tasha winding up on report by Captain Picard the morning after the fight between Data and Lore? Riker suspected Tasha was the 'her' that Data and Lore had been referring to.
However, it still didn't explain how or why Tasha had wound up violating a direct order from the Captain.
Professionally, Riker had an aversion to getting involved in the personal affairs of other officers. What they did on their own time was none of his business. However, as a friend and colleague, he was worried.
Having collected his thoughts, Riker was about to crawl off to check on the next officer when a sound caught his attention and stopped him in his tracks.
Just above the faint hum of the ship, Riker could make out the sound of someone crying.
Not someone.
Tasha.
She was crying softly, probably doing her best not to be heard.
He was hesitant to go back to her. He couldn't see that just around the corner she was thumbing away a fresh set of tears, feeling horribly embarrassed, before sniffling and resuming her work.
Riker shook his head.
This was definitely not right.
When the crew was done, they were all required to sign out with Commander Riker.
"Nice work," Riker said, hoping a little encouragement would help Tasha feel better. "I'll see you on the bridge."
"Yes, sir," Tasha replied simply as she punched in her crew ID to signify completing the first day of her assignment.
Once everyone was signed out, Commander Riker headed for the Captain's ready room to turn in his morning report.
"Come," Picard called as Riker pressed the console to alert the Captain of his presence.
Commander Riker transferred his morning report to the Captain's computer and took a seat. It was customary for Captain Picard to request that they run through the day before alpha shift took over on the bridge.
"Cleaning out the coolant waste," Picard said as he clucked his tongue. "Nasty business. Hopefully this will be the last time we see Hernandez, Phillips, and Urquhart on report for a while."
Commander Riker decided to take a gamble.
"I was actually hoping it might be the last time I have to see Lieutenant Yar on report, sir," Riker remarked.
It was a comment designed to both elicit additional information and to make clear Riker's disapproval of the situation.
"Did Lieutenant Yar say something this morning?" Picard questioned.
"No," Riker replied sharply. "In fact, it was what she didn't say that had me concerned. Refused to say a word."
Captain Picard nodded. He had expected as much.
"Will, I'm not telling you to go easy on her. She won't react well if she suspects you are," Picard warned. "But don't press the issue. Give her space."
Commander Riker couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"I'm sorry, Captain. But I can't accept that," Riker argued. "Not when I've got one of my best officers crying in a Jefferies tube."
Riker shifted in his chair and rubbed his chin.
"Sir, I've never seen Tasha Yar rattled by anything," Riker said in a much softer tone. "And if there's something going on that can scare Tasha, then I'm afraid just thinking about it."
Captain Picard sat back in his chair and took a slow sip of his tea while he collected his thoughts.
"Please, Will," Picard urged. "Let this one go."
Will Riker turned his head to the side as he met the Captain's gaze.
He could see that Captain Picard's request had been made in earnest. And Will trusted the Captain's judgement. He knew that Captain Picard had the best interests of his crew at heart.
"Alright, sir," Riker agreed, albeit reluctantly.
Once that matter was out of the way, they moved on to the issue from last night.
It was the second time there had been a mysterious transmission of unknown origin involving both of their resident androids.
"Have you been able to establish the veracity of Mr Lore's account?" Picard questioned.
"On my way after this," Riker explained.
Picard nodded heartily.
"Good. If you think there is any possibility that this person is covering for him, I want to know," Picard ordered. "Press them for information. Lean on them hard if you have to."
After his one-on-one chat with Data, Picard was left feeling that Lore was far more distrustful than he had previously perceived.
"I don't think honesty will be a problem, sir," Riker replied.
Picard quirked an eyebrow, wordlessly encouraging Riker to explain.
"Like I said, I don't think it will be an issue," Riker added.
"I want this handled with caution, but I want answers as to why and how Lore was in Data's quarters," Picard demanded. "And I don't want this other crew member leaving anything out or conveniently forgetting something if you catch my drift."
Captain Picard picked up his saucer to take another sip of tea.
"Unlikely," Riker answered. "It's Doctor Crusher."
Captain Picard sputtered and choked on his Earl Grey.
"Is that a problem, sir?" Riker inquired.
"No, no, no," Picard insisted quickly.
Too quickly.
The Captain grabbed a napkin from his desk drawer and dabbed at his uniform.
It was no secret there were feelings between the Captain and the Doctor. What most people didn't know is they were feelings and feelings only at this point.
While Beverly shared those feelings, she hadn't been willing to wait around forever for Jean-Luc to pluck up the courage to make a move. She'd made more than enough moves on him over the course of their twenty-year friendship.
And each turn, he'd made an excuse for why it was inappropriate or necessary to stop before things went any further.
Knowing what he knew, Captain Picard found himself suddenly concerned for Beverly's safety. If she was keeping company with the deceitful android Lore, then it could lead to trouble.
Worst of all, Jean-Luc knew he had no way to share those concerns without violating the privacy of the last person who needed an additional hit at this time.
"Sir?" Riker prompted, seeing the Captain was lost in thought.
"Very well," Picard replied absentmindedly. "Let me know what you find out."
Commander Riker left feeling more confused than when he had entered.
Once the door was closed, Captain Picard hailed Doctor Crusher on her combadge.
"Crusher here," she responded.
"I was wondering if you would like to join me for dinner tonight?" Picard asked.
They met for meals regularly and it had been a few weeks since the two had made time to sit down together.
"Of course, Wesley would be welcome too," Picard added when she didn't respond.
There was a brief pause.
"Well, that's very kind of you, sir," Beverly answered. "But I'm afraid I already have plans tonight. Perhaps another time?"
"Of course," Jean-Luc replied, frozen by fear.
Jean-Luc put his head in his hands and contemplated his options.
While he had no evidence her dinner plans were with Lore, he couldn't deny what his gut told him.
Suddenly struck with an idea, Picard tapped his combadge again and paged the Crusher family quarters.
When Wes answered, he felt a sense of panic.
"I'm sorry, Wes. I was wondering if your mother was there," Picard asked.
"No, she's not. Sorry, Captain," Wes replied.
"Oh, I see," Picard responded, feigning surprise. "Did she head to sickbay early today?"
It took a moment for Wesley to respond. He certainly had no problem with his mother dating. In fact, he desperately wanted her to find someone and enjoy herself.
He did, however, have a problem with Lore.
Wesley wasn't quite sure how to convey what had occurred to the Captain. He certainly didn't want to make his mother look bad or say something that would reflect on her poorly.
"She, uh, spent the night with a friend," Wesley explained.
There was an unmistakable hint of pain in his voice.
Jean-Luc closed his eyes. It was confirmation of the very situation that filled him with dread.
Captain Picard thanked Wesley and closed the channel.
He had to find a way to stop it in the next few hours.
"Argh!" Geordi growled.
He stepped away from the table in the Data's lab. With his hands on his head, he paced around for a few seconds in an effort to give his brain a break.
"Geordi?" Data inquired.
"I just need a minute," Geordi replied.
Data nodded in understanding.
He had learned that for humans the phrase 'need a minute' often meant more than an actual sixty seconds.
They had been working on the Ferengi Thought Maker for four hours already without any response. With the help of Wesley Crusher, they had subjected it to every possible scan, test, and examination they could think of.
They had tried hooking it up to a variety of power sources, running it through a series of radiation exposure tests, and a series of diagnostic assessments.
Despite their best efforts, they had found no power source and no additional information.
"How can this just be polyalloy?" Geordi asked with an exasperated sigh.
"Perhaps there was a power source that degraded rapidly after the connection was severed?" Wesley suggested.
"That would be a valuable defensive strategy to protect the secret of such a device," Data added.
Geordi stopped pacing.
He shook his head.
"But we would have found something ," Geordi insisted. "A trace, residue. And do we really think it would have disintegrated all other components? Where are the transmitters? The circuits?"
Data was at a loss.
"Data, I know you don't want to do this," Geordi warned. "But we've only got this device until tomorrow."
A pained look crossed Data's face.
It did not go unnoticed by Wesley.
Wes glanced between the two men. It was clear that whatever Geordi was proposing was not an idea Data supported.
"Perhaps you should take a break?" Data suggested. "I will continue working and you may join me afterward."
Geordi put his hands on his hips.
"Data, I get it. But we're working against the clock here," Geordi pressed.
"I do not want him to be told of our lack of progress," Data said in an effort to compromise. "He is not to be told any details. As soon as we have his information, he is to leave."
"You mean Lore," Wesley said.
It was said in a voice that indicated Wesley's disgust for the android.
Data looked at him curiously.
"I'm sorry, I know he's your brother, Data," Wes said, feeling embarrassed for his comment.
"There is no need to apologise, Wesley," Data replied.
Feeling curious, Data decided to inquire as to the nature of Wesley's disdain for Lore.
"Wes, may I ask why you appear to hold feelings of hostility towards Lore?" Data inquired.
Wes felt embarrassed. He shrugged nervously.
But his conscience told him he could trust Data and it was important to tell the truth.
"I just get this feeling around him that he's not really as naïve as he seems," Wes confessed. "It's like he's pretending."
Wes sighed in frustration.
"Gives me the creeps," Wes said. "Mom thinks he's just grand."
He rolled his eyes in annoyance. Wesley wasn't jealous of his mother's attention – he was concerned Lore was a bad person and that his mother couldn't see it.
"Again, I'm sorry because I know he's your brother and all," Wes apologised.
"There is no need to feel uncomfortable," Data assured him. "I share your concerns."
Beverly tapped the screen of her tablet and checked off the two storage crates of Metorapan and made a note to order a replenishment crate of Dermaline gel when they reached Tauphi VI.
She turned around and startled.
"You work too hard," Lore said.
"Inventory is a big job," Beverly replied.
"Maybe you need a break?" Lore suggested.
Beverly blushed and shook her head.
"I still need to catalogue the Cortalin stores and finish the inventory of sedatives," Beverly said. "I need to go."
"No," Lore said as he rested his hands on the store rack behind her. "Stay with me."
Beverly found herself trapped between his arms on either side of her and the grinning android inches from her face.
She certainly wasn't complaining about her current predicament. They had been interrupted the night before.
Hours earlier they had made a second attempt. They hadn't gotten far when they were interrupted once again – this time by one Wesley Crusher asking his mother if she was alright.
Their morning liaison had only lasted six minutes, but it had been six minutes of heaven.
She flashed him a shy smile.
Lore leaned in close.
"You can't tell me you have to go and then look at me like that, Doctor," Lore whispered against her ear.
Lore pressed a series of slow, sensual kisses across her lips, over her chin, and down the side of her neck.
"Anyone could walk in here," Beverly protested.
"That's why I locked the door," Lore retorted.
She groaned as Lore ran his hands over her body, sneaking under medical jacket and up over her hips to brush the underside of her breasts.
Beverly reached for the zipper on the front of her uniform when Lore's hand stopped her.
"Allow me," he purred.
Beverly felt her skin flush. He was so attentive.
She dropped her jacket to the ground. A moment later, Lore pulled her jumpsuit down over shoulders as he nipped at the exposed flesh.
Beverly made a move to begin undressing him. Lore caught her hands and pressed them into the shelf behind her.
"Patience," he said in a playful, warning voice. "Let me enjoy you."
To her dismay, he remained clothed as he worked his mouth across her body. She longed to feel his bioplast. It was truly an engineering marvel.
When he released her hands to strip away the rest of her uniform, Beverly reached for him.
In a flash, Lore had her face-first against the shelf.
"What did I just say?" he growled as he gripped her hips painfully.
His warning shot straight to her cunt, making it tingle with anticipation.
There was something fascinating about the way in which he could so easily go from the loveable, tender android to this dark, sensual tomcat with the flip of a switch.
It excited her.
Every nerve in her body tingled as she melted in his hands.
"I'm going to take my time with you," Lore said, pulling her hair to the side so he could kiss the nape of her neck.
He needed to.
This was merely another liaison for the purposes of filling a primal craving.
No, she was special.
And he needed this to be perfect.
He was about to remotely activate the door chime to break them apart. It would serve as a useful 'scare' to postpone their activities until later, leaving her perfectly edged and excited.
All of sudden, Lore's combadge chimed before he could activate the door alert.
"Lieutenant La Forge to Lore," Geordi's voice rang out.
Beverly growled in frustration. Her shoulders slumped and she leaned forward against the shelf to collect her thoughts.
Lore activated his sexual programme and pressed his erection against her backside.
"Shhh," Lore whispered.
He tapped his combadge to respond.
"Yes, Lieutenant?" Lore replied.
"We need your help down here in Engineering with a project," Geordi explained. "Do you think the medical team could spare you for a while?"
Lore grinned.
"I know Doctor Crusher will be none too pleased," Lore said, seizing the opportunity to rub his erection against her. "But I am sure I can make it up to her later."
On the other end, Geordi knew the medical team was working hard to complete their tasks before the resupply in a few days.
"I don't want to step on toes or cause an interdepartmental conflict," Geordi acknowledged. "Is there another time that would be better? Later tonight, perhaps?"
Lore tapped his combadge to reply.
"I am sure now is preferable," Lore began. "Doctor Crusher just has a lot of pressure on her right now."
With one hand he covered Beverly's mouth. At the same time, Lore pulled her tightly against him as he ground his cock on her body.
She squeaked, panting at the thought of it.
As Lore assured Geordi he would be on his way down to Engineering shortly, his voice gave no indication that he was teasing the Doctor. Beverly was doing her best to remain quiet as she found herself pressed between the shelf and his stiff member poking at her backside.
"My dear doctor," Lore cooed as soon as he was finished. "You perform so well under pressure."
Beverly grinned and shook her head.
"This isn't fair," Beverly protested.
Her uniform had been sitting at her waist. Lore pulled it up and guided her hands into the sleeves.
"I know I'm going to have a hard time waiting," Lore teased as he briefly rubbed at cunt through her clothes.
Beverly gasped as his fingers made contact with her.
"But I know it will be worth it," Lore went on. "Do you think you can wait for me, Doctor?"
Lore increased the pressure as he rubbed against her swollen clit.
He smiled as he felt her twitch against his hand.
"Can you do that for me?" Lore asked. "You know it's going to be that much more pleasurable with all that pent-up energy."
Beverly nodded eagerly.
"Mmm," she keened in agreement.
"Thank you," Lore replied.
With a soft kiss on the back of the hand, Lore left the Doctor to compose herself. As soon as he was in the corridor, he radioed Geordi that he would be down to Engineering in twenty minutes after wrapping up his current duties.
Instead of heading for sickbay, Lore made his way quickly to the nearest lavvy to see to his own painful arousal. He had no intentions of waiting for tonight.
Lore knew just how dangerous it could be to lose oneself to pleasure, to be at the mercy of another in hopes of receiving affection and release.
He had no desire to repeat the experience.
Lore stepped into the lavvy. He didn't make it two paces before he unzipped his jumpsuit to free his cock.
No, this time Lore would be the one in control.
Lore thrust himself into his tight fist as he clung to the thought that this time Lore would be the one controlling every step.
No one was going to have a hold on him or dangle their affections to manipulate him. They couldn't hold him as a hostage to his feelings. And no one was going to deactivate him this time.
He would condition her, in time, until Beverly was ready to submit to him completely. She would be unable to refuse him and more than eager to please his every whim.
He tugged frantically, almost painfully so, at his cock in order to finish.
"Come on," he grunted, urging himself on.
He panted as he jerked his hips against nothing.
"Ah," he growled as his release shot out of the tip of his cock.
He took a shaky breath and stroked himself a few more times, encouraging the last of his built-up tension out onto the floor.
Lore grinned and ran his free hand back through his hair.
This time, I come out the golden boy.
Best of all, Lore knew that he would take his sweet time and savour every step of that process.
"I'm telling you we've been over this device time and again," Geordi explained. "There is nothing there. It's as if it were just a hunk of polyalloy. A decoration."
The senior officers were sitting around the conference table in the observation lounge. Geordi, Data, and Wesley were filling in the crew on their latest update regarding the Ferengi Thought Maker.
After days of analysis, they were no closer to understanding how the device functioned or where it drew its power from.
This wasn't just a major let down.
It was a security threat and a sign that Ferengi technology was perhaps far more superior than they knew.
The Federation knew very little about the Ferengi. It left them at both a tactical and diplomatic disadvantage.
"We have had such little contact with the Ferengi, I will admit I am disappointed we've been incapable of gleaning more information from this," Picard said with a sigh.
It certainly hadn't been for lack of trying.
Even against Data's wishes, they had called in Lore to see if he could provide them with answers.
Unfortunately, Lore had been of little assistance.
In fact, Data had suspected Lore was simply dragging out the process on purpose to annoy him. He'd asked a series of questions that were entirely unnecessary. His whole line of thought should have been terminated as their processing capacity ruled out numerous hypotheses based on previously known information.
For example, after Geordi had advised of the tests they had already completed, Lore proceeded to inquire about thermal imaging.
And when Wesley walked him through the process by which they eliminated any possibility of an organic power source that had degenerated, Lore had suggested a simple resonator lab test to try and detect organic residue.
In contrast to his earlier expertise on the Ferengi during the Stargazer situation, Lore now claimed his knowledge was limited to trade interactions only.
"Well then, it would seem we have run out of options," Picard announced. "We'll turn over the device to Starfleet for further analysis and hope they can deduce how it works."
From the opposite side of the table, Data watched Tasha carefully.
She had avoided him all day- both on the bridge and during this meeting.
He wanted to talk with her, but Deanna had encouraged him to give her time.
As the meeting broke up, he attempted to catch the same lift. He wouldn't press her with conversation, but he would make himself available if she wished to engage.
Unfortunately, she was out of the room in a flash and disappeared in the corridor before he could catch her. The only way she could have done so was if she was hiding in one of the nearby rooms. But Data didn't want her to feel suffocated, so he didn't go looking.
Inside the conference room, Captain Picard caught Beverly's arm on the way out.
"My offer still stands if you'd like to join me," he said warmly. "It's been too long."
"Thank you, but I have plans with someone," Beverly said, dismissing him.
"Bring them along," Picard encouraged. "I'd love to meet them."
At the very least, if he couldn't get her away from Lore, perhaps he could keep them under watch.
"It's really not that kind of evening," Beverly said as she removed Jean-Luc's hand from her arm.
"I see," Picard said, feeling dejected. "Well then, I have no intention of delaying you."
"Good," Beverly said.
Before she could reach the door, Captain Picard slid in front of her.
"But I just remembered that I don't recall the last time I had my physical and I've had a, uh, sharp pain in, erm, in my arm and-" he stammered.
"You're overdue as usual," Beverly replied. "But Doctor Selar is on duty tonight if you're worried about it. You'd been in very good hands."
This was going worse than anticipated. Jean-Luc could see she was growing frustrated. It worried him she was in such a hurry to get out of the meeting.
"I was rather hoping you'd be the one to see to it," Picard said.
He looked at her pleadingly, hoping to leverage their long friendship.
"Then you can stop by my office tomorrow," Beverly informed him.
She tried to step past him, but the Captain put out his arm to stop her.
"I meant this evening," Picard added. "I'm not sure I should wait."
It was a risk. He could wind up angering her.
But that was a chance that he would have to take if he wanted to ensure she didn't walk into a dangerous situation with Lore.
"Then I'll page Doctor Selar," Beverly replied coolly.
"No!" Picard said quickly. "That's really not necessary. If you could just-"
"Either it's an emergency or not," Beverly said, calling him on it. "And if it's not, then you can wait until tomorrow."
Jean-Luc had backed himself into a corner. He couldn't argue with her logic.
As she watched him shift uncomfortably, Beverly was suddenly struck with a notion. She glanced around to ensure they were alone.
"Jean-Luc, I'm only going to ask you this once," she started to say. "Are you intentionally trying to delay me because you don't want me to be with someone else?"
The Captain blanched.
"Of course not!" he insisted.
"Good, because jealousy has never been a good look on you," Beverly said before ducking under his arm into the corridor. "Goodnight, Captain."
As he watched her leave, Jean-Luc felt powerless.
Beverly made quick work of changing into something casual before heading off to Lore's guest quarters. When she arrived, he pulled her inside quickly.
"I am so glad to see you," Lore said with a genuine gleam in his eye.
He escorted her over to the table where he had a dinner waiting. The entirety of his quarters was dark, save for the soft glow of the artificial candles he placed throughout the room.
Rather than sitting across from one another, Lore had set the table so that they would be seated next to each other.
He poured her a glass of real wine.
"It feels good to finally be together," Beverly commented. "Alone."
"Together," Lore said as he raised his glass to toast.
Several decks up, Tasha was feeling more alone than she had in ages. She was exhausted. Mentally, the strain of watching her back and maintaining her façade was beginning to weigh on her psyche.
In addition, the toll of being on report and having a challenging day in the security office had left her physically fatigued.
She wanted to lay down in the comfort of her bed.
But the familiarity and security that her bathtub afforded her was too tempting.
It wasn't even 20:00 hours, but Tasha was ready to turn in. She didn't want to be around others. She didn't want to have to pretend that everything was alright. And she was in no mood to think about anything.
There was comfort in the routine.
Tasha set her system of locks and alarms. She conducted a thorough sweep of her quarters. She removed her combadge and set it on the nightstand in her bedroom. Tasha steeled her nerves and then retired to her bathtub with her phaser in hand and her boots firmly laced.
Although it had been years since she'd felt the need to do so, Tasha was relieved that she had the Enterprise locks between her and the world this time.
Preparing herself to keep watch, Tasha curled up facing the door and cried herself to sleep alone in the dark.
She was so tired she didn't even hear the chime on her door when Data stopped by to check on her. He had been in his quarters, unable to push the thought of her being alone and afraid out of his mind. In addition to his concerns for her safety and mental state, he was worried that she wasn't taking care of herself.
Since the incident, she'd barely eaten. He knew that the situation had resurfaced the nightmares that had plagued her since childhood.
So, contrary to Deanna's suggestion, Data had decided to stop by with a hot meal and an offer to guard the room while she slept.
And if she didn't want him there, he'd leave.
After his third attempt, Data paged her combadge.
"Tasha, I have left a spot of dinner outside your door," Data said. "I understand you want to be alone so I will set it here and take my leave."
He put the tray down on the ground and walked away with a heavy heart, not knowing that Tasha was completely unaware.
Dinner had been a sensual affair. Lore had prepared a dinner that made perfectly clear his intentions – ripe with figs and strawberries that he was keen to feed to her.
Once their meal was complete, he took hold of her hand and placed a tender kiss on the inside of her wrist.
"I've been thinking about you," Beverly confessed. "Waiting for this moment all day."
Lore stopped halfway up her arm.
"I've been waiting for this moment all my life," he said.
Beverly chuckled and shook her head.
"That's not a line," Lore said seriously.
Beverly paused.
It was like something inside him had shifted.
For a brief moment, a malevolent look flashed in his features. It passed as quickly as it came.
"For someone like you," Lore said in a much softer tone as he traced her jawline. "For someone to see me as a person and not a machine."
He pressed a soft kiss to the side of her face.
"It is my good fortune that she is also beautiful," Lore went on.
Lore had only been aboard the ship a matter of months, but Beverly had fallen in love faster before.
She was certainly no stranger to the whirlwind romance.
And everything inside her was shouting this was right.
Lore made her entire body feel electrified in a way she hadn't experienced in years.
Beverly groaned as he began to massage her shoulders.
"I want you," she said.
She was over the foreplay and taking things slow.
"At the rate things have been going, we could be interrupted at any moment," she quipped.
"Not tonight," Lore promised. "Tonight is all about you."
Data frowned as he spied the tray of food sitting untouched outside of Tasha's door.
It had been over an hour since he'd dropped it off and yet it remained outside of her quarters, not having moved an inch since he'd left it there.
Data tried paging her on her combadge.
There was no response.
He waited a few moments and then tried again.
"Tasha, I promise that I will leave you be," Data answered. "Just please respond and let me know you are alright."
He waited, counting each agonising second as they ticked by.
When it had been two minutes without a response, Data surmised there was something terribly wrong.
"Tasha, I would like to know that you are safe," Data warned. "However, if you do not respond, then I will look in the door to see that you are safe."
He wanted to give her the choice of reacting. Deanna had cautioned that giving Tasha control was key.
After waiting another two minutes, Data felt he was left with no choice.
"Tasha, I am going to open the door," he said to give her ample time to prepare.
Data wasn't surprised to find it was locked.
However, he was taken aback when the computer informed him it was a level-one encoded security lock requiring two-factor authentication to open. It meant that there were only two ways to override such a barrier – either the security chief could do so with vocal and manual permissions, or two senior officers could override with their crew identifications.
She wouldn't harm herself, would she?
At a loss for how to proceed, Data did the only thing he could think of.
"Counsellor Troi to Lieutenant Yar's quarters," Data ordered.
"Mmm," Beverly groaned.
Lore's lips were pressed firmly against her own.
And it wasn't the only thing pressed firmly against her body.
She gripped his backside as he rocked against her.
While she was delighted they were finally alone, she couldn't wait for him to strip off his clothes.
His kiss was long and deep, full of the kind of fondness that she had rarely experienced since Jack's death. It signalled this wasn't just a one-off night of passion.
There were feelings behind his kiss, feelings that carried the weight of years of longing.
Beverly knew none of this.
But she could tell he was sincere.
After all, he'd been the one to initially put her off – concerned that she saw him as nothing more than a casual shag.
They'd grown increasingly close in the weeks since his assignment to sickbay and she was grateful to have someone she could rely on.
The tension that had been building between them was ready to boil over.
Lore worked his way down her body, dragging her jumpsuit down with him as he went.
When he reached the end, he pulled it off over her feet and tossed it to the side.
Beverly watched with hungry eyes as he stood and removed his own obstructing clothing. She instinctively clenched as he pulled his shorts down over his hips and his cock sprung out from under the tight fabric.
It was too heavy to stand at attention, but she could see just how hard he was.
Hell, she had felt how stiff he was.
She wanted to reach out and take hold of him, to run her fingers over the glistening tip of his glorious cock.
Instead, Lore kissed the inside of her ankle. Working his way up her legs he took hold of her thighs and pulled her down to the edge of the bed.
His breath was warm against her. His face, inches from her cunt.
Lore turned to the side and softly kissed the ticklish spot on the inside of her thigh.
Then he looked up at her and grinned.
Beverly's back arched as his tongue swiped along the length of her settling at her clitoris and making her whine.
There was no reprieve. Lore held her firmly in place as he flattened his tongue, flicking and sucking at her swollen clit and relishing in the sensation of having her at his mercy.
She wiggled and squirmed against his tongue, vocalising her pleasure with the same soft gasps of excitement he'd heard whenever she reached an 'aha' moment in sickbay.
"And you haven't heard from her in hours?" Deanna questioned.
"That is correct," Data answered.
Deanna was hesitant to contact Tasha again. She was worried about making her feel boxed in.
"She has not been sleeping well as of late," Data explained. "It is possible that, combined with being on report, she is simply asleep from exhaustion."
"Tasha is on report?" Deanna asked.
Red flags were popping up in Deanna's mind. She didn't need to know the details of how or why. The fact that something so uncharacteristic and shocking could happen was not a good sign.
"Tasha, it's Deanna," Deanna said as she tapped her communicator. "I was wondering if you wanted to grab a late-night snack?"
A dark look passed between the empath and the android.
Deanna decided to try again. It would do no good to jump to conclusions.
"Tasha, if you aren't feeling up to it, that's fine," Deanna said in a soothing voice. "Will you be at poker tomorrow?"
There was only radio silence.
Tapping into her empath abilities, she attempted to get a reading for Tasha's thoughts.
Deanna gripped the wall as she was gripped with the dark thoughts of Tasha's dreams.
Only Deanna didn't know that Tasha was only dreaming.
There was pain.
And terror.
But both were overshadowed by the overwhelming sensation that Tasha felt she was in danger.
"Data, we have to do something," Deanna said quickly.
They entered the double-override to access the door.
The minute they stepped into her quarters, an alarm started to sound. As the alarm blared, Data scanned the darkened room.
"She's not in the bedroom," Deanna shouted.
Data spied the door to the lavvy.
When it didn't open, he gripped the sides and forced it open – breaching Tasha's last line of defence to the safety of the only spot in which she felt safe enough to sleep.
"Oh," Beverly said as a low, guttural groan escaped from her lips as Lore finally thrust himself into her.
She'd been waiting all day for this moment - and it did not disappoint.
Lore's head was buried against her shoulder in a mass of red hair, grunting as he drove into her.
She felt incredible, better than he had imagined this moment could.
He experienced a jolt in his central power unit as she clenched around the length of him. Beverly pulled her legs up over his hips and dug her heels into the synthetic flesh of his arse.
It served to spur him as he continued to plunge himself into her with the kind of steady tempo that only a machine could sustain.
She clutched the back of his hair as he nipped at the side of her neck.
"You were so patient for me," Lore growled. "And now it means so much more."
"No one has ever turned me on like this," Beverly confessed.
She meant every word.
There was something about his presence that made Beverly's skin prickle. His voice shot a wave of heat straight to her core. And whenever his hands worked over her body, it was enough to make her uncomfortably wet.
Lore shut down all of his extraneous processes to focus simply on the desperate sounds that fell from her lips and the tight, warm sensation of each thrust as his hips snapped against the inside of her thighs.
She would bruise at the force of it.
It would be a mark that Beverly's was his.
A reminder of just how ready she was to give herself over to him.
And he knew that once he spilled himself inside of her, he'd have claimed her as his own.
Lore could feel they were both getting close.
Beverly's body was rocking against his own as she chased the tension that was growing in her cunt.
Lore knew he was getting closer to spilling himself.
The alarm had woken Tasha from her sleep. Still half-dazed at having been woken abruptly from a nightmare, she set up quickly and fumbled for her phaser.
Before she was ready, the door to her lavvy burst open and Tasha was greeted by a familiar pale figure. It was a recognisable and simultaneously unwelcome sight.
Data would never break down her door like that.
Data's quick reflexes allowed him to dodge the shot she fired.
She only managed to get off one shot before he was at her.
"Lore," she breathed in barely a whisper.
It was said so softly that no human would have been able to pick up on it.
For less than a second, it stopped Data in his tracks.
Collecting himself, he took hold of her wrists to stop her from harming herself or anyone else.
"No!" Tasha shouted as she tried to fight him off.
Her foot collided with the side of his torso. His skeletal construction meant that while she caused no damage to him, she did cause considerable injury to her foot as it impacted the duranium alloy of his body.
But this barely phased Tasha.
"Tasha, it is Data," he said in an attempt to calm her down.
It did not work.
"Data, step away," Deanna ordered from the doorway.
Taking her phaser, Data backed away with his hands up.
The minute he released her hands, Tasha grabbed the nearest object – a ceramic candle holder and chucked it at him.
With the inhuman strength that came from adrenaline and years of fighting for survival, Tasha ripped the towel rack from the wall. Gripping it with both hands she took aim.
"Don't come any closer," she warned.
"Don't stop," Beverly panted as she squeezed her legs around Lore.
Lore reached around her back and pulled up into a sitting position. Holding her tight against him, Lore thrust up into her as he bounced her on the length of his cock.
The new position provided a delicious friction against her clit as Lore's fingers tangled themselves into the back of her hair.
"You feel so good," Lore said. "Do you feel that stretch?"
"Uh huh," Beverly replied.
She clutched his arms, hanging on desperately as the pressure inside of her body reached an uncomfortable level.
She spasmed as she finally came.
"Shhh," Lore said as he kissed the top of her head. "That's it."
He slowed his pace down, gently rocking into her as she came down.
Lore buried his nose in her hair, inhaling the scent of her haircare products filling his olfactory receptors with hints of rosemary and floral notes.
Beverly whimpered as he pumped into her at a languid pace.
"Would you like me to come inside you?" Lore asked. "You feel so warm and lovely."
"Mmm hmm," she replied weakly.
She gasped as she felt him spill a load of thick biofluid deep inside of her.
Beverly was in heaven, completely relaxed at the experience of being so intimately joined with a man that left her intrigued, aroused, and content like no one had in ages.
She felt full – both physically and emotionally.
So deliciously full that she didn't want to breathe lest the moment slip away.
"Tasha, it's me, Deanna," the counsellor said in a steady voice. "And Data is here too."
Data had stepped away to disable the alarm that was sounding.
Tasha blinked as her eyes adjusted to the sudden change in light shining in from the main room of her quarters.
"No one is going to hurt you," Deanna assured her.
Tasha's arms dropped a little as she lowered her stance.
"That's good," Deanna said, encouraging her.
A moment later Data appeared behind Deanna in the doorway.
For the first time in what seemed like forever, Tasha locked eyes with Data.
She could see he was hurt.
Tasha dropped the metal rod she was holding and started to cry.
Deanna stepped aside to allow Data to move past her. He approached her carefully and slowly so as not to startle her.
"Tasha, may I hold you?" Data asked softly.
Tearfully, she nodded.
In truth, a large part of her didn't want anyone touching her at the moment. But she felt horrible and embarrassed for reacting like she had. And Tasha knew this is what was expected of her.
As soon as he pulled her into an embrace, Tasha stiffened.
Deanna frowned as she observed the pair.
"I am here," Data said. "And you are safe."
Tasha felt like she couldn't breathe.
Her chest was tight, and her throat was dry.
All of sudden, the room was too crowded, the space too small.
"Data, stop," Deanna said suddenly.
Data let go of Tasha as if he'd been burned by something.
Tasha cast him a brief, sympathetic look before quickly averting her eyes.
She knew she had hurt him. But she couldn't bring herself to be in his arms. It was suffocating.
Deanna took hold of Data's arm and guided him back to the doorway.
"Data, if it is alright with Tasha, I'm going to stay here. Ok?" Deanna said.
Data got the hint.
He nodded sadly.
"Thank you, Counsellor," Data replied.
His voice was tainted with a hint of pain so sincere that it cut right to Tasha's core and made her heart ache in a way she didn't know was possible.
She sat down in her bathtub and bit her lip in a futile effort to stop herself from sobbing.
Wordlessly, Deanna urged him to go.
She could sense that his presence was upsetting Tasha and causing tension.
Data felt surreal as he exited Tasha's quarters. As he walked away from the lavvy, he could hear Deanna.
"May I come sit with you?" Deanna asked.
Data's keen senses allowed him to pick out the distinct sound of her muffled crying and Deanna's hand patting her back. It meant that Tasha was likely crying either on Deanna's shoulder or in an embrace.
There was an inexplicable sense of loss that settled in Data's neural net, a drop in his metaphorical heart to know that Tasha was willing to allow Deanna to comfort her but couldn't stomach the thought of Data's embrace.
Although their relationship was platonic, the idea that Tasha was currently in someone else's arms during a time of need left him feeling empty.
Lore looked down at the woman in his arms and smiled.
Beverly looked positively radiant in the afterglow of sex. Her hair was a beautiful mess, spread out on his chest as she snuggled against him.
Beverly felt totally relaxed as they lay together in bed, wrapped in a tangle of limbs and blankets.
The rise and fall of Lore's chest beneath her was a comfort. Her heart was full, and she was completely smitten with the gentle android in whose arms she was lying.
"You are glowing," Lore commented as he traced shapes on her back.
"I'm very happy," Beverly replied as she kissed his chest.
Unable to shake the thought of Tasha looking so terrified of him. He set out to wander the ship in hopes of something to occupy his mind. He couldn't return to his quarters yet – it was too much of a reminder about the situation from the night before.
His feet carried him to the observation lounge where he found the Captain standing in front of the window.
"Trouble sleeping, sir?" Data asked as he stepped up next to Captain Picard.
The Captain sighed.
"I have a lot on my mind," Picard answered vaguely. "And you? Surely, it's not lack of sleep that has you wandering at this hour."
"While I have a rest programme, I do not require sleep," Data replied. "However, tonight even though there is an overwhelming desire to escape into the embrace of dreams, I find myself worried about what the content may contain."
Data had not engaged his dream programme in weeks. His dreams were often rooted in the mundane – dreams that involved work or poker with the other officers.
But Lore's terrorisation of Tasha had occupied such a large portion of his processing capacity, Data was concerned that it would seep into his dream programme.
"Would you fancy a game of chess, Mr Data?" Picard inquired.
The Captain was eager for a distraction, and he could see Data was clearly disturbed by something. Not that he could blame him – he was in a difficult position under the strain of his brother's crimes and subsequent taunting.
"I," Data paused, "feel as if I am already playing a game of chess, sir."
It was a profoundly honest statement from an allegedly emotionless android.
In spite of Data's previous request to not discuss the matter further, Captain Picard felt compelled to talk about it.
Captain Picard also knew that sometimes Data needed a demonstration to understand that while undergoing emotional experiences, processing those events with emotional release was perfectly normal.
And Jean-Luc had an inkling they found themselves in similar circumstances at the machinations of a mutual enemy.
"While I cannot begin to fathom what you are going through, sometimes an experience shared can provide comfort," Picard began.
Data didn't follow.
"She's with him right now," Picard said with a hint of bitterness. "Beverly."
He was speaking as a friend and not the Captain.
One trapped man to another.
"She's spent considerable time with him as of late," Picard went on. "And there's no telling her what to do. She's always been the kind of woman that beats her own drum."
The Captain's brow furrowed.
"But I cannot help feeling trapped," Picard shared. "Bound by this secret. And terrified of what may come."
"Sir, you did not mention-" Data began, concerned that he might have revealed Tasha's secret without her consent in an attempt to warn the Doctor.
"No," Picard replied quickly. "No. Even though I desperately wanted to."
A silence fell between the pair as Data considered the weight of the Captain's statement.
While the two were friends, it was unlike the Captain to share such a personal insight with another member of the crew.
And Data suspected he had done so intentionally. He was signalling to Data that this was a safe, acceptable place to lighten the burden which he had weighed so heavily on his being since that night on the holodeck.
More than that, he had opened the door for Data to see that it was possible to discuss the matter without breaking his word to Tasha. He could share his own feelings and turmoil without sharing the details of her trauma.
"She is not eating," Data said, finally feeling enough to disclose his own thoughts on the matter.
Data now understood that he too was victimised in a way by his brother – just as Lore had wanted it.
"She locked herself in her quarters and fell asleep. And when she failed to answer I thought the worst," Data confessed. "I, I-"
Data shifted uncomfortably and looked down at his feet while he composed himself.
"I am afraid I have done something that I fear has irrevocably harmed her," Data said. "And I cannot reconcile that I am the one who has done so."
A pained look fell on Data's face. He closed his eyes and turned his head to the side as if to stretch his neck. It was something he only did whenever he was attempting to override a powerful engram in his positronic matrix.
But to his friends, it was no different than a human attempting to banish a dark thought.
"Data, what happened?" Picard asked in a serious voice.
"I summoned Counsellor Troi," Data explained.
Data opened his eyes and turned to the Captain, looking like a regretful child standing before their father having broken something precious.
"I broke down the door," Data admitted. "She thought I was him. She thought I was there to-"
Data took a long, shaky artificial breath and looked around in terror.
"She called me by his name," Data went on.
He was so completely wracked with guilt. The mere notion that he could be the cause of such trauma for the person he cared about more than anything was too much to bear.
It was the second time in less than twenty-four hours that he had seen fear flash in her eyes because of his actions – albeit the second time had been worse than anything he could have predicted.
She had looked like a cornered animal.
Frightened and trembling.
Ready to make a futile last stand against a predator with shaky arms and nothing more than the will of the damned.
"I cannot close my eyes without seeing the terror in her eyes at the sight of me," Data said in a strained whisper. "And because of my memory, I replay it perfectly. Every time."
Captain Picard was at a loss for what to say.
He had no words that could properly begin to comfort the distress that had taken hold of one of his dearest friends.
"You know he told me that someday Tasha and I would move past this," Data said. "But the memory would always remain. And in a way, he would always be there too as a reminder."
Data was no stranger to the process of recovery. It had played such a large role in their relationship. Tasha's past trauma had always been there as a part of their lives.
Most importantly, Data knew that recovery was possible. With the help of Starfleet therapists, Data's support, and Tasha's resiliency she had managed to reach a healthy place – she had a wonderful relationship, a healthy intimate life, and had managed to leave behind many of the unhealthy coping mechanisms she had picked up over the years.
But this was different.
And both of them could feel it.
Data shared some of this with the Captain – they had been working with Counsellor Troi and it was a path that was unfortunately already familiar to both Data and Tasha.
The three of them were confident that recovery was possible.
"I want to believe that is true," Data said. "But now I find myself questioning that idea."
Lore would always be hanging between them like a shadow.
"My brother had a unique advantage in choosing his victim," Data explained. "An advantage that was to his great benefit, my eternal detriment, and what I fear could be an insurmountable obstacle to healing."
No amount of therapy, exercises, steps, or coping mechanisms could change the obvious.
"My very existence is a constant reminder of that trauma," Data said simply.