Thank you for all your support and patience on this story!
This chapter gives a few more clues to Lore's backstory and some of the events that led to his fractured psyche.
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.
Omicron Theta Colony | 2333
"Lore!" Juliana called upstairs. "You'll be late!"
"Coming!" Lore called back.
He set down his sketchpad and pencil on the surface of his desk. Lore picked up a small treat and fed it to his cat, Stripe.
"Good boy," Lore praised as he stroked Stripe's fur.
Lore grabbed his bag and came storming down the stairs.
"We will be late, brother," B-4 commented.
"Don't tell me you were up all night?" Juliana chided.
"Father does it," Lore retorted.
Juliana shook her head and rolled her eyes.
She handed both boys their nutrient tablet and a metal canister of water. They didn't need to pack a traditional sack lunch, but Juliana insisted on doing these sorts of motherly routines.
She felt it was important for her boys to better help them understand human development.
It was why she had insisted on enrolling them in school with the other children on the Omicron Theta colony. Many of the school children were afraid of them.
Omicron Theta was a unique colony. It featured a blend of agricultural workers and brilliant scientists. In many ways, the two communities clashed – and the school was no exception.
Many of the children from the village whose parents supplied the colony felt the other children – the ones whose parents were researchers – were simply there to take over their home.
There was a growing divide between the two pockets and Lore often found himself in the middle of it.
The Soongs lived outside of town. Their home was part bunker, part farm and the perfect blend of his parent's odd hobbies and interests.
While Noonian was content to lock himself in his lab for days on end, Juliana was a prominent fixture in the community.
They kept a menagerie of pets. And Lore and his brother helped Juliana maintain the gardens. They employed a number of workers that assisted in managing the grounds including fields of strawberries, a small orchard, and a robust vegetable garden.
In addition to her own research, Juliana taught music and traded honey and crops at the local market.
The farm kids thought the Soong boys were merely work horses – designed to help with the labour of running a colony. They didn't quite see them as mechanical slaves, but they weren't quite people.
The children that were raised by the other scientists regarded the Soong boys with heavy suspicion. Cybernetics was considered edgy and borderline illegal research. The Soong family had a reputation for taking things too far – including accusations of their involvement in the eugenics wars.
And there was a persistent rumour that Soong had designed them for the purpose of observing and stealing the research of other scientists.
It made socialisation difficult.
Not that B-4 would ever notice.
"Do you believe it will be a boy like us? Or a girl like mother?" B-4 asked as they walked along the path to the education building.
Lore stopped and turned back to his brother, confused.
"That is a rock," Lore said.
His brother was standing in the road, running his fingers over a smooth stone he had found on the ground.
Lore was an accomplished musician, proficient engineer, and could process trillions of calculations per second.
B-4 liked to collect rocks and feathers and anything else he found that caught his eye.
Ever since his earliest days, Lore had known B-4 wasn't all there.
"I know," B-4 assured him. "I am referring to our new brother or sister."
Lore scowled.
"Where did you get an idea like that?" Lore demanded.
"I heard them talking," B-4 shared. "Father said it."
Lore rolled his eyes.
"What did he say? What did he say, exactly?" Lore asked.
With B-4 it was important to get the details. He had a bad habit of misinterpreting human conversation.
"He said that he placed another order with Finley," B-4 replied as if that somehow cleared up the entire matter.
Lore sighed in exasperation.
"And then mother said she told him no," B-4 went on. "She sounded unhappy."
Lore bit back a smart remark.
After all, it wasn't B-4's fault he was a bumbling, simple-minded idiot. Soong had taken short cuts with his construction. In the rush to create a functional android, Soong had overlooked numerous programming requirements and construction elements.
While he had made efforts to improve B-4 since his activation, they had reached the peak of his performance. They couldn't upgrade him any further without creating an entirely new positronic matrix.
In essence, scrubbing B-4 and making him a shell for a new positronic brain. In the eyes of Noonian and Juliana, such an act would end B-4's existence and they couldn't bring themselves to do that.
They adored their son, even if he was usually off in his own world.
"We'll I guess we'll just have to wait and see," Lore said, signalling that he didn't believe his brother.
B-4's evidence was hardly compelling. For all they knew, it could have been old Often Wrong doubling their grain order for the next six months.
"Mother said it had to go back. They argued," B-4 went on. "And then Father told her that she had said that the last time."
B-4 pocketed his rock and continued walking.
"Then Mother said, 'look what happened to Nova' and she got sad," B-4 explained.
Nova.
That caught Lore's attention.
Nova Soong had been his short-lived predecessor.
The only feminine android ever created by Noonian, Nova had been a special gift for Juliana. She had longed for a child – but Noonian had never seen much use in human children. He felt the effort required for a human infant wasn't worth the investment given how short the human lifespan was.
Nova had been his attempt to provide his beloved wife with a daughter.
And she had been wonderful. More advanced than B-4, Nova was polite, charming, and possessed the same processing capacity as Lore.
She had been the apple of her parents' eyes until her positronic relays had melted in a sudden, horrible afternoon.
Nova's entire neural net had been destroyed leaving Soong furious and Juliana devastated.
They were reluctant to talk about her.
But Lore had always been curious.
"What did they say about Nova?" Lore demanded.
"That was it," B-4 answered. "After Mother was sad, Father recalled that she said the same thing before constructing you. He reminded her how happy you have made her."
Nova's untimely demise had led to Lore's creation.
"And he said how much Mother loved you even if you are more trouble that you are worth," B-4 concluded.
Lore grumbled and adjusted his bag on his shoulder.
He was tired of hearing old Often Wrong complain about his behaviour.
Lore wasn't bad.
He was programmed to be curious. It wasn't his fault if his curiosity had led to a few incidents – like accidently breaking three bones in a fellow student during a Parrises Squares game or reprogramming the school's sonic scalpel in anatomy class.
He had only been trying to improve its capabilities. Lore had no intention of cutting straight through his mock dissection and into the counter.
Noonian would often say there was something wrong with the boy.
But Juliana understood he never meant any harm.
Juliana was the only one that understood him.
Present
Beverly Crusher nestled into her pillow.
She felt divine.
Lore reached out and pulled her against his body. Beverly keened and eagerly snuggled up next to him.
"Good morning," Lore said as he brushed her hair out of her face.
Beverly replied with a lazy affirmative.
It was early, just shortly after 05:00 hours.
"Go back to sleep, Doctor," Lore whispered.
They weren't due in sickbay for several more hours. There would be plenty of time for an intimate breakfast and a hot shower.
For the time being, Lore simply wanted to exist in this space with her, warm and snug in bed.
Beverly didn't mind. There was a kind of euphoric feeling that she got being around him. Lore was so affectionate and tender. He made her beautiful – and it had been a while since she'd felt that way in the arms of another person.
Beverly had given so much of herself to her career and her son. It hadn't been easy raising him alone after Jack's death whilst balancing a prominent career.
Lore recognised the kind of strain she was under wearing so many hats. He recognised it and he was there with the kind of support she needed – a hot meal, a massage, a reminder to take care of herself.
He'd only been aboard the ship for two months, but Lore had already proven to be a reliable friend.
It was all so considerate.
"Why are you so good to me?" Beverly asked.
"Because sometimes it feels like you're the only person who understands me," Lore replied.
There were times Tasha Yar felt like there was no one that understood her.
Probably for the best. She thought bitterly.
After all, Tasha felt like she'd gotten herself into this predicament.
Each step brought with it a new stab of pain. It shot straight up through the bottom of her foot and right up the back of her leg.
Commander Riker had noticed that Tasha had altered her gait.
The next maintenance task wouldn't be ready for another two days and so Commander Riker had substituted tasks with physical activity. It was a common substitution for morning report whenever a task wasn't available.
Today, that meant a run through the ship.
Tasha was certainly keeping pace with the rest of the team, but Riker had spotted her doing her best to keep weight off her right foot.
"Holodeck?" Riker asked as he jogged alongside her.
"What?" Tasha asked.
"Seems like your right foot is a little tender," Riker observed, hoping he could get Tasha talking. "You know, I think it might be a good idea to get it checked out in sickbay."
"I'm fine," Tasha replied.
She couldn't risk going to sickbay – not when there was a chance Lore would be there.
Since his assignment to the medical team, Tasha had steered clear of the whole deck.
"Look, you don't need to hurt yourself," Riker said.
"I'm fine, sir," Tasha repeated.
Gritting her teeth, she increased her pace to put some distance between herself and Commander Riker. Tasha didn't want to deal with the questions, she just wanted to accept what she viewed as penance for hurting Data.
Ninety minutes later, Tasha was back in her own quarters. She had showered and slipped into a clean uniform and was expected at the morning briefing in an hour.
She sat down at the sofa in the main room of her quarters and hissed as she tried to pull a sock over her injured foot.
It was definitely broken.
She'd done what she could with an osteogenic stimulator that she had nicked from the security office. But Tasha knew it had only provided limited healing. She really needed a bone knitter – but she'd be damned if she was going to step foot into sickbay for treatment under one.
They were due to arrive at Tauphi VI in a few days.
Tasha reasoned that if she could hold out until then she would be able to sneak in and seek medical treatment there instead.
The only problem was going to be getting her swollen foot into her boot.
Over in Lore's guest quarters, Beverly was sitting across from him at the table. Her signature red hair was wrapped in a towel as she buttered a piece of toast.
Lore thought she looked beautiful.
"You know we've got some shore leave coming up. Have you ever been to Tauphi VI?" Beverly inquired.
Lore shook his head.
Despite having a vast informational database of the known universe, Lore had seen relatively little of it with his own eyes.
"There's a starport in orbit – but nobody stays there," Beverly explained. "The capital city is beautiful. And Starfleet has quarters right along the water. At night you can watch both moons come up."
"It sounds romantic," Lore smirked.
"It is," Beverly replied in a knowing voice.
"Will I be permitted to go?" Lore inquired.
There was still some grey area surrounding his status on the ship. He was permitted his own guest quarters and had been allowed to work with Doctor Crusher in sickbay. And while some of these humans seemed more accepting than the people of Omicron Theta, there was a voice in the back of Lore's mind urging caution.
He didn't want to take any of his rights for granted – not when he knew how quickly they could be stripped away at the whim of the organic beings.
Omicron Theta Colony | 2333
Lore was sitting on the ground, resting his head back against the stone wall that lined Juliana's garden. He could hear his parents talking in the greenhouse.
Juliana was speaking in a hushed tone, but Noonian wasn't.
He didn't care if Lore heard him. He knew his boy probably could.
Noonian had no problem speaking about Lore rather than with Lore.
"The boy's not right," Noonian said.
"He will hear you," Juliana pleaded.
"He could cost us everything," Noonian argued. "What if we have to uproot again? Or if they decide to take him for their own research? Years of labour. My life's work!"
"It wasn't his fault!" Juliana snapped.
Lore was grateful that at least she was in his corner.
"He knows better," Noonian asserted.
"He was trying to help!" Juliana said, raising her voice for the first time.
Lore could hear just how furious she was with Noonian's characterisation of the incident.
"It was an emotional response," Juliana explained, composing herself. "You wouldn't consider this if he were a child."
That was often her best argument. While Juliana saw their boys as children, Noonian saw them as quasi-children. They weren't flesh and blood. And for Noonian, that was an important distinction.
"A child wouldn't have a programming malfunction," Noonian replied.
Lore shuddered.
He hated when his father reduced his emotional development to nothing more than a programming malfunction. It was callous and cold.
"He won't be going back," Noonian declared.
Lore told himself that he was fine with that. He was far too intelligent for such an antiquated system designed for human limitations anyways.
But inside, his metaphorical heart sank.
He would miss the socialisation.
None of that mattered to Noonian. After today, he was ready to disassemble his son.
Lore had only been trying to help B-4. Some of the other students had been harassing him. Even from across the canteen, Lore could hear his brother's discomfort.
It had started with mocking questions about his anatomy and quickly devolved to some of the human students trying to get him to take off his clothes.
B-4 had politely declined. Mother and Father had told him it wasn't allowed.
But the other students had been persistent, and B-4 was struggling. He didn't understand and his modesty programming was at odds with the base code that was designed to ensure he followed human instruction.
Lore had marched across the room and ordered them to stop. When one of the students made a grab at his brother, Lore had thrown him off – and straight through a wall.
Lore hated to see anyone treat them like that. B-4 may not have been as advanced as the rest of them, but he didn't deserve to have his body violated like that.
For Lore, the incident had reinforced just how little the humans thought of them. They viewed them as nothing more than a curiosity.
For Noonian, it was the latest in a chain of events that proved it was best to keep his boys isolated until he could build another, more advanced android.
"Neither of them will be returning," Noonian announced.
Juliana was furious.
"What about B-4's classwork? Hmm? He loves going. And you can't claim it hasn't helped his development," Juliana protested.
"He can fingerpaint here. Not like he'll even notice the difference," Noonian grumbled.
Lore rolled his eyes as he overheard that comment.
Of course B-4 would notice.
And it would mean Lore would be his only social outlet.
Lore groaned internally. He could barely tolerate the days when it was just the two of them. If Noonian was going to pull them out of school for good, it would B-4 wouldn't have anyone else to show his stupid rock collection to.
And it would mean Lore wasn't going to see his friends as often.
Surely, his Father couldn't ban him from seeing them altogether? Lore thought with a sense of panic.
In the end, Noonian had tried to ban Lore and B-4 from interacting with the other colonists – even the ones that they considered friends.
B-4 had been devastated but had taken their Father's orders with the same kind of simple compliance that characterised his personality – not that Noonian had even bothered to notice how hurt he was or how much it affected him.
But Lore and Juliana could see it. B-4's loneliness manifested itself in his art and general mannerisms. He became more reclusive than ever.
Lore had simply ignored their Father's orders – sneaking out, scheduling late-night meetups, and overriding his Father's lock on his handheld communicator.
When Noonian found out, he had been bitter and disappointed, lamenting that Lore couldn't be easier to control like his simple-minded brother or more well-behaved like his dead sister Nova.
Juliana had reminded him that Lore was simply engaging in normal adolescent behaviour. She insisted it was a routine part of his development and something they shouldn't discourage.
She understood Lore longed to socialise. He needed interaction with other beings. He craved attention and affection.
Juliana went so far as to chastise Noonian. In her eyes, he never should have insisted on such complex programming if he didn't want Lore to share in the human desire for friendship, companionship, and adventure.
Noonian had proposed that perhaps it was time to deactivate Lore for a more extensive overhaul of his systems.
That was the first time Juliana had threatened to leave.
She made it clear that in no uncertain terms would she ever support disassembling her beloved boy and that if Noonian were to proceed down that road, he'd best be prepared to walk it alone.
It was a nuclear option.
But she felt Lore was worth it.
And Lore loved her for it all the more.
Present
"Are you alright?" Beverly asked.
"Hmm?" Lore responded.
He had been lost in his own thoughts.
"I was just saying that the view is lovely," Beverly explained. "And wondering if you wanted to join me in staying there? I can get us a room overlooking the ocean."
"Yes," Lore answered. "That would be lovely."
Beverly smiled above her cup of coffee.
Upon having heard that Lore had never gotten the chance to visit a world like Tauphi VI, Beverly's mind had set to work. She ran through a list of travel stops that were a must-see. She wanted him to have the best experience possible.
"I'll start planning right away," Beverly said brightly.
Yes. So much like Juliana.
Across the ship, Tasha was sitting impatiently on Deanna's sofa.
After the incident the night before, Deanna had insisted that Tasha stop by that day for a one-on-one session.
And Deanna didn't need her empath abilities to read that Tasha would rather be anywhere else.
Verbally, Tasha was doing her best to feign a strong demeanour.
But her body language was another story.
Deanna had caught her checking the time four times already and they had only just started their session.
"Do you have another appointment?" Deanna inquired. "We can reschedule this for later today if now is a bad time."
"No," Tasha replied. "It's fine. Just a lot of work to do on this Ferengi business."
"Tell me about it," Deanna encouraged.
Tasha made a face.
"I find the whole situation intriguing," Deanna went on.
"I know what you're doing," Tasha retorted.
She'd been through it before. Deanna was trying to focus on something other than Tasha's sexual assault in an effort to build a rapport around a subject that was one of Tasha's strengths.
"Deanna, I've been through this," Tasha reminded her. "I don't need sexual assault counselling 101. What do I need to do to convince you that I'm fine?"
Deanna had anticipated there would be some resistance.
"Tasha, we found you locked in your bathroom. You shot a phaser at Data," Deanna said, confronting the matter head on. "You were clearly experiencing a trauma response and-"
"You know the last thing I need is for someone who's never experienced what I've been through judging how I choose to protect myself," Tasha said coldly.
She had chosen her words carefully. Tasha knew precisely how important it was to get her point across without actually saying anything that would lead to her being involuntarily restricted from duty.
Tasha stood up.
"I've completed my mandatory fifteen minutes of counselling and unless you intend to file a Section 118 psychological exemption, I'll be returning to my duties now," Tasha said.
Deanna knew Tasha certainly understood the inner workings of the system. Not only had she had to experience it herself, she'd also had extensive training on the matter as part of her security duties.
She knew Starfleet mandated a minimum of fifteen minutes of counselling was required in which a certified counsellor would offer their services.
Starfleet personnel had the right to refuse – as Tasha had done.
Tasha also knew that the only way Deanna could stop her was to file a Section 118 psychological exemption. Similar to a Doctor's orders, the Section 118 was the mental health equivalent of a CMO declaring a crewmember unfit for duty.
And Tasha was counting that Deanna didn't want to escalate things to that level.
A Section 118 could follow an officer for years as a permanent part of their personnel file. It would come up at any future promotion hearings, commendation considerations, or new postings.
"Tasha, you know that I'm always here," Deanna assured her.
She hoped that appealing to their personal friendship would convince Tasha to trust her.
"Have a good day, Counsellor," Tasha said with a curt nod before leaving.
An hour later, Deanna stopped by Data's lab to check in with him. She realised that the incident had taken an emotional toll on him as well.
Deanna also wanted to remind Data to give Tasha space.
She understood that he was concerned about her safety, but his presence had triggered a severe trauma response and Deanna was worried it could happen again.
When she reached Data's lab, she found him hunched over his workbench in deep concentration.
Data startled when he heard the door slide open.
It was like she had interrupted him during an important experiment.
"I can stop by later," Deanna said quickly.
"It is quite alright. I will be with you momentarily," Data said.
He quickly set down his tools and shut off his computer terminal.
"Working on something special?" Deanna inquired politely.
While Data possessed great concentration, it was rare to see him in such a state of singular fixation.
"A matter of minor importance," Data replied in a tone that indicated he did not wish to discuss the subject.
"I just wanted to stop by and chat about last night," Deanna explained.
"How is Lieutenant Yar?" Data asked.
"She seems to think she is fine," Deanna said.
"But she is not," Data insisted.
Deanna nodded in understanding.
"I know that, Data. She does too. She just isn't ready to confront it yet," Deanna clarified. "She's in denial about how this is affecting her. And that's why it's very important that we give her time and space to confront it when she's ready."
Data maintained a stoic expression, but his shoulders slumped slightly at this news.
"You are advising that I avoid contact," Data said.
It wasn't a question. Data understood her meaning perfectly.
As he had shared with the Captain, Data was terribly distraught that his very appearance was a constant reminder of her trauma.
"Yes," Deanna replied sadly.
"I understand," Data replied stiffly. "Thank you, Counsellor."
Deanna could sense that Data was bothered by this.
"Data, do you want to talk about how this has impacted you?" Deanna offered.
She couldn't imagine being in his position – his brother walking around free, the centre of attention and everyone's favourite android despite having perpetrated such a heinous crime.
"Not at this time," Data answered.
He was far too busy working on what he thought was a solution.
Deanna left Data to his work.
Without another word, Data turned back to his workstation and resumed the delicate task that lay before him.
"Out of the question," Jean-Luc declared.
"You can't do this!" Beverly said in a heated tone.
"I'm the Captain and I can damn well do as I please," Captain Picard replied.
They had been arguing in his Ready Room for the last ten minutes over the upcoming shore leave schedule for Tauphi VI.
It was several days later following Beverly's invitation to Lore. They were due to arrive in four days at Tauphi VI and Captain Picard was making final preparations for shore leave.
When Jean-Luc had initially seen Beverly's request cross his desk, he'd panicked.
She had requested a room for two among Starfleet's accommodations overlooking the Tauphin ocean.
And Jean-Luc was ready to bet his ship that she wasn't bringing Wesley.
"Give me one valid reason why you would deny his request to join the shore leave team?" Beverly demanded.
Jean-Luc adjusted his uniform and straightened his posture.
"He's not a member of the crew. There are complications when we start to mix guests in with the crew and civilian personnel," Picard said in an attempt to offer an explanation.
It was a weak excuse and they both knew it.
"Such as?" Beverly pressed.
"What?" Picard inquired, feigning ignorance.
"Such as what kind of complications?" Beverly insisted.
Captain Picard cleared his throat.
Of all the damn people for that android to sink his sickly tentacles into, it had to be the one person that wasn't intimidated by his four pips.
Beverly was far too stubborn to take no for an answer without a valid explanation.
"There's paperwork and…and liability considerations," Picard fudged. "And besides that, we still haven't reached a decision with Starfleet as to what to do with him."
Beverly crossed her arms and pursed her lips.
"What to do with him?" she repeated with an air of disapproval. "He's my guest, Jean-Luc. And I don't think he's any more likely to start trashing hotel rooms than you or I are."
Jean-Luc signed and rubbed his chin as he pondered how to respond.
Suddenly, a thought clicked in Beverly's head.
"You're jealous," she scoffed.
"I most certainly am not!" Jean-Luc replied tersely as he jumped up out of his chair.
"You're jealous that I don't take breakfast with you anymore, that I'm spending more time with someone else," Beverly accused. "Jean-Luc, I don't believe you!"
Captain Picard was flabbergasted.
"Why else would you forbid Lore from joining me on shore leave?" Beverly asked smartly.
"Beverly, we don't know what he's capable of, what the safety risks are of allowing a guest to wander free on shore leave without any kind of supervision," Jean-Luc said.
Beverly couldn't believe what she was hearing.
He hadn't banned Data from the trip.
"Because Data is a member of this crew. Lore is not!" Captain Picard barked.
"I think he's more than proven his loyalty," Beverly responded.
The part of Lore that she had seen was a capable, helpful assistant. She had no inkling of his machinations.
"But we know so little about him," Picard said, desperate for her to trust him.
"Because he's an android?" Beverly contested.
"I didn't say that!" Picard fumed.
"You didn't have to," Beverly replied, her voice hinting at how hurt she was to see him react this way.
He was rapidly losing his composure. This whole business with Lore had gotten under his skin. It festered there, eating away at him. Jean-Luc was terrified of what he would do to the person that was dearest to him.
"Beverly, I need you to trust me," Jean-Luc pleaded.
"Then give me a good reason to," Beverly said. "Because right now, I'm disgusted with the way you've treated Lore. He's done nothing to warrant this."
She waited a few seconds for him to respond, but Jean-Luc was at a loss for words.
"If you come up with a legitimate reason to deny approval for him to beam down, then I am certain he will be more than happy to comply," Beverly said. "But until you do, I expect you treat him the same as anyone else – android or not."
She looked him up and down, challenging him to respond. When he didn't, Beverly turned on her heel and left.
Captain Picard closed his eyes and fell back into his seat behind his desk.
He put his head in his heads and sighed.
In an attempt to protect her, he'd bungled the whole situation. Now his relationship with Beverly was more strained than ever – driving her further into Lore's grip.
What have I done? Jean-Luc lamented.
When got back to sickbay, Beverly found Lore hard at work at his desk. She'd provided him with his own workspace, and they'd begun basic medical training. He was already helping with some of the more minor injuries that came in – sprains, electrical burns, and the like.
His infinite capacity to learn coupled with his android precision made him a prime candidate for learning medicine.
Keep this up you'll make an excellent surgeon someday – if you want to be. Beverly had told him.
He looked up when she entered the office.
"You are distressed," Lore observed, noting the increase in her pulse.
"It's nothing," Beverly assured him as she headed for her office.
"Did the Captain not agree to permit me shore leave?" Lore inquired.
"I believe he will reconsider," Beverly said.
Lore got up from his chair and brought her a cup of tea from the replicator.
"Please do not feel obligated to argue on my behalf," Lore said. "I do not wish to see you injure yourself or your relationship with the Captain because of me."
Beverly smiled and gave his hand a small squeeze.
"You're too sweet," she remarked.
"You are far too caring, Doctor," Lore replied.
Beverly was more than happy to go toe-to-toe with the Captain on the matter.
"How may I repay your kindness? Perhaps I could make something special for you this evening?" Lore offered.
Beverly shook her head.
"It's family game night," she reminded him. "Wes and I always make something together and then play a few rounds of Escape the Neutral Zone."
It was a strategy game Wes was fond of and they had played it religiously every other Tuesday since he was young.
It was a ritual in the Crusher household. Beverly had also felt guilty – between her budding relationship with Lore and Wesley's duties as an acting Ensign, they had seen very little of one another as of late.
She needed to spend some time with her son.
"Of course," Lore acknowledged. "He is lucky to have such a considerate mother."
He gave her a quick peck on the cheek and then returned to his desk.
Although he would regret spending a night without her, it would afford Lore the opportunity to start playing around with his Ferengi Thought Maker device.
Technically, it required two to operate efficiently.
However, Lore knew enough about the technology to understand how he could employ them in short range with a little assistance. With just a few medical tools, Lore could easily manipulate a workaround.
He returned to his desk and continued to input the inventory report.
This job gave him all the advantages necessary to cover his tracks.
Later that afternoon, Lore made an excuse about needing to double-check the supply levels in the medical storage locker on deck thirty-six.
It would take him right where he needed to be to set his plan in motion.
Stepping off the lift, Lore grinned as he saw Lieutenant La Forge chatting with two of his engineers.
Lore approached them slowly, his medical inventory tablet in hand and doing his best to make it look like a casual encounter.
"Oh! Good afternoon, Lieutenant," Lore said, greeting him.
"Ah, Lore. Can I help you with something?" Geordi asked.
Data had made it clear that he didn't want Lore working in main engineering.
"I was just on my way to run an inventory scan of the medical locker on this deck," Lore lied. "But how fortuitous that I should find you here."
Geordi cocked his eyebrow.
"Could I have a moment of your time? When you are free, of course," Lore requested.
"Give us a moment, guys," Geordi said, instructing the other staff to give them some privacy.
Lore leaned in close.
"I understand that you are close with my brother," Lore said.
Geordi nodded, sceptical of Lore's intentions.
"I am concerned about his behaviour as of late. I recognise this has not been easy for him," Lore began.
He gave Geordi a line or two about how their construction made it difficult on both of them – knowing they were so similar.
"It damages our perception to realise we are not unique," Lore shared.
That much was true for both of them.
"He has spent considerable time alone in his lab. I believe this is unhealthy," Lore went on.
Geordi had noticed Data's absence too.
"He does not wish to engage in activities with me. But I thought perhaps if you or another member of the crew were to invite him somewhere that it would help," Lore continued. "Perhaps a meal? Humans seem fond of bonding over meals. And Data so wishes to emulate your behaviour."
Geordi nodded slowly.
"Yeah, that's a good idea," Geordi replied as he mulled it over.
"Perhaps you could invite young Mr Crusher? Data is fond of both of you. And he may be more willing to attend if he knows that he has several friends to support him," Lore added with a smile.
He glanced down at his tablet.
"Excuse me, I should be getting on with my work," Lore said.
"Thanks," Geordi waved as Lore headed off for the medical storage locker.
Geordi leaned back against the wall and scratched his beard.
Data had dropped more than a few hints that there was some bad blood between the two. Yet, he had always been scant on details.
In the two months that Lore had been aboard, Geordi hadn't seen them interact much. In large part, this was due to Data's dislike of spending time with his brother.
However, it seemed like Lore's intentions were sincere.
And Geordi knew just how bitter sibling rivalries could be.
Geordi tapped his combadge.
"Hey, Wes. You got plans for dinner?" Geordi paged.
Down in his lab, Data was proud of the work he'd accomplished in only a few days' time.
However, Geordi had grown concerned that his best friend had withdrawn from the world – seemingly overnight.
Data lifted up the first of his creations and marvelled at the craftsmanship.
He surmised this is what his Father must have felt like upon completing the first successful circuits of Data's positronic matrix.
It was complex work and had required all of Data's ingenuity. While his project was no permanent solution, it was a step in the right direction.
Data only hoped that it would be enough.
And that he could keep pace with the repair work necessary to maintain the illusion his plan would create.
Tasha had been disturbed by his appearance at her door the other night. And Data suspected that the similarities between himself and his brother was part of the issue she had in being around him.
It was just physical intimacy that terrified her – his very presence had been enough to scare her senseless.
Data had poured himself into finding a solution to that problem.
While his system granted him the ability to control the rate of his follicle growth, he did not have the capacity to change other features of his appearance – at least not with some clever and dangerous engineering.
During his early years in Starfleet, there had been a time when Data was keen to attempt a more human-like appearance. He had felt it was a necessary part of fixing what he perceived as design flaws.
However, the options available to him had caused damage to his bioplast and optical receptors. It interfered with his sensors and coolant system.
Worst of all, it made Data feel terrible.
In time, he had come to realise that he didn't need to change. He had learned to be comfortable and confident in his own skin.
That is, until now.
The options available to Data hadn't changed much in the last twenty years.
However, Data now felt that he had managed to create a stable enough solution that would provide a temporary fix.
It would damage him in the long run, but Data was confident that it was worth the risk.
Outside the corridor, Geordi and Wesley were debating about what to do with Data.
"I'm going in there," Geordi announced. "I can't take it anymore. He's brooding and it's not good for him."
"Wouldn't you be?" Wesley asked. "Ever since Lore came aboard, Data's been like this."
"Not like this," Geordi countered.
Sure, it was evident Data had been bothered by his brother's sudden appearance and seamless transition into becoming the most popular android onboard.
But Geordi suspected there was more to it.
And recently, things had gotten worse.
Tasha had looked like hell on Bridge duty. They had both skipped the last poker night. All signs pointed to trouble in paradise.
Geordi hated to see his friends suffer – and his gut told him it had something to do with Lore.
Data had requested Geordi keep Lore out of Engineering as a favour, but he'd never given Geordi much of a reason as to why.
On the other hand, Wesley wasn't shy about his opinions on the android.
"He's always hanging around my mom," Wes explained. "And sneaking off when he's supposed to be on inventory duty."
"He was deactivated for twenty-seven years. Maybe he's just trying to catch up?" Geordi suggested.
"He gives me the creeps," Wesley shared. "I think Data's right to be suspicious of him."
"Suspicions or not, he can't shut himself away forever," Geordi shrugged.
The two stepped into Data's lab.
Data immediately shut down his computer terminal. He quickly got up from his seat in an effort to block their view of the materials on his worktable.
It wasn't like Data to be startled.
"Everything alright?" Geordi asked, eyeing his friend carefully.
"Everything is fine," Data replied mechanically.
"Whatcha working on?" Wes asked as he stepped closer.
"A menial project of little importance," Data said, stopping Wes and turning him back toward the door.
Geordi's brow furrowed.
"How can I assist you?" Data asked.
Straight to business – also not something that Geordi was accustomed to hearing from Data.
Usually, Data was keen for any kind of human interaction for a chance to try out small talk or a new joke.
"Actually, we came to see if you needed any help. You've been shut up in here for a few days now," Geordi explained.
Data had spent every available moment outside of his duties down in the lab.
"I do not require assistance," Data said quickly.
Geordi was striking out with each swing.
"Well, why don't we grab some dinner in Ten Forward?" Geordi suggested.
"Yeah!" Wes agreed. "I'm starved."
Data was about to remind them that he did not require sustenance, when Geordi beat him to the punch.
Anticipating Data's protest, Geordi was prepared to render his argument moot.
"I'm not taking no for an answer," Geordi warned. "If you won't come with us, we'll do takeway and join you down here. You don't mind do you?"
"I would be pleased to join you," Data replied as he shuffled Geordi and Wes toward the door.
If the only way to keep them from poking around his lab was to join them for dinner, then Data didn't have a choice.
He couldn't risk Geordi shutting down his project.
On his way out the door, Geordi thought he spied a specialised injector tool on the surface of the desk. It was a rare tool that had been designed for use with the bioneural gel packs that Starfleet was experimenting with for use in the ship's systems.
The medical team also had access to the tool for the rare species that hyposprays were useless on. They were highly regulated given that the need to actually physically inject any substance had long been rendered obsolete.
Geordi could fathom no reason for Data possessing such a device.
Nor was Data assigned to the bioneural gel pack research project.
But before he could scan any further, Data had shuffled them to the door.
Forty minutes later, Beverly had just finished her shift in sickbay. When she arrived home to her quarters, she found them empty.
Shrugging off her medical jacket, she figured Wesley had been caught late with his classwork or duties. He was juggling a lot and it wasn't unusual for him to be late on occasion.
Beverly set the table and prepared one of their usual favourites – replicating a few extra of Grandma Howard's shortbread for Wes.
If he'd had a long day, he would definitely need something to help him relax.
When she was finished, she placed the food in a temperature regulated stasis field to wait until he arrived.
Beverly put her hands on her hips and looked around, unsure if she should try to reach him or move on to preparing the game.
As she chewed on the inside of her lip, she reasoned that if he was running behind the last thing he needed was for her to bother him.
Beverly knew that if there was anything keeping him seriously tied up, Wesley would page her.
She cleared off the coffee table in the main room and pulled the game out from its box.
Usually they did this part together. However, it was going on 18:00 hours and he still wasn't back. She took her time laying out the board and sorting the pieces. He always liked to play as the Federation, so she lined up all the little gold ships in a row on the edge of the table nearest his favourite chair.
Beverly usually played as the Klingons. It was a habit she had picked up from the days of playing this very game with Jack. It had once belonged to him. When Wes had grown old enough to learn the complex rules of the game, Beverly had shared it with him.
As soon as she was finished arranging all of the tiny red birds-of-prey at the edge of her space on the board, Beverly sat back and sighed.
Checking the time, it was 18:23 and Wes still hadn't arrived or checked in.
Beverly decided it was time to reach out. It was rare, but there were times when he'd gotten so caught up in a project that he had forgotten to eat or go to bed.
"Crusher to Ensign Crusher," Beverly said, tapping her communicator.
There was a brief pause.
"Yeah, mom?" Wesley replied after a few seconds.
"Everything alright?" Beverly asked.
"Fine," Wesley answered.
"Ok. Are you stuck on a project?" Beverly inquired.
"No. Do you need something, mom?" Wes responded.
Beverly frowned.
It was most unlike Wesley to simply forget their family game night.
"Do you want me to bring your dinner to you? I could stop by if you're busy," Beverly offered.
"No thanks. I just ate. Got dinner with Geordi and Data," Wesley explained.
Everyone had warned her that someday Wes would outgrow his love for family game night. They had cautioned Beverly that teenagers needed space. She'd been told that their relationship would change one day, that he would want to spend more time with his friends and less time with her.
But it stung.
And she hadn't been prepared for it to be today, for it to hit like this.
Beverly had always thought there would be a gradual shift in their relationship when he left for the Academy someday.
"Mom?" Wesley prompted.
"Sorry, honey. Um, good. I'm glad you ate. Were you going to be home later for game night?" Beverly asked hopefully.
She wanted to be patient. She didn't want to react with anger lest it drive him away.
Beverly was content to take whatever time with her son that she could get.
She wasn't ready for him to grow out of needing her.
"I figured you already had plans," Wesley replied with a hint of flippancy.
Beverly's eyebrows shot up.
"No, you know I would never schedule anything on our night," Beverly assured him.
"Oh, I guess I just figured you'd be busy with Mr Lore," Wesley answered.
Beverly cringed.
She really didn't want to be having this conversation over a communication channel while he was sitting in the middle of Ten Forward.
"No," Beverly clarified. "It's just me."
Wesley had never had a problem with her dating before.
But you've never dated an android before. Beverly reminded herself.
Beverly was faced with the uncomfortable reality that her son may hold some internalised prejudice against Lore because he was an artificial lifeform.
While she wanted to believe that she had raised her son to be more inclusive than that, she couldn't deny that such bias existed.
Even Beverly herself had gone through a steep learning curve with Data.
She reasoned that her working relationship with Data had allowed her the growth necessary to confront that bias within herself and prepared her to accept Lore's presence more readily than some of the other crew.
"Why don't we reschedule for another night?" Beverly suggested.
"Sure," Wes replied.
She signed off telling him she hoped he had a good time with his friends and that she'd see him later at home.
As soon as their channel was cut, Beverly turned her attention to the abandoned table set for two.
She felt empty.
Her whole home felt empty.
All of sudden, her door chimed.
She was both surprised and, at the same time, not at all shocked to find Lore on the other side of the door.
He came bearing a single carnation, sympathetic eyes, and a strong shoulder to cry on.
"I was in the neighbourhood," Lore said.
"Why are you really here?" Beverly asked with a shy smile.
Lore lowered his head and looked up at her, his eyes full of understanding.
"I saw Ensign Crusher with Lieutenant La Forge and my brother and figured you could use the company," Lore said.
"Do you know how to play Escape the Neutral Zone?" Beverly asked.
"So, I heard the latest scuttlebutt from the Chief that Ensign Dumont and Ensign Phillips broke up again," Wesley shared.
"Really?" Geordi asked.
"Yeah, looks like the way's clear for you to make your move, Geordi," Wesley grinned.
It was the worst-kept secret that Geordi had been pining for Suzanne Dumont for months. She had an on-again, off-again relationship with Ensign Chris Phillips and Geordi had been waiting for the right opportunity to ask her out.
"Told him she's had enough of him being on report every other week," Wesley explained. "It was interfering with their relationship. According to the Chief, she told him that he needed to make a decision whether he wanted to date her or Commander Riker."
Geordi and Wes broke out in laughter.
Data's brow wrinkled.
"I was not aware Commander Riker and Ensign Phillips were in a relationship," Data commented.
Geordi giggled, shaking his head.
"No, Data. Phillips and his friends think its fun to be on report because it gives them a chance to hang around Commander Riker," Geordi explained. "Personally, I think they're all nuts if they like getting up that early."
"Speaking of report, did you hear Lieutenant Yar's been on report every day for the last week?" Wes asked in a hushed voice.
"What?" Geordi asked in disbelief.
Wes glanced around to ensure they were out of earshot of the next table.
"Yeah. No idea what happened but apparently she refused a direct order from Captain Picard," Wesley explained. "At least, that's what the official disciplinary report log says."
Geordi's eyebrows shot up.
"Do you know what happened?" Geordi asked as he turned to Data.
If it was true, it would explain her recent absence during their off-duty hours. Like Data, she'd been largely shut away from the world.
Data was unusually quiet.
"Data?" Geordi prompted.
"Thank you for inviting me, I must now take my leave," Data announced as he got up from the table.
Geordi and Wesley watched Data leave with concern.
"Is it just me or is Data acting weird?" Geordi pondered aloud.
Wes shrugged.
"Weirder than normal," Geordi added.
"I'm telling you. It's got something to do with Lore," Wesley insisted.
Data surmised that his abrupt departure had roused suspicion that he was withholding information, but Data wasn't prepared to answer questions or discuss Tasha being on report.
It wasn't his information to reveal.
Nor did he wish to lie to his friends.
Stepping onto the lift, Data decided to return to his lab.
He had much work to complete before their arrival at Tauphi VI.
When Wesley Crusher arrived back home that night, he was greeted by the sound of laughter.
"And these are worth eight points," Beverly explained as she pointed at the game board.
She removed two more ships and set them in a tiny pile of captured vessels.
"So that's eight points for the Constellation class cruiser, four for the Miranda class ship, and another ten points for capturing them in the Alpha Quadrant," Beverly tallied aloud.
She was beaming, pleased with herself for pulling off such a daring capture.
"You are most devious, Doctor," Lore said.
They were sitting together on the sofa.
Playing his game.
On their family night.
Wesley's blood boiled as he watched his mother stop and give Lore a slow, tender kiss.
He cleared his throat, announcing his presence.
Lore and Beverly broke apart.
Wesley could see his mother was embarrassed.
"Welcome back," she said awkwardly, scooting to one side of the sofa to put some distance between herself and her lover.
"Sorry to interrupt," Wesley said in a disgusted voice.
He was standing in the doorway, completely horrified at the scene before him.
He didn't mind his mother dating.
But he didn't want her anywhere near Lore.
Beverly decided to address the issue head-on.
"Since you were busy, I didn't want to waste the evening," Beverly explained.
"Seems to me like you had no problem wasting the evening," Wesley said coolly as he eyed Lore up and down.
"Thank you for teaching me this game. Perhaps I should go," Lore said.
"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," Wesley agreed.
As he stood to leave, Beverly's arm shot out.
"No, stay," Beverly ordered as she stared back at her son.
The two Crusher's glared at one another. Wesley could be just as stubborn as his mother.
"You're my guest and I don't see why you need to leave simply because Wesley has come home in a foul mood," Beverly said.
"I wasn't in a foul mood until I came home," Wesley argued.
Beverly took a sharp breath and stood up.
"Apologise to our guest," Beverly instructed.
"I'd rather not," Wesley replied honestly.
Wesley was furious as his mother gave Lore's hand a squeeze.
"Wes, you and I ought to have a talk. Not tonight, but soon," Beverly acknowledged. "I know it's hard that I'm spending time with Mr Lore but he's my friend and you're going to need to accept that."
Wesley fought the urge to roll his eyes.
"I'm not jealous, mom," Wesley explained in irritation.
"You may not like Mr Lore, but I won't tolerate you being rude to him. He's my guest and my friend," Beverly went on. "I'm not asking you to share your room, only to treat him with respect."
Wesley tossed his bag down on the chair as he listened to her go on about how she expected him to behave.
"Yeah? Well, I live here too, and he gives me the heebie-jeebies," Wes protested.
Lore stood up.
"I apologise, I did not mean to cause a problem," Lore said.
In truth, Lore was having a hard time not snapping that mouthy little Ensign's neck.
"Don't," Beverly insisted.
"It's very hard for me when humans talk about me rather than with me," Lore whispered.
He wasn't lying.
Only, he was feigning distress when, in fact, the matter actually made him feel the familiar tingle that precipitated the urge for violence.
"I live here too, Wesley," Beverly reminded her son. "And if you don't like the company I keep, then you can stay in your room or go elsewhere."
Wes nodded slowly as he glanced around.
"You know what? Maybe that's a good idea," Wesley replied.
Beverly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Goodnight," Beverly said as Wesley stepped into his room.
Beverly turned to Lore and gripped the front of his jumpsuit.
"I'm sorry about that," she apologised.
A moment later, the door to Wesley's bedroom opened. He stepped through carrying his duffle, toolbox, and a few of his clean clothes on a hook.
"Wes?" Beverly asked.
"I'll pick up the rest of my things tomorrow," Wesley advised.
"Wes?" Beverly demanded.
She stepped away from Lore and hurried over to her son.
"As an acting Ensign I'm entitled to quarters on the lower decks," Wesley advised.
He hadn't taken up that offer as it would mean losing his own private bedroom and the space their family quarters afforded him.
However, seeing as how his mother was content to jump into bed with Lore, Wesley figured it would be best.
He couldn't stomach the thought of sleeping one room over from the two of them.
"Y-y-you can't," Beverly stammered.
She couldn't bear to think that he would actually leave home over such a trivial matter.
"I forbid it," Beverly declared.
Lore stepped over and gave her a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder.
"Perhaps he just needs some time and space to figure things out," Lore whispered.
He turned and looked at Wes.
"After all, he's a young man with his own duties and responsibilities on the ship," Lore said loud enough for Wes to hear. "Young men need to spread their wings at some point."
He turned back to Beverly again, leaning close to her ear.
"Two or three nights in the lower decks and he'll realise what he's missing," Lore said in a low voice.
His advice was two-fold. It served to further divide mother and son. And it offered Lore the opportunity to get back at Wesley.
Now he was the one talking about Wes rather than with him.
"Alright. If you think this is best, Wesley," Beverly said.
Behind her, Lore was smirking – taunting Wes to blow up in front of his mother.
Unfortunately, Wesley didn't take the bait.
"Enjoy your privacy," Wes spat before leaving.
The whole thing had gone better than planned.
Lore was positively gleeful.
He had only intended to spend a few hours with Beverly and maybe cause a small tiff.
Lore hadn't anticipated his presence would cause such a strong emotional response.
And it meant that he would now have the pleasure of spending the rest of the evening with Beverly completely uninterrupted.
Beverly felt wretched inside.
She was both angry and heartbroken over the way things had gone down with her son.
It was such an extreme overreaction.
Lore sensed this vulnerability and decided to strike.
"I'm so sorry for the way he treated you," Lore said as he pulled her against him.
He wrapped her in a warm embrace, rocking them back and forth.
"Young humans often don't give their mother's the appreciation they deserve," Lore went on.
It played right into her mindset of feeling underappreciated and rejected.
"He doesn't know how lucky he is to have you," Lore continued. "How good he's got it here."
Beverly sniffled. Her eyes began to water.
"I really try," she said as she began to cry. "I really try to give him everything."
"Of course you do," Lore said in a soothing voice.
"Sometimes I think he doesn't realise how hard it's been raising him without Jack," Beverly sobbed.
Lore squeezed her tighter.
"He's such a good kid but," she trailed off as she wept.
"Of course he is," Lore reassured her. "He's just confused and afraid that he's losing his mother. He loves you, even if he doesn't always show it."
Beverly nodded sadly.
"Shh," Lore said as he scooped her up. "There, there."
He carried her through the bedroom and into the lavvy.
Beverly looked at him, confused.
"Would it be alright if I were to run you a hot bath?" Lore asked.
"You don't need to do that," Beverly replied.
Lore caressed her face as he looked down at her.
He set her down and turned on the tap.
"I insist," he replied. "You deserve to be treated to a little kindness."
Beverly didn't know what to say.
He was so considerate.
"Why are you so thoughtful?" she asked.
"Because at one time I was a young, confused android. And I was fortunate enough to have a mother that put up with me," Lore replied with a warm smile.
Lore helped Beverly out of her uniform and into the tub.
He swept her hair back and pinned it up on the top of her head. Then, he placed a soft kiss at the nape of her neck.
"I'll be back. And by the time you've had a nice soak, I'll have dinner cleaned up," he said.
Beverly wiped away her tears and settled down into the hot water.
If Data had any fraction of Lore's romantic tendencies behind closed doors, he was going to make someone very happy someday. Beverly mused.
Omicron Theta Colony | 2333
"What are you doing?" Lucy asked.
Her whole body had gone stiff, but she hadn't recoiled at his touch.
"Is this not to your liking?" Lore inquired.
His hand was at her waist, the other entwined in the back of her hair. His lips were soft against her neck and his breath was warm.
It seemed surprisingly human.
"It's just different," Lucy admitted.
It was not unpleasant. But it had been unexpected.
"This is how my Father says one show's their appreciation for a beautiful woman," Lore said. "It's how he holds my Mother."
And Lore thought she was aesthetically pleasing.
It was a curious thing.
The first time he'd touched her, it had awoken something in him. He had taken hold of her hand and he'd marvelled at how wonderful it made him feel.
He would much rather explore these feelings with Juliana, but she had been horrified by his advances.
Lucy was one of the few people on Omicron Theta that didn't treat Lore with disdain or scepticism. She was his friend. She had always shown him kindness and attention. She wasn't put off by his strange, inquisitive nature.
Like Juliana, she had soft, warm skin and vibrant red hair.
She smelled like honeysuckle and vanilla.
And she seemed so delicate in his arms.
Lore understood that humans were fragile. And he wanted to demonstrate how careful he could be with her.
"I won't break you," Lore assured her.
He caressed her face, mimicking what he had observed.
"First comes this," Lore said, nuzzling against her neck.
A small, positive murmur escaped from her lips.
"And then the part where I whisper something sweet to you," Lore said against her ear.
"Like what?" Lucy asked as she closed her eyes.
"Like telling you that you are more lovely than the flowers that grow in Jarvis Greylock's garden," Lore said.
It wasn't the smoothest line. But he was new to this whole concept of flirting.
Lucy gasped softly as Lore's hand dropped from her waist to her thigh.
"And then comes the part where I love you," Lore said softly before capturing her lips in a slow, tender kiss.
He slipped his hand up along her thigh, under her skirt as he pulled Lucy tight against him.
Lore may not have had much direct experience in the matter, but his programming was thorough. He knew precisely what he was supposed to do – and hundreds of ways in which to do it.
When they left the barn later that afternoon, Lore had felt like a new android.
His Father had always said there was no better experience than showing his appreciation for a beautiful woman – after all, it had been one of the reasons Juliana had put up with all of his eccentric habits and crusty exterior.
"You catch more flies with honey than vinegar," Noonian had often said.
And Lore was certain that with enough practice, he could catch anything – even Juliana.
Present
"A penny for your thoughts," Beverly said as she rested her head against Lore's chest.
Lore smiled as he stared at the ceiling.
"Reflecting on how good it feels to appreciate a beautiful woman," Lore replied as he traced the length of her spine.
"You're far too good for this world," Beverly replied.
Lore rolled them so that he was on top, pinning Beverly's wrists down against the cool sheets.
Beverly stared up at him in awe. The timid, polite side of Lore suddenly replaced by this amorous, powerful side that oozed a kind of carnal, sexual energy.
It left her enthralled as he grinned above her.
"I aim to please," Lore said with a wicked smile.
Beverly bit her lip, feeling uncharacteristically small.
"Awww," Lore purred upon seeing her reaction.
He nipped at her neck, drawing out a delightful whimper.
"My dear Doctor," Lore said in a low voice. "I won't break you."
She keened as he rocked against her, rubbing his pressing erection into her thigh.
"Let me take care of you," Lore said.
He nuzzled against her neck, brushing his lips across the exposed skin there.
Instinctively, Beverly arched her back, spreading her legs as he rolled his hips.
"That's it. Spread your legs for daddy," Lore growled in her ear.
The next morning, Commander Riker arrived at the canteen at 04:50.
Tasha Yar was already there, waiting patiently by herself.
"Morning," Riker called out.
"Good morning," Tasha responded.
"You're early," he said in a jovial tone, hoping to lighten the mood. "Trouble sleeping?"
"No," Tasha answered honestly.
She hadn't had trouble sleeping. In fact, she'd conked out as soon as she'd laid down in her bathtub last night.
No, rather she had set an early alarm to ensure she wasn't late.
It had taken her nearly an hour to ice and wrap her foot before she could finagle it into her boot.
Her injury was getting worse. Her foot had turned a nasty shade of purple and was tender to the touch. It was getting hard to bear weight on it.
Tasha was already counting the hours until they arrived at Tauphi VI.
After their morning run in which he'd observed Tasha favouring her other foot, Riker had decided to switch up their routine.
He'd scheduled some menial work at the computer terminals in the library, cleaning files and sorting through a backlog. Once that was complete, he'd assigned the crew on report to monitor the infant nursery.
At 05:00 it was mostly intake as parents prepared to go on duty. There were bottle feedings and diaper changes, but very little work at that hour.
But he was running out of excuses and there were maintenance tasks that needed to be completed.
"How's your foot?" Riker inquired.
"It's fine," Tasha replied tersely.
She had suspected Riker was going easy on her and Tasha had made every effort not to show any pain when she was around him.
"Because if you're not 100%, I don't want you on today's assignment," Riker explained. "We're hauling new tubing down the control room outside of the antimatter chamber."
It was a dangerous task. The transporters didn't work in that part of the ship – there was too much interference from the shielding. And it would mean climbing up and down a maintenance shaft.
They would need to carry the replacement tubes down and then haul the old ones back out with them.
"I can handle it," Tasha assured him.