A/N: Thank you, thank you. From the bottom of my heart – thank you.
C/W: Contains abusive behaviour, smut, and dub con/rape. Will contain Data/Tasha fluff. Lore is a master of manipulation. This chapter also includes a dark moment from Lore's past where he hurts an animal and then later (in the present) a person.
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.
Data frowned.
He sat back in the chair at his workstation.
It was 04:37.
Tasha was no doubt already up and dressed for morning report.
Data rolled his shoulders and manually unclenched his jaw.
He had spent the whole night pouring over his own schematics – comparing them with Lore's, meticulously analysing every inch of his design in an effort to find answers.
Data couldn't recall his memories from the time on Omicron Theta. He suspected there was a great deal of information being withheld by Lore.
However, he couldn't prove it.
Worst of all, Data suspected that Lore had something within him that caused such extreme behaviour – a faulty programme, a coding error.
There had to be an explanation.
What disturbed Data most of all was that he was nearly identical to Lore. Every part, every inch of their construction was the same save for one small detail.
Lore's positronic matrix featured a type L phase discriminating amplifier. Data's own construction featured a type R.
It was a minor difference and Data could fathom no way in which such a part would contribute to things like personality, mood, and ethical decision-making.
If only Lore were slightly more amenable then Data could simply ask to examine him.
But a part of Data was hesitant to go poking around.
Thus far, all the preliminary evidence indicated that he and Lore were identical when it came to their programming and design.
That meant the nightmare, the strange feeling of arousal – it was the same as Lore.
Data closed his eyes and took a slow, shaky breath.
He had about three hours before he was due to report for duty. It was going to be a big day. They were due to arrive at Invernium Strata to investigate if the planet had also befallen the same fate.
Data was already feeling the mental strain of working so long at such a high speed.
He needed to slow his processing, to let his neural net rest.
With great reluctance, Data shut down his extraneous processes and activated his dream programme.
Indeed Tasha was already up and scrambling to get dressed in time for morning report.
She surmised all the tension was starting to impact her mind because she'd had another night of wildly erotic dreams.
And once more, Tasha had woken up alone.
It had been the right call to stay with Wesley as he was grateful that he didn't have to be alone. Tasha and Wesley had enjoyed a quiet dinner before he'd spent the night studying.
Tasha had gone to bed early and got caught up on her reading.
But she was missing Data something fierce.
There's always tonight. Tasha thought on her way out the door.
But Data and Tasha weren't the only people missing out on a happy reunion.
Across the ship, Lore had found his highly anticipated reunion with Beverly to be rather… tepid.
Lore had been hoping for a steamy reunion. The excitement of getting away with his crime had left his neural net surging.
Beverly had other plans.
Though she had publicly stood by Lore, Beverly was still miffed that he had skipped breakfast.
Why? Now you have no alibi. Beverly had argued.
Lore had covered for himself by claiming he was working on a surprise. Which meant he now had the problem of throwing together a surprise for Beverly.
It wasn't his finest move.
But Lore was desperate to patch things up.
Beverly was one of the last allies he had left on the ship, and he couldn't risk turning her away.
She'd agreed to stay for the night, but they had gone to bed after dinner without so much as a kiss. Lore had been forced to reconcile himself that passion would have to wait.
Lore couldn't risk slipping away and rousing Beverly's suspicion.
In any case, it was still too soon. Everyone would be on guard. Lore was confident he would get away with the murder of Ensign Evers because he had been cautious.
He'd come too far to blow things now.
But it doesn't mean I can't play. Lore thought.
While Beverly slumbered, Lore reached into his nightstand and dialled up the Ferengi Thought Maker he'd implanted in Data's rooms.
Lore shuddered, his face twitching as he felt the connection establish between his mind and that of his brother's.
Tasha sniffled.
Data reached down, cupping her face he thumbed away her tears.
"Do not weep," he said.
A part of him was genuinely displeased to see her in such distress.
But another of Data found this scene to be all too thrilling. He didn't want it to stop.
"That is it," Data cooed, stroking her hair as she gagged on the length of him.
She squeezed her eyes as a fresh wave of tears threatened to spill over.
"Look at me," Data demanded.
When she didn't, Data gripped the back of her hair.
"Look at me, Tasha," he insisted.
She whimpered in pain.
"Tasha," Data snapped in a cold, commanding voice.
Suddenly he felt horrible – repulsed by his own desire. He tried to step backward and tripped.
"Tasha!" Data cried out.
"Whoa, hey," Tasha said, gently caressing the side of his face.
Data's chest was heaving. He glanced around and realised he was in his quarters.
"Sweetheart?" Tasha asked.
My dream programme. Data realised.
Checking his internal chronometer, Data discovered it was already half past eight.
"When you didn't report for duty, I came to check on you," Tasha explained. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."
Data clutched her hand, pulling it away from her face.
It was too much contact and Data felt he didn't deserve her kindness.
"What's happened? Are you alright? You look shaken," Tasha asked.
When Data didn't respond, Tasha tried a new tactic. Resting her head on his leg, she grinned up at him.
"You know I had the most wickedly delicious dream about you," Tasha said, walking her fingers along the inside of his thigh.
Data panicked, pushing his chair away.
"I am sorry to have worried you," he said as he rose from his chair.
"It's alright. I'm just worried about you. You've been working so hard lately," Tasha said.
Data's entire body went stiff when Tasha embraced him from behind.
"Why don't we come back here after our shift and take a nice long bath?" Tasha suggested.
A bath?
Data knew he couldn't spend the evening alone with Tasha. There was no telling what he was capable of. He couldn't risk putting Tasha in danger.
Data bolted.
"I am late for my duty shift," Data said, scurrying off toward the door.
"Initial sensor readings seem to correspond with what we found on Starbase 212, Tendria III, and Tauphin IV," Geordi advised.
"The people, all of the plant and animal life – it's as if they've just vanished," Deanna said.
"And we've found bitrium deposits just as we did at the last few sites," Riker announced.
They team had arrived at Invernium Strata only to discover what little life had existed there had been wiped out.
"We'll know more once we get down there. I'd like to take some environmental samples," Beverly said.
"Captain, I believe this would also be our best opportunity to use the communications array," Data added.
In using the planet's communications to broadcast rather than the ship's, the Enterprise could easily warp away if trouble arrived.
Data was banking that the equipment would still be intact. They could use that array to check in with Starfleet Command, relay a message to the family of the late Ensign Evers, and contact Doctor Kila Marr.
With the communications blackout in effect, Data didn't have access to Starfleet's vast database. He was relying only on what information had been downloaded and stored in the Enterprise computer.
According to what he'd found, there was a Doctor Kila Marr that had studied this phenomenon in this precise region of space.
She was a former resident of Omicron Theta and had theorised there was some lifeform capable of such destruction.
Information was limited. Data really needed to contact Doctor Marr directly or someone that had worked with her. He didn't even know if she was still alive.
But he was banking that the Carson Centre for Exobiology would be able to point him in the right direction.
"Alright, we'll beam down a small team to make contact with Starfleet and conduct an investigation," Picard agreed.
After making the necessary preparations, the away team beamed down.
"How many people were on this planet?" Riker asked.
"Twelve thousand," Data answered.
From the state of the abandoned buildings and empty street, it was evident that no one was home.
It was eerie.
Everything was left in place as if they had simply disappeared – devices abandoned, vehicles left in place.
And the absence of sound from birds and bugs was spooky.
In fact, there was no sound save for the gentle hum from their tricorders and wind that swept across the dusty, barren world.
"There's nothing left," Tasha said.
"There wasn't much here to begin with," Riker remarked.
Invernium Strata had a nasty reputation. It was a desolate planet with little in the way of resources. Over the years, it had become a haven for mercenaries, black market traders, and people on the run looking for a place outside the boundaries of Federation law.
Technically, it wasn't a Federation planet even though it was surrounded by Federation space on all sides.
"Let's fan out," Riker suggested.
Using his tricorder, Data was able to identify a communications array located inside a large warehouse. The equipment was outdated but would be sufficient to send a communique to both Starfleet and the Carson Centre.
After a quick search, Data located fuel for the generator and was able to get power flowing in to activate the system.
It only took a few adjustments to set up a secure channel to Starfleet Command.
"Command Outpost Gamma 487, this is Lieutenant Commander of the Data of the Enterprise transmitting from a secure channel," Data said.
There was a brief pause.
"Good to hear your voice, Commander. We were starting to get worried about your position," a voice responded. "We'll notify Admiral Decorah. Standby."
Data used the pause to transmit a message to the Carson Centre. Due to the distance, it would take some time for them to receive his message and respond in kind.
Outside, Geordi and Tasha were taking atmospheric readings and collecting soil samples.
Geordi frowned.
"What?" Tasha prompted.
Geordi shook his head and deposited the sample into the bag around his shoulder.
"It's just – there's nothing here," Geordi said as he knelt down to collect another sample from a different area.
Tasha looked up and glanced around.
"Yeah," she replied slowly.
"I mean, there's nothing here," Geordi repeated.
He sat back on his knees.
"Even dirt contains minerals and organic matter," Geordi explained. "At least it usually does."
"So whatever we're looking for is stealing all the organic matter?" Tasha asked. "I don't want to shoot a hole through anyone's theory – but there really isn't any strategic reason for that."
"Mmm hmm," Geordi responded.
"The only time I've ever seen this level of destruction is when the Cardassians have tried to lay waste to a planet. Metagenic weapons. They destroy all life. The whole point is to make the planet completely uninhabitable for a generation," Tasha remarked.
It was a tactic intended to prevent the Bajorans from settling the area. If they couldn't farm the land, there was no way to live there.
"They contaminate the soil and the water. But here-"
Tasha paused.
"There is no water," Geordi finished for her.
Tasha nodded.
"The more I think about this – the more it seems like we're dealing with a plague of locusts," Geordi remarked.
Tasha didn't follow.
"Plague of locusts?" she asked.
"You know, some spooky biblical stuff," Geordi said. "I'm worried the next planet we go to is gonna have rivers of blood or a burning bush."
Tasha looked confused. She didn't understand the reference, but it was a disturbing thought, nonetheless.
"Geordi, I don't detect any signs of combustion or fire," Tasha said, scanning the area with her tricorder.
"Sorry, Tash," Geordi apologised. "Sometimes I forget you're not from Earth."
"Advise Captain Picard that we're dispatching two ships. The Tiananmen is only four days away. We're sending her to Starbase 212 for a recovery mission," Admiral Decorah announced. "And the Kula will arrive in forty-eight hours to assist you in tracking down and identifying whatever is out there."
Data knew Captain Picard would be most displeased with this news. He wanted to avoid any further loss of life.
However, Data also recognised that an Admiral outranked even a Captain – and that he would have the unfortunate duty of notifying Captain Picard of this change.
"Please relay our message," Admiral Decorah ordered.
"Yes, sir," Data replied.
"And Mr Data – be careful out there," Decorah said before disconnecting the channel.
"Doctor?" Riker asked, catching Beverly's attention.
They were just outside the border of the main trading town following a faint signal.
"I think I've got something," Riker shouted.
Beverly stopped collecting soil samples and joined him near a large rock formation. There was a crevasse present that appeared to lead inside.
"Doctor, I think this leads to a cave system," Riker said.
Beverly whipped out her tricorder and scanned the area.
"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Beverly asked.
"Water? Yeah," Riker replied.
"Let's check it out," Beverly said, stepping through into the darkness.
"Riker to away team. Be advised, Doctor Crusher and I may have found something. We're going to check it out. Transmitting coordinates now," Riker said.
Beverly felt an instant chill when they stepped into the cave.
"Do you hear that?" Riker asked.
"Sounds like running water," Beverly answered.
"Up ahead," Riker called back.
The light from their torches provided little visibility. Feeling their way along the rock-lined walls, they found themselves inside a deep underground cavern.
"This is incredible," Beverly said.
She dropped down to one knee to study a small stream.
"There's bacteria. Single-cell organisms. Even small fish," Beverly replied.
It was the only sign of life they had discovered on the entire planet.
"The rock must have provided enough interference to shield this from our sensors," Beverly theorised.
Commander Riker looked up to survey the area. He estimated they were at least a few metres below ground. From the look of things, this cavern wasn't all that big – certainly small enough that the top was still within range of his torchlight.
"Tricorder readings show heavy deposits of kelbonite and fistrium," Riker said. "Wonder if that had anything to do with this?"
"Well we can rule out this being some kind of airborne weapon or contaminant," Beverly said. "This cave is protected from the surface – but it's not sealed in terms of airflow."
Beverly stood up.
"We should see where this leads," Beverly said as she began to walk along the stream.
Following along the path of the water, Beverly kept her eyes on her tricorder.
"There may be more clues to-"
In a flash, the ground below gave out and Beverly slipped into the darkness.
"Doctor? Doctor?!" Riker shouted.
"Continue monitoring our position," Captain Picard said.
"Aye, sir," Worf responded.
They were still in orbit above the planet waiting for the away team to return. Worf was keeping a watchful eye on the long-range sensors for any signs of activity.
Captain Picard was about to retire to his ready room for some paperwork when an urgent hail came across the comms system.
"Riker to Enterprise! We have an emergency," he said. "Doctor Crusher's… underground…. visibility."
His communication was choppy – likely disrupted by the heavy deposits in the cave.
"We're having trouble reading you, Number One. Say again," Picard requested.
"Doctor Crusher…. fallen… beam out," Riker said between choppy static.
Picard glanced over to the operations console. With Data down on the surface, Miles O'Brien was temporarily manning that post.
"I'm trying to establish a lock, Captain. But there's too much interference," Miles said.
He tapped the console and attempted to boost the signal. After two unsuccessful attempts, Miles glanced back and shook his head.
"I'm sorry, sir," Miles said.
"Options?" Picard asked the group.
"We could beam down a team to set up a signal boost perimeter," Miles suggested.
"We should also beam down an emergency medical team," Worf added.
"We're sending help, Number One. Hang on," Picard advised.
Geordi and Tasha were nearly finished with their work when they heard the page.
"Captain, Commander Riker and Doctor Crusher were heading into a cave to investigate something," Geordi explained. "The rock is probably causing interference."
"We're on our way to offer assistance, sir," Tasha said.
Tasha took off running, dashing over the dirt and sand dunes with ease.
"Tasha! Tasha wait for me!" Geordi called, chasing after her.
From his position inside the warehouse, Data had abandoned the communications equipment in an effort to reach Commander Riker and Beverly.
He was nearly out the door when Captain Picard sent a hail – stopping him in his tracks.
It seemed the Captain had also anticipated Data's desire to help.
"Data, it is vital you remain at that comms station," Picard ordered. "We'll send down a medical team to assist. Your job is to stay in contact with Starfleet and try to reach this Doctor Marr."
There was a brief pause.
"Understood stood," Data acknowledged.
With great reluctance, he made his way back over to the array and took up his seat once more.
He sat perfectly still with his hands on his lap. He was keenly aware of each passing second.
A watched pot never boils.
It was a phrase Geordi had often used in engineering whenever they were waiting to observe a phenomenon during an experiment.
Data now felt he had grasped a new understanding of the colloquialism.
"Doctor? Can you hear me?" Riker hollered.
He was precariously perched on the edge of the rock overlooking a deep crevasse. Beverly had fallen far enough that his torchlight didn't even penetrate to the bottom. It simply faded into an inky abyss.
The terrain was slanted, and it was wet from the stream. Riker could see how easily Beverly could slip. Even sitting there felt uneasy given the slick rock.
"Doctor?" Riker shouted again, his voice echoing.
He had no way of knowing if her silence was due to being too far down to hear or if she was unconscious.
Where is that medical team? Riker thought.
He felt utterly helpless.
"Hello?" Tasha shouted as she rushed into the cave.
"Whoa! Watch your step!" Riker warned.
Tasha immediately slowed her approach. She carefully worked her way along the wall until she reached Commander Riker's position.
"There's some sort of chasm here. I don't know how deep it goes," Riker said.
"Then I guess we're about to find out," Tasha said as she shrugged off her pack.
Since they had been planning to collect samples, Tasha had beamed down with a backpack. It didn't contain proper climbing gear – but that wasn't about to stop her.
"Shouldn't we wait for the medical team?" Riker asked.
"Beverly could be injured," Tasha replied as she found a suitable rock to tie off a length of cord.
From her years of practise, it only took Tasha a few moments to fashion a makeshift harness.
"Let's just hope this is long enough," she said before embarking down over the edge.
Geordi arrived a moment later.
"Where? What is?" he was breathing hard.
"Geordi, these rocks are interfering with the communicators. Get back to the surface and advise Captain Picard we need a rescue team equipped with climbing gear," Riker ordered.
Geordi was too out of breath to speak. He simply waved his hand to acknowledge the order and rushed off.
It took Tasha close to fifteen minutes to climb down along the edge. The rocks were slippery from the running water, and it took a few minutes for her eyes to adjust to the dark.
She breathed a sigh of relief when her feet finally reached solid ground.
Well, solid ground under a foot of water.
She had landed in some sort of pool.
Tasha blinked and scanned the immediate area with her torch. There was a flash of light when it hit Beverly's communicator.
Tasha stepped out of her harness and rushed over to the Doctor's side. Beverly's tricorder was smashed, destroyed in the fall.
But Tasha had basic field medical training. She was able to find a pulse and Beverly was breathing. She had a nasty cut on her temple and was cold – likely from the chill of the water.
Tasha felt around on the ground as she searched for Beverly's medical kit.
"Gotcha," Tasha said aloud as her hand closed around the strap.
Tasha pulled it over and began to rummage through the contents until she found a hypospray. Clicking through to set it to the appropriate setting, she administered a small dose of a stimulant to try and rouse the Doctor.
Beverly stirred and grimaced.
It was cold.
And wet.
Beverly groaned as she started to come to.
"Stay still," Tasha advised.
Beverly made a face.
Great. She thought.
"I'm going to try and find some dry ground here," Tasha said.
Beverly grumbled under her breath and tried to move.
"Doctor, I think you broke your arm in that fall. I wouldn't advise moving around much," Tasha said.
"I think I can manage my own diagnoses, Lieutenant," Beverly replied.
Beverly tried to stand and found her arm could not support the weight of pulling her body up. She bit back a yelp, refusing to give Tasha the satisfaction of being right.
Only Tasha's mind couldn't be further from that thought.
Her primary concern was keeping Beverly stable. Based on their position, Tasha had an inkling they wouldn't be able to simply beam out.
It would take at least an hour to scramble the appropriate medical team, climb down, and extract Beverly.
Tasha was in no position to carry the Doctor out alone and the wet, loose rocks would make it challenge even for a team.
Tasha needed to get Beverly somewhere safe and dry.
Fortunately, the cave featured a small rocky area that was above the water level.
"There's a dry spot over there," Tasha said.
She slung Beverly's medical kit over one arm and then tried to slip her other arm under the Doctor to help Beverly to her feet.
"I'm fine," Beverly said in a terse voice.
"You're not fine. You're bleeding. You're injured and shivering," Tasha countered.
"I don't need or want your help," Beverly replied.
Tasha wanted to snap.
But summoning her inner security chief, she kept a composed demeanour.
"Look, whatever you may think of me – right now we're trapped in pretty ugly situation down here. It's going to take time to get out and this water is freezing," Tasha explained in an even tone. "We need to do our best to stay dry and safe."
She offered Beverly her hand.
"Please let me get you to safety and patch up that wound on her head," Tasha requested.
Beverly fell silent.
"Beverly, please," Tasha said in a soft voice.
"Why? So you can play hero?" Beverly scoffed.
Tasha didn't react.
"You think you can just dive down here and rescue me and then what? Everything will go back to being hunky dory?" Beverly demanded.
"It's my job, Beverly," Tasha reminded her.
Beverly was furious.
"Then why don't you climb back up that rock wall and notify Commander Riker. I'll wait down here," Beverly said.
Tasha's shoulders slumped as she turned her attention upwards.
"Truthfully, I don't think I could get back up. Not without proper equipment. The rock's too wet," Tasha said. "In any case, Wesley is probably worried sick and-"
"Don't talk about my son," Beverly snapped.
But Tasha had reached her breaking point.
"He loves you and he misses you," Tasha said.
"Yeah? Well he's got a funny way of showing it," Beverly replied.
"You let him walk away. You created a situation in which your son did what he had to do in order to protect himself and-"
"And you aren't his mother. You don't know anything," Beverly argued. "Don't pretend to understand my relationship with my son."
Tasha chose to let the comment go and focused instead on hauling the contents of Beverly's bag to higher ground.
Then without regard for Beverly's protests, Tasha hauled her up and carried her over to dry portion of the cavern.
"I outrank you!" Beverly protested.
Tasha did not respond.
"You bet Captain Picard is going to hear about this insubordination and-"
"And I wouldn't feel right if something happened to you. Your son would be devastated if-"
"Shut up about Wesley!" Beverly roared.
Beverly bat away Tasha's hands when she made a move to try and heal the wound on her forehead.
"Fine," Tasha said, throwing up her hands.
She backed off and jammed the supplies back into the medical kit. If Beverly didn't want her help – so be it.
"I'll be back in sickbay soon enough where I can receive proper care," Beverly said. "And after I leave, I'll be back in my bed with my lover enjoying a nice evening alone."
Tasha nodded slowly.
"Mmm hmm," Tasha nodded with feigned politeness.
"What?" Beverly asked.
"I'm sure you'll have a lovely evening," Tasha said.
Beverly was steamed by Tasha's casual attitude. She felt like Tasha was acting cool simply to get under her skin.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Beverly asked.
Tasha hesitated for a moment. She really didn't want to escalate the situation. But it seemed Beverly wasn't going to let it go. And there had been a number of things Tasha had wanted to get off her chest for some time.
"Exactly what I said. I'm sure you will have a lovely evening," Tasha repeated.
Then her attitude shifted.
"Wesley's great by the way. He hasn't had any new blackouts and got a perfect score on his maths test," Tasha went on. "He's got Klingon language this week and is thinking about asking Ashley Martell to the concert in Ten Forward on Friday."
Beverly's entire body stiffened.
"She's a nice girl," Tasha continued. "She came over to study with Wes the other night and stayed for dinner."
"I'm not going to sit here and listen to this," Beverly declared. "Don't pretend you know anything about my son. You've been in his life all of five minutes."
"And you have not been there for him as of late," Tasha said slowly.
She paused, weighing just how far to go.
"When he needed you most, you weren't there," Tasha pressed. "And he's-"
Beverly glared.
"So just because I'm dating again suddenly I don't love my son?" Beverly huffed.
"I didn't say that," Tasha replied in earnest.
"You didn't have to," Beverly threw back in a cold voice.
"How's it coming?" Riker asked.
"Getting there, sir," Worf replied.
He'd been sent down along with a crew in order to extract the Doctor and Tasha. Unfortunately, they needed to secure an entire rig to stabilise the cavern and safely extract the team.
Between the water and the soft sediment, they risked further collapse.
"We're working as fast as we can. It's going to take some time," Worf informed him.
Riker leaned in close.
"Worf, we don't know if Beverly's injured down there," Riker said.
An uncomfortable silence had fallen between Beverly and Tasha. It was suffocating. And the constant drip of water had transformed from a steady background noise to torture.
Tasha had to do something to occupy her mind.
She pulled out her torch and studied the area, scanning every surface to see if there was any way out.
Tasha shuddered as a flurry of bugs scrambled out of the light and into the cracks in the rock.
"There's life down here," Tasha remarked, astonished.
"Nothing slips past your thick skull, does it?" Beverly said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Tasha let her rude comment slide.
"I just mean, we haven't found that before. I wonder why this is different," Tasha pondered aloud.
"Why don't you let the scientists do their work?" Beverly asked. "You don't want to strain your limited brain cells."
She chuckled at her own joke.
"I'm sure we can find a heavy box for you to carry," Beverly added.
Tasha was grateful it was dark. She'd always been a bit self-conscious when it came to the scientific aspects of the job. Tasha wasn't dumb – she was, after all, a Starfleet officer and that required a high level of education.
But compared to the likes of Data, Geordi, and Beverly, Tasha had always felt like they were leagues ahead of her.
Worst of all, Beverly knew that.
Tasha had shared that nugget of information in secret. It was bad enough to hear that kind of comment from a fellow officer – but it hurt more knowing that Beverly was intentionally choosing a sore spot.
"You know I had a friend once that was kind and supportive," Tasha remarked.
She turned and looked directly at Beverly.
"What the hell happened to her?" Tasha asked.
"What is the holdup?" Picard demanded.
There was a brief pause before Commander Riker came back online.
"We're having some difficulty in securing a line, sir," Riker said. "We can't risk an entire team at the edge to pull them up. The rock's too unstable."
They were already precariously close to another cave in. Several large chunks had already crumbled off the edge and into the cavern below.
"I thought you were installing a rig to support it?" Picard asked.
"Negative. It's too heavy and the sediment is too soft. It's just sinking in,' Riker said.
To Jean-Luc's frustration, the lift door opened and none other than Lore came strolling onto the bridge.
"Not now," Picard said in a warning tone.
"Captain, with all due respect," Lore began. "I've been waiting to speak with you all day."
It was true.
Lore had sent a number of requests to Captain Picard asking for an audience. The Captain had not yet charged Lore with a crime. Jean-Luc had no evidence.
And they both knew it.
Under Starfleet regulations, the Captain had no further cause to keep Lore confined to quarters.
"Sir, you have no reason to keep me confined to quarters. All I ask is to be allowed to resume my duties," Lore protested.
"And we are in the middle of a crisis," Jean-Luc replied in a terse voice.
"Then allow me to go on duty in sickbay and-"
Jean-Luc had reached his breaking point.
"Right now Beverly Crusher is down on that planet. Trapped and probably injured and we are trying to reach her," Picard barked.
He straightened himself up and tugged down his uniform.
"Now kindly leave my bridge so that we may resume our rescue efforts," Picard said.
Lore's throat went tight.
Beverly.
"Number One," Picard said, tapping his combadge.
"Sir, if you would permit Mr Data to leave the communications array and join us, we believe he could-"
"I'll do it," Lore said without even knowing what task he'd volunteered for.
Jean-Luc ignored him.
"Alright, I want you to head over to Mr Data's position and-"
"I'll do it," Lore repeated.
"Somebody needs to be at that array in case-"
"Captain," Lore practically shouted, drawing his attention.
Jean-Luc stopped and turned to Lore.
"I will do it," Lore insisted.
Jean-Luc was certain he must have been out of his mind.
And he was.
He was out of his mind with worry for Beverly.
Picard didn't trust Lore. But he also recognised that Lore was too sneaky to try and pull anything under the watchful eye of Worf and Commander Riker.
Lore operated in shadow. He picked easy targets. He wasn't about to risk everything to try and harm someone or pull a stunt during a rescue.
More than anything, Picard had observed that Lore liked to be the hero.
He relished in the attention.
So though he didn't trust Lore or his motivation, Jean-Luc did believe Lore was capable of bringing Beverly to safety.
A dark look passed between Worf and Commander Riker the minute Lore strode into the cave.
"Gentlemen," he said with a small nod.
Lore stepped over to the edge and glanced down. With his superior optical receivers, he was able to clearly see Beverly and Tasha at the bottom of the cavern.
"Be careful, those rocks are slippery," Commander Riker warned.
Lore simply turned around and smirked.
"I can handle this," Lore said before he jumped down over the edge.
Lore landed with finesse. He paused for a moment, getting his bearings, before he rose slowly.
Beverly wanted to leap off the ground.
Lore smiled and Beverly's heart melted.
"Are you alright, darling?" Lore asked.
He knelt down next to Beverly and reached up to delicately trace the wound on her temple.
"Just some bruising. A broken arm," Beverly answered.
Lore took hold of her hand and pressed a soft kiss to the back of it.
"I will take care of it as soon as I get you back to sickbay," Lore promised.
He scooped Beverly up, helping the Doctor to her feet. Then he turned back to Tasha who scowled.
"Don't fret, Lieutenant. I'll be back for you soon," Lore said.
"No, thank you. I'll climb out on my own," Tasha said.
She was doubtful about her ability to get back up the slippery rocks. But if her options were Lore or a fall – Tasha would take the risk of a fall.
To Tasha's horror, Lore snagged her line and tugged – pulling it clean from the point it had been secured above.
Tasha watched with ever growing panic as the rope came crashing down.
"I'll need this. Surely you understand?" Lore asked.
Using the cord, he secured Beverly to him. With her broken arm, she simply didn't have the strength to hold on for the climb.
Just before he began his ascent, Lore glanced back over his shoulder at Tasha.
"You're welcome to try, Lieutenant. But I wouldn't advise an attempt," Lore remarked. "In any case, I simply must be sure to deliver you safely back to my brother."
Tasha sat back against the wet rock. She pulled her knees toward her chest and fought the urge to cry.
Data was starting to grow anxious.
There had been no word from the away team – save for sporadic communications that were often garbled due to the interference from the rocks.
In addition, the communications array had been silent.
Data rapped his hands on the surface of the desk as he waited.
Suddenly, there was a ping. A small green light blinked, indicating an incoming transmission.
"Command Outpost Gamma 487 to Lieutenant Commander Data," a voice rang out.
Data scrambled to sit up straight.
"Data here," he responded.
"We have a message for you relayed via subspace outpost. It's from a Carson Centre," the officer said.
"Go ahead," Data replied.
"Sir, you may want to have PADD handy or something to record this," the officer advised.
"I am capable of memorising everything you say. Go ahead," Data urged.
There was a brief pause.
"Uh.. okay," the officer replied after a moment.
As soon as Data had the information in hand, he raced off to the cave.
"Lieutenant," Lore said as he pulled himself to his feet.
He held his arm out as if to invite her closer.
Tasha looked down at his outstretched hand and said nothing. She was stalling, even though Tasha knew it was futile.
She didn't want to cause trouble or make a scene. Between the medical team and extra security officers on hand there were nearly a dozen people up there.
Lore would no doubt use any excuse possible to embarrass her.
But the thought of being physically near made Tasha sick to her stomach.
"Are you afraid?" Lore asked.
Tasha glared.
"Of the climb," Lore added innocently.
He smiled.
"I know heights can be scary for humans," Lore said.
His face softened in an almost patronising manner.
"There is no need to worry, Lieutenant," Lore purred, stepping closer. "I will be sure to keep a tight grip."
Tasha let her mind slip away, going on complete autopilot as Lore reached for her hand. She couldn't bear to be cognizant and so she simply detached from her own body.
"There we go," Lore said, guiding her arm around his chest.
He smirked as she clutched his shirt.
"That's it," Lore said softly.
They began to climb.
It was easy for Lore. He had the strength to pull them both up without additional assistance and was unaffected by the wet rocks.
"Hold on tight," Lore warned as he reached for the next rock.
Tasha squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the sound of his voice.
"I would hate to see you slip. Humans are so fragile, you know," Lore commented. "Your necks snap so easily."
There was a sharp intake of breath against his shoulder. Lore felt a surge of satisfaction. Tasha was terrified.
And to Lore's delight, she was terrified and trapped.
Lore didn't think there was anything that could make the day better.
He was proven wrong when he emerged from the climb, pulling himself and Tasha up over the edge to find Data waiting for them.
The look on his brother's face was reward enough.
"Brother," Lore said.
Lore took his sweet time reaching safety – leaving Tasha dangling over the edge for a few seconds longer than necessary.
The moment she was able to move, Tasha slipped away from Lore.
"Safe and sound," Lore said. "You should keep an eye on her brother, I'm sure she's shaken from being down there."
Everyone present could sense the tension between the two brothers.
"Let's get out of here," Riker ordered.
"You came down there for me," Beverly said.
"Of course I did," Lore assured her.
As soon as he was done administering a treatment for her broken arm, Lore set down the osteogenic stimulator. He pulled Beverly close and pressed a tender kiss to her forehead.
"I love you, Beverly," Lore said.
"Can we go home?" Beverly asked.
It had been a long, awful day down in that cavern. Beverly simply wanted to curl up under the covers with Lore and snuggle.
"Of course," Lore replied.
Tasha was practically catatonic during their briefing.
After filling Captain Picard in on their findings, he had dismissed the team. Some of them had individual assignments to complete regarding the evidence gathered on the planet.
Others (including Tasha) were in need of some down time.
Her shift was technically over, and Tasha was grateful she didn't have to pretend anymore.
Data had walked Tasha back to his quarters. He wasn't too keen on the idea – having tried to convince her that her own quarters would be a better option.
But Tasha wanted to be alone with Data. She was desperately seeking assurance. Tasha could feel she was about to break down and didn't want to do so in front of Wesley.
The moment they stepped inside, Tasha started to cry.
Her hands were trembling as she reached for Data.
"I didn't want to," she sobbed. "I didn't w-w-want to."
Data froze.
His instinct was to comfort her. But as Tasha glanced up at him, her cheeks red and swollen, eyes full of tears, Data was overcome with an uncomfortable memory.
"D-data?" she asked.
Is he mad at me? Tasha thought.
"I am sorry," Data said.
To Tasha's dismay, Data only reached for her hands. He held them between his own. It was safer than an embrace.
Tasha pushed them aside and dove in, latching her arms around his waist as she buried her head against Data's chest.
"I didn't want to," she repeated.
Data awkwardly pat her back, doing his best to keep some semblance of distance between them.
"I know," he assured her.
"Can we take a bath?" Tasha asked.
She was covered in grime and chilled to the bone after sitting in nearly frozen water for most of the afternoon. In addition, she felt dirty after her experience with Lore.
Tasha figured a nice long soak in the tub would be just the thing.
When Data didn't answer, Tasha looked up to meet his eyes.
"Data?" she asked, wordlessly pleading with him.
Only Data wasn't looking back with his usual warmth or affection. In fact, he looked repulsed by the idea.
"How about I run you a hot bath?" Data suggested. "And while you enjoy a long soak, I will prepare a meal."
"You don't want to join me?" Tasha asked, her voice belying just how hurt she was.
Data hesitated.
"I have a lot of work," Data said after a short pause.
It was partially true. He had obtained valuable information about Doctor Marr and Data would need to discuss that with Captain Picard.
In addition, the discovery of life down on the planet indicated something was different about this attack.
Data took a step back.
"I will prepare your bath," he said.
He doesn't want to touch me. Tasha realised.
She staggered back a bit and took a series of breaths to steady herself.
He doesn't even want to be near me.
Tasha clutched her hand to her mouth and tried to regulate her breathing. She was on the verge of having a panic attack.
Unwittingly, Data's actions had only reinforced Tasha's worst fears.
She heard Data switch on the tap and the sound of his footsteps on the carpet. Tasha quickly wiped away her tears before he emerged from the bedroom.
When he stepped out into the main room Data couldn't help but notice Tasha seemed rattled.
He cocked his head to the side, studying her response.
"Tasha?" Data prompted.
"I'm fine," she said quickly.
But as she sank into Data's tub, Tasha was anything but fine.
Data had ensured the water temperature was perfect – just the right side of too hot. There was lavender and rose oil, soothing candles, and her favourite fluffy towel.
Only Tasha couldn't relax.
Tasha sat perfectly still, resting her chin on her knees as the water slowly began to cool around her.
He thinks I'm dirty. Tasha thought.
It mattered not that Tasha had never wanted Lore's advances. The fact remained, it had occurred, and it would always stand between Tasha and Data.
On her home planet, there was a custom known as primasyn in which a man would rape the woman his brother had laid claim to. The practise had grown increasingly common with the civil war.
Because it called into question the legitimacy of any heirs, it was a horrendous tactic used to usurp inheritance rights.
And worst of all, it was used to discredit and humiliate houses where people had refused to fight in the civil war. They were branded cowards as families were subjected to the horrors of primasyn.
For someone in Tasha's caste, there was no greater shame.
Tasha had never heard of such a thing outside of Turkana and she very much doubted it existed within the Federation. Such a practise went against Federation values.
But she couldn't shake the feeling of humiliation that flooded her mind. It was hard to shrug off the culture of her birth.
I'm ruined. Tasha lamented.
She certainly felt like it.
Tasha glanced down at her hands, turning them over as she studied her grimy fingernails.
She reached for the washrag and began to scrub away at her skin.
Data was concerned about Tasha.
It was difficult to push thoughts of her from his mind as he set the table for dinner.
But Data thought he was only doing what was best. He needed to keep a healthy distance between them. He couldn't risk hurting her.
So Data took his time to set dinner up, fixing a comforting favourite and ensuring there was a hot pot of tea waiting.
When he was finished, Data stepped over to this workstation to comb through the information he'd obtained from Starfleet regarding Doctor Marr.
According to Starfleet records, Doctor Marr was no longer a fellow at the Carson Centre. She had sold off her assets in order to finance her research. Apparently she travelled from planet to planet, traipsing about the Melona, Rigellian, and Tango sectors of space and using what she could to bribe ships to follow the mysterious path of destruction.
A flight plan registered with a ship known as the Estonia listed the name one 'Doctor Kila Marr' among the passenger manifest.
It wasn't much to go on, but at least Data had an idea of where to start and he was already working on a plan to contact her.
Starfleet Command had also transmitted some additional details on Doctor Marr's work. It still wasn't enough to determine the cause of the mysterious disappearances – but it included samples and information from her previous investigations.
It would take Data several hours to comb through it all.
Suddenly, Data sensed Tasha's presence. He glanced up and found her stopped in the doorway, eying the table.
Set for one. Tasha observed.
"Tasha?" Data prompted.
"You're not joining me?" she asked without looking up.
"I have a great deal of work to accomplish," Data said. "But I will sit across from you if you would prefer my company for the duration of your meal."
Tasha looked up and shook her head, flashing him a sad smile.
"No, that's alright," she lied. "I'd hate to disturb you."
"As you wish," Data said before turning back to his work.
Tasha pulled back the chair and sat down to dinner alone. She glanced at the bowl of soup Data had prepared.
Suddenly, she wasn't hungry.
From his position at his desk, Data carefully observed Tasha absentmindedly poking at her meal.
She is not eating.
He noticed that her skin was red and puffy – like she'd scrubbed it raw.
And she has been washing too hard again. Data thought.
Without saying as much, Data understood Tasha had been subconsciously trying to scrub away any trace of Lore. It was a trauma response.
Tasha risked a small glance in Data's direction.
He was utterly consumed with his work, typing furiously at his workstation computer as his eyes flitted back and forth while scanning the screen.
She couldn't put her finger on it, but it felt as if Data was keeping her at arm's length – the limited contact, the busywork.
"Is there something wrong with your meal?" Data asked. "I will be happy to fix you another-"
"No!" was her hasty reply.
Tasha forced herself to down a spoonful of soup.
"It's great," she lied.
At least she's keeping herself well fed. Lore thought.
He was lying in bed with Beverly. He'd doted on her when they arrived home – a bubble bath, a quick nosh, and a cuddle before she had practically passed out in his arms.
The incident had been a scary reminder of just how fragile she was. Lore was grateful that she was home and safe. He wasn't sure he could maintain his composure if something were to happen to his dear doctor.
Now that she was asleep, Lore's mind began to wander to thoughts of his dear old friend, the Crystalline Entity.
Lore desperately needed to find a way to contact her. He needed to keep her safe.
And close.
Lore also understood that in order to keep the Crystalline Entity close, he needed to keep her fed.
It was a good sign she was gorging herself on planets like Invernium Strata and the likes of Starbase 212. That meant this corridor was a steady source of food. As long as she could feed, she would continue to stalk the area.
He was pulled from his musing by a chime at the door.
Lore carefully slipped out of bed. He was mindful not to wake Beverly – his girl barely even stirred.
Lore paused, ghosting his fingers along her cheek just below her injury.
So much like Juliana. Lore mused.
She had always looked so peaceful when she slept as well – curling up in bed or in the oversized corner chair after a long day in the garden. Father had never truly appreciated her.
The door chimed again.
Grumbling, Lore left Beverly alone to go see to their unwanted visitor.
Outside in the corridor, Captain Picard felt like a fool for pacing in front of Beverly's door. He'd been worried about her ever since the initial emergency hail from the surface.
Only Jean-Luc hadn't gotten the chance to speak with her after they had returned – the importance of the briefing outweighed all other concerns.
And he'd missed her in sickbay. Upon his arrival, Doctor Selar had advised Beverly was already home.
That left him with only one option.
A part of him was worried about confronting Lore. But that slimy android had left Beverly all alone the other morning and Picard couldn't bear the thought of her being alone now.
The door slid open, and Jean-Luc immediately straightened up.
"Captain?" Lore said, surprised by his presence.
Jean-Luc tried to peer around Lore and into the room for any sign of Beverly.
"Something I can help you with?" Lore prompted.
"I'd like to speak with Doctor Crusher," Captain Picard said.
Lore grinned.
"I'm afraid that's not possible," Lore replied, pleased with himself that he had the chance to turn away the Captain.
It was a fitting end to the day.
"Is she alright?" Picard pressed, once more trying to see around Lore.
Lore chuckled.
"Safe and snug in bed. And sleeping like the angel she is," Lore said, doing his best to rub it in. "She looks so beautiful when she sleeps."
Jean-Luc's mouth went dry.
"In fact, it was with great reluctance that I pulled myself away to come here," Lore went on. "You know I often wonder what goes on inside her pretty little mind when she gets that smile in her sleep."
Jean-Luc visibly bristled.
"Well, I'm glad she is resting," Picard said.
There was a nugget of truth in his statement. If Beverly was sleeping at least it meant Lore wasn't having his way with her.
"Goodnight," Picard said, abruptly turning on his heel and walking away.
"Should I tell her you stopped by?" Lore called after him with mock politeness.
Jean-Luc simply waved his hand and rounded the corner as fast as possible.
Lore chuckled to himself as he padded across the carpet. He crawled back into bed and snuggled up against Beverly, inhaling deeply as he savoured the soft scent of her hair.
"My dear doctor," Lore whispered.
Across the ship, things were not going as smoothly for Data.
Data had tried to politely send Tasha off – insisting the hour was late and Wesley was probably worried sick. But Tasha had already cleared things with Wes. He'd been rather shaken up about the events of the afternoon and was planning to sleepover with a classmate so they could work on their project.
To Data's disappointment, he had no reasonable excuse to turn Tasha out of his bed.
Instead, he had feigned a great workload – promising to be in as soon as he was complete. In truth, Data was having a hard time finding tasks to occupy himself.
He'd already gone to check on Tasha four times, standing in the doorway and observing the gentle rise and fall of her chest with each breath.
It struck Data with a pang of sadness. She was like a delicate experiment – as much as he longed to touch, Data knew that he couldn't risk it.
He had to maintain a safe distance in order to protect her.
By 01:47, Data had already finished his paperwork, combed through the entirety of the information dumb Starfleet had transmitted, analysed the complete works of Keats, and formulated eighteen new soil optimisations for Keiko.
Suddenly, he felt a pair of eyes watching him.
He glanced up and noticed Tasha in the doorframe.
"You haven't come to bed," she said.
She had crept out to find Data working. It stung, even if it wasn't intentional.
Data stopped typing.
"I uh-" he trailed off, pointing at the computer.
"Please?" Tasha asked.
Her voice was so soft it was barely a whisper. From where Data was sitting, she looked ready to break.
When he didn't answer, Tasha summoned the courage to press the issue. She had to know.
"Data?" she inquired.
"No," Data responded.
Tasha blinked back tears.
Data was up and out of his seat in a flash. He took hold of Tasha's hand and guided her back to the bed. He pulled back the covers and guided Tasha down onto the bed.
Tasha made a noise of protest when Data tucked her in. She tried to sit up, but his hand on Tasha's shoulder was enough to stop her.
"You require rest," Data said.
"Stay," Tasha urged, catching his hand.
A pained expression crossed Data's face.
"I-I cannot," he replied in a strained voice.
I disgust him. Tasha thought.
Whether Data was cognizant of it or not, Tasha couldn't push aside the notion that he was repulsed by the thought of being together.
Data was nervous. Everything about his body language indicated discomfort in being so close.
"When was the last time you activated your rest programme?" Tasha asked, concerned.
He looked terrible.
"I… I cannot go to bed," Data said.
Tasha nodded slowly. She dropped her eyes to her lap and began to pick at her fingernails.
"You mean you can't go to bed with me," Tasha whispered.
Tasha took his silence as confirmation.
"Right, well," she said, turning to roll out of bed.
"Tasha, I love you," Data insisted.
He pulled her back, but there was still a distance between them. His body tense. His embrace was lukewarm at best.
"I do love you," Data said against her ear.
"I don't doubt that you do," Tasha answered honestly.
She was certain of his love.
Tasha turned around so she could address Data properly.
"But when you look at me, you're afraid," Tasha said. "You can't… you want to be close, but you can't."
Tasha trailed off and shrugged.
She knew. She could sense it.
Of course she could, you fool. She's perceptive. Data thought, chastising himself.
Tasha sniffled. She was surprisingly calm given the circumstances. It was almost a relief to have it all out in the open now.
"I think you do love me, Data," Tasha acknowledged. "But I think there's something, whether you're ready to admit it or not, something inside of you that, well, that can't look at me the same way anymore – even if you wanted to."
"I-" Data stammered, words failing him.
"It's alright," Tasha said. "I know you're trying to be sweet."
Data tried to reach for her hand, but Tasha pulled it away. She didn't want his pity.
She looked up and met Data's eyes.
"You say you don't have emotion, but you're not very good at hiding your feelings," Tasha said with a sad smile.
Data could hear the anguish in her voice. He could sense Tasha was slipping away.
"Tomorrow," Data said suddenly.
He took hold of Tasha's hands and pulled them to his chest.
"Tomorrow," he repeated. "I-I-I will arrange for Wesley to be somewhere safe. We will come here."
His neural net was having difficulties prioritising the surge of feelings in his neural net.
"We will spend the night together. No work. No interruptions," Data declared wildly.
He cupped Tasha's face. She was confused when she felt Data's lips crash against her own. After a long, sweet reassuring kiss, Data pulled back.
"Please," Data pleaded.
Tasha nodded.
"Alright," Tasha agreed.
It seemed Data was genuinely interested in making an effort. Tasha recognised this impacted both of them and she so wanted to return to the shared intimacy they had lost.
Tasha kissed the inside of Data's wrist.
"I do love you so, Tasha," Data said.