#Riker's O face

[stra-tek]

They couldn't, so you won't

[adarkroomandawallflower]

How Data's S/O Gets Along with His Friends (Headcanons)

This post is in response to this ask from @beetlebabie (It was too long to fit as an answer, so I had to make it a separate post). I hope you all enjoy!

Geordi

Since Geordi is Data's best friend, Data values his opinion greatly. Thus, he would want to know what Geordi thought of his s/o. This means that Geordi would very likely end up spending a lot of time, if not the most time, out of all of their friends with his s/o.

Once Geordi gets to know them and approves, he would become very good friends with them! I think Geordi would enjoy inviting them to his and Data's Holmes adventures, and having them join in on the fun. If Data's s/o is an engineer and/or has an engineering background, they would also bond over that! Geordi would probably go to them when he needs a second (or third) engineering mind to help him figure out and test run solutions to whatever current engineering-related issues the Enterprise is facing.

I think Geordi and Data's s/o would also share a love of making physical models! They enjoy working on separate projects in the company of one another, as well as working on big projects together.

Worf

Although we didn't get to see much of Data and Worf's friendship on-screen (which I must reiterate once again is a CRIME), I strongly believe that Worf values and regards Data highly as a friend. In a lot of ways, Data embodies what Worf believes is a true warrior: he has incredible physical strength and endurance, doesn't let emotions cloud his judgements, and has immense honesty, respect, and nobility.

That being said, I also think that Worf is very cognizant of ranks, and has difficulty being more casual and friendly with Data because he's always aware of the fact that Data is his commanding officer. Because of this, I think Worf would get closer with Data's s/o, who would help him let his guard down a bit more and allow himself to be more friendly with Data.

As for Data's s/o and Worf specifically, I think Worf enjoys helping them train for their annual athletic qualifications/physicals (Worf finds them "a very formidable opponent), but I think he'd also enjoy exchanging/reading poetry together. As another fellow poet, I like to think that Data would always read his poems to Worf to gauge his opinion first before deciding whether or not to share it with others. I think Data's s/o would also be very into literature, which is something that they and Worf would share! Worf limits the readings and sharing of his poems to them only, though.

Riker

Although I think that Data's s/o would be the least like/have the least in common with Riker, I also think he would still be good friends with Data's s/o because out of all his friends, Riker always supported and even yearned for Data to get to experience what it's like being in a successful, romantic relationship with someone the most. So, I think Riker would be the most excited out of all of their friends for Data and his s/o!

Riker would want to get to know them immediately, so he'd either want to do whatever Data's s/o likes or if they shared interests, he'd include them in his typical activities. For example, if they played an instrument and/or enjoyed jazz music, he would ask them to come to his shows or even occasionally play with him and his band!

I think Data's s/o would share a love of nature and games with Riker, so they'd often participate in holodeck activities related to this (i.e. they might go camping with him or play some popular games together, like that one where they have to shoot different colored orb-things with their phasers). Data would also occasionally participate in these, when invited.

Picard

As I mentioned previously, I think Data's s/o would have a love for literature, which they'd share not only with Worf but Picard, as well. I think they'd have a sort of monthly book club, where they'd take turns choosing a novel to read by the end of the month. Then, they'd meet up to discuss the book and their thoughts over tea and hors d'oeuvre.

Additionally, I think they'd enjoy and share a love of classical music! If his s/o can play an instrument (especially piano), they may even enjoy playing together. If not, they'd still enjoy listening to it together (probably over tea and more hors d'oeuvre).

Finally, I think they'd also enjoy and share an interest in archaeology. Even if his s/o isn't a full-fledged archaeologist, I think they'd have enough knowledge and interest to match Picard's. So, they'd have lots of stimulating conversations about it (and maybe even include some archaeological reads in their book club)!

Deanna

I think Deanna would become friends with Data's s/o out of curiosity and professional concern. Out of all of their friends, Deanna always seemed the most worried about Data's s/o's well-being, were he to be part of a relationship with someone who didn't have a similar mindset and emotional capacity as him. So, if Data's s/o was of a more emotional/less rational species, she would start checking in with them. She'd want to make sure they were doing okay, which is something I think Data would also be concerned about. Both he and Deanna would be worried that his "lack of emotions" will cause problems for his relationship, and both would likely agree to regular couples' counseling to make sure all was well. This would only be for the initial stages of their relationship, though. Once it's clear Data and his s/o are in a happy, healthy, and stable relationship, Deanna would let her guard down a bit and eventually become good friends with his s/o!

I think Deanna and Data's s/o would share an interest in psychology/human behavior, either professionally or personally. They'd enjoy sharing their thoughts on psychology, almost in the sort of book club fashion they do with the Captain.

They'd also a share a love for chocolate! If Data's s/o is a baker or chef in some capacity, Deanna would love taste-testing their creations, especially for upcoming events. Otherwise, they'd enjoy swapping recipes and having little chocolate parties where they just eat chocolate foods together.

Beverly

I always see Data having a s/o with some sort of science background. Thus, I think this is something they'd share with Beverly. Even if they aren't in the medicine sector of science, they'd enjoy reviewing scientific data and theories together, especially when the Enterprise needs it. They'd also review current studies and theories and discuss them together, similarly to how they would do with Deanna and psychology.

If they are in the medicinal sector, then they'd definitely bond over that, as well. Otherwise, I think they'd also share a love of family heritage and culture, especially if they have similar cultural backgrounds! Alternatively, if Data's s/o didn't know much about their family history, then Beverly would definitely encourage them to look into it, and likely aid them in their search (i.e. performing a DNA test on them to determine their ethnic background).

We didn't get to see much of what Beverly enjoys doing in her personal free time, but I think she'd enjoy doing some sort of arts and craft projects, which they might share with Data's s/o! If his s/o isn't much of a crafter, though, I think they'd enjoying doing crafts with Beverly as they discuss scientific/medical papers.

Keiko

As mentioned previously, Data's s/o would likely have a strong background in science. Even if they're not a botanist, I think they'd at the very least have an amateur interest in plants that Keiko would definitely encourage!

If they are a botanist, then I think they'd be a big help in setting up the Arboretum and keeping it running. They'd help care and tend to the plants, as well help make it more available to the other ship members for leisure activities. They may even help plan activities there, like picnic and tea parties. They'd also do botany research together or at the very least, share their ideas.

I think Data's s/o would also enjoy babysitting Molly every once in a while (an activity Data also enjoys partaking in), which Keiko and Molly also enjoy.

Guinan

Although I don't think that Data's s/o would necessarily be a genius, I do think that they'd be wise, a trait they'd share with Guinan! Because of this, Guinan would enjoy casually speaking and hanging out with them, either in Ten Forward or elsewhere. Additionally, I think they'd also have an insatiable desire for knowledge, which they would somewhat satiate whenever they speak to Guinan.

I think Data's s/o would also enjoy being a taste-tester for any new drink recipes Guinan wants to try out! Guinan may even ask them for their input (especially if they have some sort of cooking/bartending background). Guinan would also feature their creations on the Ten-Forward menu, and maybe ask them to help her cater events in Ten-Forward.

[thegeminisage]

it's star trek update time!! last night* we watched tng's "gambit part i" and ds9's "invasive procedures." *earlier tonight but i am typing this at stupid o clock and letting it post itself tmrw.

gambit part i (tng):

had high hopes for this one initially. i love it when they put on civilian clothes, for starters, and also we got a little riker e worf e deanna before we ALSO got e beverly and the joke about her 1. being riker's sister (shoutout to that trill episode where she wouldn't fuck him at first because she said he was like a brother to her) and 2. picard getting her knocked up BECAUSE LIKE HE ABSOLUTELY DID KNOCK HER UP WITH WESLEY CRUSHER THEIR AFFAIR BABY really sent me to the fucking stratosphere. tng's been pretty watchable lately so i was giving it quite a lot of benefit of the doubt

unfortunately, we went directly from that to riker yelling at deanna for no reason...i always really disliked riker's relationship with picard. he's so weirdly hyperprotective of him in a way beyond his job duties. it doesn't feel like coworkers or friends or equals or even like it's supposed to be secretly shippy the way spock and jim were - riker is too overprotective for it to even be likened to a lover's realtionship. it also doesn't even really feel fatherly, like picard is stepping in for riker's shitheel of a dad. actually, riker almost acts like picard is HIS child. it is SOOO fucking unsexy and uncomfortable

physically grinding my teeth once picard DID show back up because with ANY other two characters this would have been fantastic. riker and worf. riker and deanna. riker and literally anyone because he has that kind of chemistry and down to clown attitude. even picard could have been ok paired with beverly or data or someone he actually works well with. it could have been ANYONE. even two people who don't talk to each other much like geordi and deanna or whatever. instead we got these like truly fantastic moments of noverbal communication and mutual scheming and pretending not to know each other while actually knowing each other sooo well and it was with the LEAST fun combination of characters out of the ENTIRE cast!!!!!!! augh

AND!!!! IT'S ALL FOR STUPID ARCHAEOLOGYYYY

PICARD GET A LIFE CHALLENGE!!!!!!!!!!

it's not even that the writing was bad. i'm annoyed because the writing in this section was GOOD. but picard and riker's relationship is bad, so it soured the whole experience

anyway, i think riker should have battled his eyelashes at that wrinkled little alien when he wanted info from him. instead of whatever that was. also he was making REALLY good faces when they were torturing him with that neck thing and he was on the floor. that's a rage glare. a kill you look. mwah

oh side bar i physically could not look at geordi this episode. so that's been fun.

invasive procedures (ds9):

oh girl we are In It

firstly, odo's little bucket prison. that was SO sad because he doesn't goop in front of people. i felt horrible for him. my poor best friend odo

i really like how ambiguous it is like how much of jadzia dax is jadzia and how much is dax. does dax have his? her? their? own personality and all, or are they just the sum of their past hosts? when dax was inside that other guy, did part of them want to get out and go back to jadzia where they chose to be to begin with? to save jadzia's life? or do they not care? is dax themself not super sentient unless they're inside a host and then that host's personality is sort of dominant? so many questions.........trills are fascinating conceptually bc there's no clear definitive answers, so i was really dismayed that dax was easily the most boring character in season 1. but now!!!!!

ok, before we get into it, i have to say also, the cast rallying around dax/jadzia...really really good. actually, all their interactions with one another were spot on. bashir being SO NICEYS with odo's little bucket prison and then quark also springing odo from the bucket prison, bashir absolutely chomping at the BIT to treat o'brien's phaser wound, kira threatening quark on jadzia's behalf, quark tackling that klingon to save her/redeem himself. oh yeah and kira saying with her Whole chest that if odo's free there's no way any of the bad guys are escaping the station. my future otp......................

speaking of quark i did say the worst thing in the world to catherine while we were watching which is "this is what he sounds like when odo's plowing him" and the longer the noises went on the worse it became for her and the funnier it became for me. cathy when you read this you have my apologies

i did feel a little weird about julian stroking jadzia's face when she was naked and vulnerable recovering from worm surgery (the worm surgery was GREAT by the way) when she has explicitly and repeatedly turned him down in the past, but i'm giving it a reluctant benefit-of-the-doubt pass on account of he felt terrible about what he'd had to do and probably just wanted to comfort her, and considering the state she was in there weren't very many other ways/places to touch her except her head and maybe her hands. also i forgive him because him talking back to that klingon was sooo fun

i would have also liked for this episode to push on the insanity of being bonded to a symbiont and then being forcibly unbonded. like its just now striking me that curzon died alone. beverly's little trill boyfriend died alone. jadzia would have died alone, too. and the dax part just has to move on. like that's crazy. does dax grieve for past hosts? or would it be like grieving for yourself? what is it like seeing dax inside another body when they've been inside yours for almost your entire adult life?

but actually what i really wanted was to see this bad guy's insanity reflected in jadzia. instead of saying oh man i feel so alone she could have been like. more of a wreck. and conversely, he would have been that same kind of wreck after dax got taken back out of him. that would have been cool.

i would also like to know how the dax part felt about forcibly being put in another body they never wanted to be. are they fighting with themselves? himself? the host wants things to stay as they are but dax doesn't, so what happens? does it not feel like an awful violation? i could have used 5 more minutes of that episode

also. sorry. dax and sisko................"i wish we could have made it three" it's, sorry, toph and aang and korra core. do you think friendships can last more than one lifetime...........

icing on the cake was that he was so mad at the bad guy whose name i keep forgetting that he was like DONT CALL ME BENJAMIN and shot his ass stone cold. bc that was better than letting his friend be taken by this asshole lol

anyway, my final dax question is when does her hair get smaller. her head is such a weird shape. is she wearing a wig, is that's what's happening? and the rest of her head just looks weirdly big because of it? it's making me crazy.

NEXT TIME: tng's "gambit part ii" and ds9's "cardassians" AND I LOOKED IT UP AND GARAK IS FINALLY BACK!!!!!!! i can't wait....................

[grackles-hoard]

Men pretending to be women for autogynephilia or mental illness reasons is absurd and biologically impossible and also harmful. Lol. Echo chamber much?

https://www.lawsociety.ie/gazette/top-stories/2021/12-december/ex-inmate-gives-account-of-sex-assault-by-trans-prisoner

https://www.kxii.com/content/news/Transgender-woman-allegedly-sexually-assaults-teen-in-walmart-505820451.html

https://amp.theguardian.com/society/2021/jul/02/trans-women-with-sex-offence-convictions-in-female-jails-lawful-rules-judge

https://nypost.com/2022/04/25/transgender-rikers-inmate-gets-7-years-for-raping-female-prisoner/amp/

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11458335/Male-female-Trans-inmates-drive-rising-numbers-rapes-abuse-womens-prisons.html

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leicestershire-63785679.amp

https://wset.com/amp/news/nation-world/la-da-blasted-for-charging-26-year-old-trans-women-as-juvenile-in-sex-assault-of-minor-los-angeles-california-george-gascon

https://www.womensforumaustralia.org/rape_victim_fights_back_after_a_trans_identified_male_was_given

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/voices/2021/10/29/trans-bathroom-policy-sexual-assault/8568005002/

Hi! I see you are continuing to try to excuse your hateful behavior!

The argument you made (and I responded to) was that natal sex and gender cannot be changed, thus trans people are invalid.

Let's dive into the links you sent me and examine each article and their content!

The first link you sent me is from the news website 'Law Society Gazette Ireland', and the article is titled 'Female inmate tells of sex assault by trans prisoner' published January 18, 2022. The article is about sex predator Karen White being sent to an all female prison based on self identification as a woman, despite never having undergone surgery or HRT. White was convicted for grievous bodily harm, multiple rape, and other sexual offences against women. In the case to place White into a female prison, the previous crimes were not taken into account. The Ministry of Justice even says they did not take the previous crimes into account.

One of the offended women, Cheryle Kempton, tells the reporter that she believes White faked being transgender to prey on vulnerable women.

Now that we have touched on the articles content, let's go through why this is not a credible source for your argument.

This article is about a sex predator; which does not connect to the argument you are making.

The article states that the previous crimes of White were not taken into consideration when placing the criminal in a female prison. This could be used for the argument of prison safety, but that is not the argument you are making.

The article uses a survivor of the assault in the report, who makes no action to condemn trans people. Kempton tells the reporter that she believes that White faked being trans to prey on fellow inmates and took advantage of the laws allowing those who identify as trans women to serve time in female prisons. Kempton does not go on to say anything supporting your original argument.

2. The second link is to another news website 'kxii.com', and the article is titled 'Transgender woman arrested accused of sexually assaulting teen in Walmart bathroom' published February 13, 2019. The article is about a 31 y/o Ojeda sexually assaulting a 16 y/o in a Walmart bathroom. Ojeda is facing sexual battery charge, and may face a charge of obstruction for withholding possible evidence, should Ojeda be convicted.

Now that we have touched on the articles content, let's go through why this is not a credible source for your argument.

This article's URL ends in a '.com'. This stands for commercial, and thus, does not meet the criteria for being a credible source for any argument.

This article has no links to verifiable, current evidence. Reputable news articles usually link their sources within the paragraphs and the links should take the reader to the main source of information, which itself should also be a reliable source.

This article talks about sexual assault, and does not support your original argument.

3. The third link is to another news website 'The Guardian', and the article is titled 'Lawful to imprison trans women sex offenders in female jails, judge rules', amended July 2, 2021. The article is very much like the first article you sent me, which talks about sexual assault by MTF peoples in female prisons. It discusses the fine line of safety and respect for both MTF inmates and ciswomen inmates. Lord Justice Holroyde reports in the article; " said the statistics were too low and had insufficient detail to provide a safe basis for conclusions, adding: “I can accept, at any rate for present purposes, that the unconditional introduction of a transgender woman into the general population of a women’s prison carries a statistically greater risk of sexual assault upon non-transgender prisoners than would be the case if a non-transgender woman were introduced. But that statistical conclusion takes no account of the risk assessment which the policies require.”"

Now that we have touched on the articles content, let's go through why this is not a credible source for your argument.

This article talks about sexual assault, and does not support your original argument. This could be used for the argument of prison safety, but that is not the argument you are making.

The article's website 'The Guardian' is not peer reviewed, and ends in a commercial web address, and thus, does not meet the criteria for being a credible source for any argument.

The article's website 'The Guardian', is held in high regards to providing well informed news, however, 'The Guardian' tends to leans to a left-wing bias, and thus, without you providing a counter bias, makes this uncredible.

4.-9. These next articles you have sent me link more news websites, all with commercial web addresses. I have read over each of them, and to save us some time, I will go through why these are not credible sources for your argument.

Many (if not all) of these articles talk about sexual assault, and does not support your original argument. This could be used for the argument of prison safety, but that is not the argument you are making.

Many (if not all) of these articles does not provide a creditable source/link for their articles.

The last link has 'opinion' in its URL, making is not factual information, liable to bias, and not creditable.

Again, you are in no position to tell someone (who is not harming you or others) that their experiences are incorrect. It is not a burden to be kind, I can assure you.

I am in no control of you or your displeasure for any trans person, I never claimed to be. I am, however, in control of myself, unlike you. Your frustration and hate towards me is not deserved, I have said nothing to slight you or to berate you.

Once again, I hope you learn kindness :)

[dark-twist-fairytales]

(Psst: Scottie ain't mine, they're @jaytoons7 's! So is the whole knife fam concept!)

Time: 5 AM

Date: April 20th

Location: Kitchen...

Today was a big day, to Riker at least. His excitement was filling him more and more as he hopped out of bed and got dressed. Nothing too fancy, just a tee-shirt and a pair of joggers. He had small scars that littered both arms, but didn't care too much right now if others saw.

He slipped on a pair of socks and house shoes, before making his way out of the room, making sure to close to door quietly behind him as to not wake his roommate, Malli, up. Once it was closed, he sprinted off towards the kitchen, still being as quiet as he could be to keep others asleep.

He slowed down once he made it to the cafeteria: Empty. He walled over to the kitchen as well, glancing inside the door: Empty as well. This was perfect! He walked into the door, and began gathering the supplies he needed, as well as leaving a bit of cash on the counter, wrapped up in a paper towel, with 'For ~Firecracker' written on it. He then began cooking...

"Mister Orange?" Riker jumped a bit, as he was whisking a mix of things together, glancing back towards the door. Poking their head in was Buckethat, without their top hat on. He gave a small smile, motioning the smaller inside. "What's up, kiddo?"

"What are you doing?" Buckethat asked, walking into the kitchen and raising themself up enough to look inside the bowl that Riker was whisking at. "Is that pancake mix?"

"Mhmm. Pancake mix with lemon in it." Riker replied, setting the bowl down and lifting the whisk up to watch the mix. Too clumpy still. He got back to mixing. "I'm makin' it for one o' my own."

Buckethat pushed something closer to the counter, standing on it and looking at the mix, giving an 'ooo' at the sight. "Why?"

"It's a special a'ccasion for one of them."

"Why?"

"It's one o' their birthdays."

"Why?"

"Ask a different question, if you're really curious."

This got Buckethat thinking for a moment, looking to the mix and making grabby hands. "Can I mix it up?"

Riker glanced over and gave a smile, stopping his mixing and pushing the bowl over. "Be careful there. We want it to be nice and mixed up, but not too runny." With that, Buckethat began mixing the bowl, while Riker got the stove top ready with a pan and a bit of butter.

"Who's this for? Who's birthday is it?" There it is. Riker glanced over to see Buckethat's eyes really big with curiosity. He gave a chuckle in response, turning the eye on.

"It's Purple's birthday today. Lemon pancakes are his favorite."

"How do you know that?"

"Well, me and him grew up together. It's.. Been a while since we've act'ally seen each other."

"When's your birthday?"

"Tomorra."

"Wha?!"

Riker gave a chuckle at that statement, looking over to Buckethat and grabbing the mixed bowl, lifting the whisk out and seeing not clumps. "Thank you for mixing it for me."

"Yours is tomor-" "HEY!"

Riker had to quickly shove his hand to push Buckethat from getting dangerously close to the stove eye being on. His eyes were wide, looking to Buckethat with nothing but worry.

"I'm sorry, Mister-"

"Are you okay? You didn't touch the pan, did you?" Riker asked, setting the bowl down on the counter and grabbing Buckethat's hand, inspecting it and finding it spotless. This caused Riker to sigh in relief. "Let's be a bit more careful.. We don't need ya hurt. Your parents would be pissed, so would your sibling."

Riker tensed up when he heard a cough from behind him, giving a sigh and looking at the smiling, child Toppat. "At least one o' them are right behind me, hmm?" This caused the Toppat to giggle and nod. Riker then turned around to be faced with all three of them. Scottie, Slice, and Wilhelm.

"Hey, Slice. Wilhelm. Firecracker." Riker spoke, getting an eye roll from Scottie at that. "Sorry that I'm, uh.. In your kitchen, Firecracker, but I.. I'm making-"

"He's making breakfast for Purple! It's his birthday!" Buckethat shouted out, before Riker quickly moved to grab the napkin and holding it out.

"I'll pay for it, I know I'm-"

"Keep it."

"Huh?"

Scottie gave a chuckle and shook their head. "I said 'keep it'. I'm not taking it from you. And I refuse to take it from you." They said, approaching the other two with their arms crossed, leaning against the counter. "Is that all you're making?"

"Ma-mmm.. Purple.. Isn't a huge breakfast fan. Like, yeah, he'll eat if he has to, but he doesn't prefer it." Riker replied, pouring out some of the pancake batter into the pan.

"Where did your accent go?"

"What do you mean?"

"You had like.. Like.. One like Macbeth! But, a little faster, and more airy!" Buckethat spoke, watching Riker put the money back in his pocket, and Slice come up.

"Don't bother him too much, Buckethat." Slice chuckled, with Buckethat giving a huff at that.

"Don't worry, Mister Slice. Kid ain't botherin' me." Riker spoke, giving an accomplished smirk at the surprised gasp from Buckethat.

"See! See!!" Riker gave a chuckle at his exclamation, flipping the pancake over by tossing it in the air and catching it in the pan. "Okay, wait- What does 'Ain't' mean??"

"I ain't got a clue."

"Mister Orange!!"

"Shh, quiet down a little. Ain't wantin' to wake the others now, do ya?"

This got a frustrated groaned from Buckethat, and amused chuckles from the remaining four in the room. "There's no exact definition of 'ain't'. It means a lot of things. You gotta listen to the context of the sentence."

Riker then put the cook pancake on a plate, giving a hum in content. "What are you gonna do for your birthday then?"

"Hmm? Oh, nothing."

"What? Yours is tomorrow, and nothing?"

Riker leaned forward and flicked the stove top off, putting the dish pan and bowl in the sink, before taking the plate and fork. "Listen, just having Purple with me is a gift enough. It's been years since we've last seen each other, and I.. I like his company a lot." He then walked out, passing by Wilhelm and giving a short 'hi' as he did.

"... So, are those two dating, or..?" Wilhelm spoke, with Slice shrugging, Buckethat nodding, and Scottie shaking his head. Three different responses, wonderful.

~~~

Riker slipped into the room, finding Malli still asleep and smiling, before setting the plate down on the bedside table and climbing on the bed beside Malli. "Malcolm..~"

This got a groan from Malli, shifting onto his back. "Malcolm, baby..~"

"Hmm...?"

"Happy birthday."

Malli turned his head over to the side, looking at Riker and giving a small chuckle. "That's taday..?"

"Mhmm. April 20th. And yet, still don't smoke weed."

Malli rolled his eyes and lightly shoved Riker, who gave a giggle and hugged onto Malli, with the smaller male turning to him completely and nuzzling into his neck. Riker let a content hum leave him, rubbing his thumb against the shorter, shaved hair. Riker gave a small kiss to Malli's forehead, letting out a small sigh afterwards.

"I missed this a lot.." Malli spoke, nuzzling further into Riker's hold and hugging onto him tightly. "Like.. A lot a lot.."

"I did, too.. Hate spendin' birthdays without you.. Then I can't make a lemon pancake."

This got Malli to shoot upwards, his eyes wide and a smile breaking his face. "Lemon pancake??" Riker gave a laugh at that, sitting up and grabbing the plate, handing it over to Malli with one more kiss to his scalp. "Happy birthday, Malli.."

"Happy birthday, Riker.."

[walkingstackofbooks]

DS9 2x23 Crossover thoughts (I'm re-watching, so there may be future spoilers)

Kira's face, I love how much annoyance she can convey with even the subtlest expression.

"Quietly." That's not going to happen with Julian there

....Julian's ADHD-like inability to keep quiet is actually too relatable 😅

She's surprisingly pleased at him listening to Bajoran music, I get the feeling she didn't think Julian could do anything she would like.

"Burying the hatchet." - he just wants to be frieeeeends.

"We're finally putting past conflicts behind us." "Making way for brand new ones." Oh Kira XD

"May I call you Nerys?" "...Sure." *Internally: If I say yes will you stop talking??*

"I've always felt you were one of the most interesting women I've ever met." Hell yeah she is!

The way Kira's eyes widen as she realises OH NO HE'S FLIRTING. (Saaaame though. My heart just sank when I realised he's flirting)

Haha, "It was hard for Chief O'Brien as well at first." So either this exchange is purely platonic like with the chief, or his exchange with the chief was definitely flirting like with Nerys. ...I know which one convinces me more.

I always love the immediate change from silly to professional when danger happens

The fear in their voices when they can't see the station

The dizzy camera angle is WONDERFUL

Kira accidentally channelling the Intendant with her anger, enough to fool them.

Julian's whisper of "Garak" <3

Intro music, oh my, that was just the first five minutes?! I'm going to have so much to say aren't I 😅 It's almost like you've got my two favourite characters in the same room XD

Interesting that the difference between "Terran" and "Human" is picked up by the universal translator. Or does Julian speak Cardasi and know Garak's difference in meaning that way?

Yisss, the Intendant - SO GOOD

"At least allow me to interrogate him." I do enjoy seeing Garak like this

Miles! :D Somehow it's comforting to hear his voice in a bad situation

"That's my Rule of Obedience Number Fourteen". Is Odo mocking the rules of acquisition? Or inspired by them to make his own?

It's hard to remember how confusing this must be to the two of them, when we know straight away it's a parallel universe

Almost a century? Huh, I always forget DS9 is in the late 2360s

"I regret using it even when it seems necessary." ooft that's JUST like our Kira, though I don't think you mean it quite as much as she does

Oh, Kira thinks it's like her too! XD

"You know how to manipulate me!" Fantastic, I love how pleased she is

"Find this attractive young woman some quarters." Why is the Intendant allowed to be so gay when Nerys isn't? (I know, I know, she's evil, and villains are allowed to be queer where protagonists aren't.)

"Have you ever hear of a Starfleet Captain named James Kirk?" Once again, Julian's ability to remember stuff is absurd for a "normal human". There must be dozens of things people learn about Kirk, yet he recalls and connects the dots immediately - and this was something he only "read about", not that he learnt at the Academy!

>>> Compare this to The Naked Now. Admittedly, the events of The Naked Time were less memorable than parallel-universe travel, but there, Riker asks Data for help as he has only a vague memory of something similar happening at sometime in history.

Seeing this Quark is also quite fun

Sudden gun! Woah! Quark!

Growl-y Sisko :o Honestly, this is the weirdest change to see: Kira's fabulously fun, Odo and Garak are kind of understandable - but this is a completely different person

Julian giving up his food :3 though tbf I think most of the DS9 crew would in this situation

"Actually, we're best friends." Does he believe that? Is he lying to himself? Is it true? I'm obsessed with this

"You and me?" Oh, Smiley <3 He sound so disbelieving but also kind of hopeful

"Everything I've told you is the truth." I think Julian really means it

Sisko's laugh, SO WEIRD

Ohh, at being summoned we get the first hint of fear and silence from Sisko, before the charm turns back on....

"Is he as loyal and true as mine?" "He's a good man." Loving Kira's fight to want to agree that Sisko is loyal and true, but not wanting to compare him with this Sisko in any way.

"I'm... a little afraid of you." oh, Kira. This is so soft and heartbreaking

"I do admire a well-tailored gown." HAH in all universes Garak likes clothes.

"All atwitter" I just REALLY like this phrase?

"Good doctor" as opposed to dear doctor, such a big difference

Garak's definitely doubling down on offering the carrot AND the stick

"Just watch your back. You're in danger." "Why my back? What kind of danger?"

Kira's heartbreak at Sisko not being the Sisko she needs and wants

"I CARE about FREEDOM." KIRA I LOVE YOU

Killing a mirror image of your friends can't be fun, especially watching them explode graphically. I wonder how Julian will feel next time he sees Odo?

"Starfleet would probably have a big problem with that. ..... To hell with them. Let's go." There's a pause there, where I can only imagine Julian's thinking *well, Starfleet would have a big problem with me*

"This is my reward for treating you Terrans with the least bit of respect. Very well. I can learn from my mistakes." Man, the parallels with how Dukat always talks about how well he treated the Bajorans and how ungrateful they were...

MILES. YOU HERO. This speech of his is everything.

"I wanted him to take me with him because whatever it's like where he's from, it's got to be better than this. There's got to be something better than this." My heart, I cannot.

How quickly Rebellion starts! It's funny, re-watching I'd forgotten that the rebellion we see later on actually started in this episode.

"Where have you been?" "Through the looking-glass, Commander." That's a human phrase! I wonder how Kira learnt that? I'm headcanoning, from Julian's smile at the end there, it was a comment he had just made and explained about the whole experience, so it was the first thing Kira thought of to say XD

What a pair they make, Julian being the dirtiest scruffbag and Kira still in her elegant dress.

I ADORE this episode. So, so, SO good.

[spockvarietyhour]

Star Trek Alien Spotlight: Q, Cover A by Joe Corroney, Cover B by Elena Casagrande & Ilaria Traversi

[rikerxworf]

"I want to ensure your return to this ship."

Star Trek: The Next Generation A Matter of Honor

[ID: Three gifs from TNG, showing Worf and Riker standing in a corridor face-to-face. Riker asks, "Sentiment, Lieutenant Worf?" Worf tilts his head and replies, "Efficiency, Commander", making Riker light up. He nods and softly says, "I understand. Thank you." Worf nods at him. End ID.]

[archivewilliamrikerstblog]

Heya! I was wondering how Will would help his s/o who is a introvert with social situations? Just curious.

I wouldn't say that he would shelter them from such occasions, but he would certainty do his best to make them comfortable.

He'll stick close; his presence alone is a comfort - and he will be there to help his partner were they to become overwhelmed.

He'll also introduce them to people, generally people he already believes would get along with his partner. He does want his partner to meet people and make friends - having more friendly faces in a crowd would help them be more at ease.

He does check in with them. Making sure they are okay - having as much fun as they can given the circumstances. He doesn't mind finding a reason to leave with them if they need it.

Even Riker sometimes finds the more stuffy officer banquets to be quiet boring, and would be just as eager to escape the occasion. Almost asking his partner for an excuse to leave.

[sonnet77]

Michael Cutter // Waiting (Trouble Will Find Me Part 2)

Summary: A continuation of “Trouble Will Find Me”-- The reader and Cutter try to delicately balance recently admitted feelings, remaining anxieties, and the truth, to win the case and to save the chance they have to finally be together.

Part one: Trouble Will Find Me

Warnings: angst for everyone, a likely inaccurate use of legal terms

A/N: I put some ideas I had into a part 2... I’m delighted at the actual existence of notes on my first post (aka part 1 now). Thank you so much for reading and enjoying my daydreamed nonsense with that L&O babe.

5,656 words 

___________________________________________

MEETING ROOM

RIKERS ISLAND CORRECTIONAL FACILITY

MONDAY, AUGUST 7

“Mr. Cutter, Ms. Rubirosa.” Mills’ lawyer greeted Mike and Connie, as Cathrynn followed behind, “How are you doing this morning? How was the trip over here?”

“Fine, but we’re not here to waste time over pleasantries, Mr. Moody. We called this meeting for courtesy. To save time at trial.” Mike explained, crossing his hands on the table.

“Very well. What are you offering?” Mr. Moody asked, sitting down.

“Assault 1, 20 years.”

“Isn’t that overkill? It’s not much different than what we’re already facing.”

“You should note we generously removed the chance of life in prison and dropped the felony class.”

“Second Degree Assault, 5 years.”

“How nescient can you be, Mr. Moody? What evidence are you looking at for this case? Because it isn’t ours.”

“Mr. Cutter, all you need is the right jury. It’s one woman’s word against another.”

Mike gave his ‘I’d like to see you try’ smile, while Connie spoke up, annoyed at this absurdity, 

“One woman’s word who was left for dead in a garbage can with a head injury, and one who wasn’t.”

“No. One who attacked because she didn’t get her way. And one who tried to protect herself, and then panicked.”

“Go ahead, Counselor, I’m curious how you’ll sell that theory out of thin air.” Mike said, done with this meeting.

“I can’t believe this! It’s not my fault!” Cathrynn argued.

Mike arched his eyebrow, unbelievingly. This meeting reached a new level of ridiculousness. Her lawyer attempted to squelch her outburst.

“We didn’t come here for poorly acted hysterics, Ms. Mills,” Mike stated.

“Mr. Cutter, let’s be reasonable, if Ms. Mills wanted to kill Ms. Y/L/N, she could have, but she didn't. Assault 1, 10 years.”

Mike still couldn’t stand hearing your name in that sentence, he tried to not let it show-- his abilities to control such obvious tells had been apparently faltering. He felt Mills’ eyes watching him, perhaps she hadn’t appreciated his sarcasm. The images of your injuries, and his hours at the hospital flashed in his mind. His hand tensed under the table, knowing he was 3 feet from the person who caused it. He subdued the anger flaring in his veins.

“So, the incorrect assumption your client made, that she had, in fact, killed the victim, is now being argued under the guise of reservation? Wow, how utterly thoughtful. I hope someone extends, or doesn’t extend, the same courtesy to you, Mr. Moody. We’re done here.”

Mike and Connie got up from their chairs and began to walk out.

“Wait!” 

They stopped and turned back to Moody.

“Just give me a moment,” Mills’ lawyer said, before clearing his throat, eyeing Cathrynn for an answer.

Cathrynn shook her head.

“Cathrynn,” Moody warned, “I think you should consider the implications of the charges if we lose at trial. This is a better deal than 20 to life.”

“No. No deal,” Cathrynn sat, crossing her hands, “I don’t deserve this. I’m not agreeing to this. Let’s go to trial, I do better with an audience.”

“This isn't some performance, Ms. Mills.” Connie corrected.

“Oh, yes it is. And everyone’s playing their parts so well. You think you know, but you don’t.” Cathrynn answered.

“I guess there isn’t anything else to say. See you at the trial scheduling.” Mr. Moody noted, packing up his things.

“Guess. So.” Cutter answered, disgust growing in each punctuated word. He let Connie walk out the door first.

Mike briefly glanced back into the room, seeing Cathrynn’s vaguely chilling smirk reserved just for him. He rolled his eyes, unimpressed. He turned back to Connie who was talking.

“So, that idea where we thought we’d have a plea agreement today was completely wrong.”

“Yeah,” Mike lamented, dropping off his visitor pass, “Mills seems to be enjoying this too much.”

“She thinks she can sway a jury, against a ton of physical evidence, and her obvious motives. She doesn’t seem like that good of an actor.”

“Evidently, she thinks she is. And the motive we still can’t fully corroborate. Plus, she’s got her self-inflicted minor injuries to put doubt on her initiating the attack.”

“Still, that’s not much. What else could she have?”

Mike thought about how Cathrynn watched him when he spoke about you in the meeting, he thought back to the time you both first visited her for the case. He took a breath, keeping them to himself.

“I have no idea.”

Apparently, the troubles weren’t over.

SEPARATE APARTMENTS OF 

MICHAEL CUTTER AND Y/N Y/L/N

MONDAY, AUGUST 7 - EVENING

“You’re going to trial?” You reiterated into the phone, your comfort from being able to catch up with Mike, now gone.

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“So, what does that mean?”

“The People go to trial. You testify.” He obviously stated.

“I get that,” you mumbled, taking a breath, “Great.”

You continued since Mike hadn’t spoken, slowly admitting, “Anyways, I uh, missed going to work today, mainly because I didn't get to see you.”

You were grateful your family flew in to check on you and all, but you wanted to spend time with Mike and the newfound freedom of your feelings. It was a good distraction from what you were still dealing with since your hospital stay. 

Cutter shut his eyes over the phone as he heard your words. God, you were not making this at all easier.

“That’s the other thing, Y/N... Since we’ve got this trial now, alongside Russo’s, and you’re a part of it... I think it might be best if we keep the relationship to a minimum until after things settle down. It would just make things less complicated. It’s not that--”

“Mike, you don’t have to explain. I understand.” You replied, knowing he was right. You hoped that you covered up the dismay in your voice. It was easier when someone couldn’t see you.

“Alright, good,” Cutter breathed out, waiting for you to say something else, anything else. Empty air filled the line, “I guess I should let you get back to your family. See you at work, Thursday.”

“Yeah, see you.”

You heard his ‘bye’ and the click that confirmed he hung up. Your name being called from the other room, distracted you out of the reality that had just ripped open a wound. One you thought had healed over on your heart. And one that had awakened a fear you thought could be over. 

Mike dropped his phone onto a nearby table, reaching his hands behind his head. He sighed loudly, as he looked at the skyline of the city which was never lonely, framed in the window. Yet he was alone in his apartment, even though he didn’t want to be.

OFFICE OF

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT D.A. MICHAEL CUTTER

TUESDAY, AUGUST 8

“Mills didn’t plead out?” McCoy asked while going over some ongoing cases.

“No,” Mike answered, fidgeting with his worn baseball mitt in his hands.

“You’re surprised?” 

“Slightly. Mills is even going against her own lawyer’s judgement on this.”

“Weren’t you the one who referred to her as a psychopath?”

Mike gave a look.

“I assume you didn’t compromise on your plea, as a way to have a more motivating way to end this quickly.” Jack added.

“I can handle the trial. There won’t be any problems.”

“Famous last words,” McCoy warned, before giving a sigh, “Aren’t you a little more involved and at risk for problems now?”

“What?,” Mike made a half-appalled face, “No.”

“So, the time since you went to visit Y/N at the hospital...”

“Jack, can I have at least a minuscule sense of decorum?”

“You were the one who eagerly stepped into this, Mike. There was, and is, a case still going on-- which was further complicated with another.”

“Really? It was only me who pushed the idea? What about your advice?!” Mike defended, his voice raising.

“It was good advice. Didn’t you get the girl? I just didn’t think you’d act on it so quickly. You never listen to me usually.”

Mike scoffed, “You were the one who made the alleged statements pertaining to any romantic notions. I admitted nothing.”

Jack slightly smiled in amusement, “So, you think. There’s the ego talking, again.”

Mike opened and closed his mouth, in aggravation and subtle embarrassment. He sighed, trying to put an end to this issue.

“Let’s just say, for the sake of argument, we remain solely colleagues as of these concurrent cases.”

“Good. Saves me from telling you that, or assigning a special prosecutor.”

“Always here to make your life easier, Jack.” Mike said, offering a smug smile.

“Right. How could I forget? Must be all that free time I spend not coming into your office.” McCoy joked, slowly exiting through the side door.

Cutter rolled his eyes. After Jack left, his face fell into uneasiness. The baseball distraction wasn’t even helping to calm him anymore. Even with his precautions, Mike couldn’t shake that thought in the back of his mind. The one that said Mills could get acquitted. There was no way in hell he was talking another deal. He had to win this.

SUPREME COURT

TRIAL PART 7

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5

In the interim, the detectives caught a break relating to Russo’s entrapment by Mills. After the team pointed out Cathrynn was framing the accused to be acting alone, and the evidence of the less than fulfilled promises she made, the accused on the Russo murder finally gave in, revealing the details of Cathrynn’s involvement. The A.D.A.s had managed 2 charges for Mills’ merged trial: attempted and second degree murder. So, one part of the Russo case pleaded out, thankfully, and the guilty party’s testimony was used at the current trial against Mills.

The trial for your side of the case had been going fairly well. It was hard to deny the physical evidence and expert witnesses that supported you were not a threat to Mills’ when she aggressively attacked. It was down to your testimony for the prosecution.

As you sat on the stand, at the front of the courtroom, you felt your headache flare, and your palms grow cold. You glanced at the paintings on the walls to distract you. You had prepped already with Mike and Connie, but it didn’t feel like it was enough. You were tired from this past month, being fueled by espresso and ibuprofen to function after sleepless nights and ongoing pains. The one person you wanted to tell, you didn’t, because you couldn’t, due to the trial. 

Then the minute you saw Cathrynn there, staring at you, pretending to be scared of you. It irked you. You looked to Mike, but remembered not to do it too much. You were collected and professional as he went through his questions. You reminded yourself it was half over as he sat back down. Mr. Moody stood up and began his standard spiel, but then the questions shifted.

“You’re the one who called my client for that meeting, correct?” Mr. Moody continued.

“Yes.”

“And what was the purpose of this meeting?”

“To go check in on how Ms. Mills was dealing with the murder trial where her friend was the victim and another friend of hers was indicted for it. She was really struggling with everything that was going on.”

“Wasn’t it really just a fishing expedition, to get more evidence for that case where you had minimal?”

“I was concerned over your client’s emotional distress, but yes, gathering more facts is always a duty to cases and Ms. Mills was a major link between the involved parties.”

“Even evidence you make up, like the ideas Ms. Mills didn’t feel comfortable going along with?”

“I never made up any facts in the case, nor suggested any to Ms. Mills.”

“I see. Do you like your job at the district attorney’s office?” Mr. Moody asked.

“Objection, relevance.”

“Speaks to the character of the witness, and potential bias, your honor.”

“Overruled.”

“Yes. It's a meaningful job.”

“I mean you must like it a lot, if you went back to work after your attack so soon... or were your injuries just not as bad as stated?” Cutter started to speak but was cut off, “Withdrawn.”

“Do you like your colleagues?”

“I enjoy working with them. We work effectively as a group. Trying violent crimes is a part of our job. It just so happens I ended up being the victim here, thanks to your client.”

“So, you don’t believe there’s any reason for there to be bias?”

“No human being has a completely objective view. We are all shaped by our experiences, including you, Mr. Moody, that doesn’t mean it prevents us from doing things in a fair manner.”

“Your honor, permission to treat this witness as hostile?”

“I’ll allow it,” the judge answered, as Cutter cautiously watched the exchange.

“Are you aware of any biases between you and the prosecution, besides the fact you are an employee of the district attorney’s office?”

“No, none that affects the right to a fair trial.”

“So, you’re not involved in a personal relationship with The People’s lead prosecutor, Michael Cutter? And you didn’t confide in him to conspire--”

“Objection!” Cutter’s eyes glared at Mr. Moody, anxiety forming at the implications of those words.

The defense kept going, moving closer to where you sat, “--against my client, the one you actually attacked in emotional distress because she wasn’t helping you both enough? Aren’t you lying about your actions that led to this attack? Just like you’re lying about that relationship? All because you’re protected by the big bad district attorney’s office. Who can push anyone they want around, free of any consequence?”

“Mr. Moody!” The judge hit the gavel as a warning.

“You got angry, because your job, and Mr. Cutter’s admiration was on the line! So, you did something about it, and it backfired. And now you’re blaming my client!”

“Objection, your honor, please! To this entire line of questioning,” Mike’s voice rose louder as he stood up, “On the grounds of prejudice, foundation, and badgering the witness, for starters.”

“That’s enough!” The judge ordered.

The hushed waves of noise in the courtroom died down after the judge’s aggravated request. As you looked to the judge, you tried your best to look confused over anything else, even though that wasn’t the case. You feared that these questions were getting closer to an area you couldn’t be vague about under oath.

“Mr. Cutter. Your objections are sustained. Mr. Moody, you pull one more outburst like this in my courtroom and I’ll find you in contempt.”

Mr. Moody smoothed his tie, with a weak nod in understanding, before speaking again,

“Ms. Y/L/N, who visited you while you were in the hospital?”

“Objection. Relevance.”

“Relates to bias, and direct instance of conduct.” Moody answered.

“Mr. Moody, you’re on very thin ice here. But it’s overruled, Mr. Cutter,” the judge stated, nodding to you to answer.

“I was unconscious for hours, so I don’t know everyone who was there and my family wasn’t able--”

“Objection, non-responsive.” Mr. Moody interrupted.

“Please answer who visited you, to your knowledge, Ms. Y/L/N.” The judge instructed.

“Only Mr. Cutter visited me.”

“When did he visit?”

“He was already there when I woke up, after becoming stable  from the oxygen deprivation, concussion swelling, and bleeding wounds caused by your client’s actions.”

“According to the defense’s signed affidavit from a Mercy General nurse, Mr. Cutter spent over 4 hours there, and he also visited you on the day you were discharged, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Why did only he visit you?”

“I can’t answer that. I’m not Mr. Cutter.”

“He didn’t tell you?”

“No, we didn’t discuss that.”

“What did you two discuss then?”

You realized your error in answering, taking a breath as you glanced at the prosecution’s table. Mike dropped his head in response. You slowly blinked.

“Mr. Cutter... asked how I was doing. I asked how long he was there. He said a few hours already. He said, everyone’s at the D.A.’s Office was glad I was okay.”

“Did you discuss the attack?”

“Mr. Cutter received a call while we were talking. He informed me that the detectives would like to take my statement since I had woken up. He informed me Ms. Mills was in custody. When I was discharged, he informed me the D.A.’s office understood my need for medical leave due to the attack.”

“How nice of Mr. Cutter to show up in person when he could have just called to say you could have time off. Also how kind of him to be so deeply concerned over his employee’s well-being…”

“Your honor, is there anything else Mr. Moody intends to ask?” Mike interjected.

“What were you talking about before the call from the detectives?”

“Objection, asked and answered. It was already established: Ms. Y/L/N’s well-being.” Mike spoke.

“Sustained. Mr. Moody move on.” The judge ordered.

“The time between you waking up and Mr. Cutter signing out was more than just a few minutes, correct?”

“Yes. I can’t say how long.”

“Well, that gives a lot of extra time doesn’t it?”

“I suppose so.”

“A lot of time to omit relationship truths, like the ones you never denied on the stand?”

“The witness doesn’t have to answer that. No more questions.” Mr. Moody added before Mike said anything else.

“Ms. Y/L/N you may step down,” the judge spoke.

You and Mike secretly breathed a weak sigh of solace, as you left the witness box. Except neither of you felt any better after the testimony was over.

OFFICE OF

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT D.A. MICHAEL CUTTER

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 - LATER THAT DAY

“The defense put a seed of doubt in the jury’s heads. I saw it in their faces. Now, it’s defending our credibility as a distraction, instead of the fact someone’s a murderer?!”

“Mike, I know--” you tried to interrupt.

“It was so close to getting worse, Y/N. And, I didn’t redirect because I couldn’t without submitting you to perjury somehow! I knew this is why I never got involved in these sort of things. What a mistake.” Mike vexed, pacing behind his desk.

As soon as you heard his last 3 words, another piece of your patched up heart tore. Even if it was in haste, the opinion couldn’t be unheard, or unsaid, or even forgotten.  That truth etched deep, despite it not being much of a visible expression.

“Okay then, good to know that now versus later,” you said, instantly trying to be less affected by every word he had ever said to you, every sound and sentence, that nestled into some corner of your heart. All in order for these new ones to hopefully feel like much less.

Mike had already regretted it. He stopped and turned to look at you. 

“Y/N.”

You didn’t want to keep his gaze, standing there, your chest slowly aching as you brushed your hair behind your ear. The sarcasm didn’t dull the pain as you liked.

“I’m sorry,” Cutter said as his nervousness grew, wanting you to look at him.

You didn’t.

“That didn’t come out right,” Mike’s softened voice spiraling into distress, as he went over to you.

“Maybe it did.” You answered, facing him.

Mike swallowed the lump in his throat, taking a breath to pace out his increasing heartbeat of well-known worry. He said things sometimes that were fueled out of upset. It wasn’t like he was proud of that habit. He just happened to care a lot more about it now. He had to learn better, he was trying to.

“I know this wasn’t the situation either of us asked to start out in. It’s in no way ideal. But, it doesn’t have to affect us.”

“It already has, Mike.” You stated, obviously.

He couldn’t disagree. He proved your exact point, even if it was pride talking, instead of actuality.

“Maybe, before we get too involved and too invested…” You suggested.

You were too involved already. You were trying to separate personal life and work, but that line was already blurred-- a bunch of loving brush strokes on pages for weeks now, maybe even before this happened, you realized. In some part of your head, you worried Mike would grow to resent you, this relationship. Would it even hold up? You knew his work was his life for so long and he still wanted it to be. Was this new relationship worth what you’d both worked hard for, without it? This would always be dirt to bring up. It was already showing up, just in a cross-examination.

Mike was already too invested. When Jack said ‘love letter’, he knew saying that directly would be too much at a first go-- especially for him. Then, you kissed him. And, he kissed you back. And kissed you again. (And again.) Cutter re-confirmed what he had guessed, but wouldn’t acknowledge out loud. The mere suggestion of where you were going in this conversation, was his worst nightmare compared to the annoying mess you two were currently in. He was losing his second chance. You didn’t have to finish whatever you were trying to say. He didn’t want to hear it. Deep down, he never wanted to hear it, ever.

“You don’t mean that. I know you don’t mean that.” Mike pleaded, standing so close, he worried you might hear his pulse rattling his ribcage under his shirt. His yearning recklessness winning momentarily, as Mike’s hand reached for yours, his tender grasp of your fingers, an attempt to hold this all together. His thumb grazed across your palm to assure himself you were still here.

You felt the slightest tinge of that sparkling feeling, only he could cause, run up your arm. You knew you’d never be able to forget that feeling, after knowing it firsthand. It’d always be some secret tattoo you both shared.

“Y/N,” Mike tried again, his voice asking you to look back at him.

You gazed into his eyes, and found something in them you never had seen before. In the azure, underneath the caringness, was desperation-- this supposedly reserved man revealing more and more. He kept his stare on you, but let your hand go.

“I think this is exactly what Mills was trying to do. It was just another way to get back at you, or us. To take something away. I don’t know. This will be over eventually, and then we can be together.”

Mike furrowed his brow, in fine forlornness, looking away briefly, “That is, if you still do.” 

“Of course I do,” you admitted, through a faint smile.

Cutter mirrored your expression, a brief state of relief being welcomed into his heart.

“I just,” you paced, trying to chase after the thought you needed, “I just mean--” you sat down on the couch, frustrated, “Ugh, why am I like this now?!”

Your palms pressed against your temples, combating the headache that grew stronger under stress. You squinted in pain and mental frustration, your elbows dropping to your knees to hold your head up. You took a shaky deep breath, before sitting back normally, embarrassed at your current state, and how words were so harder to find since your head injury.

Mike was completely anguished and aggravated he couldn’t take you into his arms. To say what he really wanted. This time, now worse than before. Because before it was just his misgivings. Now, someone else was preventing it-- toying with you both like puppets on strings, taunting the game he played daily. 

“I just don’t want it to ruin this, or hurt you,” you quietly admitted.

He couldn’t stand it, let alone the torment it was causing you. Cutter figured out your concussion’s residual effects.  The words you missed, the pains. He saw you flinch when someone moved too quick to put on their coat or adjust their bag in the elevator. He noticed the dullness in your eyes. He didn’t say anything. Because you didn’t. And you were worried about him?

Now, this enduring paranoia Mills placed on you both-- the dilemma of precisely placing the truth where it needed to be, or its omissions, hanging heavy over you two. He had that feeling of helplessness start to haunt him once more. He stopped it.

“It won’t, Y/N. I just want Mills convicted for what she’s done.”

You watched him, as he continued, his mannerisms becoming more animated as his emotions grew, “Jesus, I'll testify, be reprimanded by the Ethics Committee. I’m not being taken off this trial. I don’t care what happens to me or my license. This is about justice for you, and Ms. Russo.”

“You do care, Mike. Come on, how could you even say you’d risk losing your law license?” 

You shifted your weight, standing up, wiping away the tears that failed to fall.

Cutter’s eyes fell, but you hadn’t seen. He knew why. Even if his entire mind wasn’t sold on the idea yet, one main part was. Alongside the part that wanted to protect you. And that other part that felt guilty he wasn’t able to stop it from happening in the first place. Mike didn’t think he would ever find something in his life that would have superseded his career, but his ‘big sloppy heart’, as Connie joked before, had now.

You sighed, edging to the door, “I’ll let you get back to your trial prep.”

You looked at him. He felt so much farther away than he was. You hated this.

“Yeah, okay,” Mike replied, his voice burdened with his own longings for you, and loathings for Mills.

SUPREME COURT

TRIAL PART 14

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

It was finally closing arguments. Both A.D.A.s handled the cross-examinations for the defense well. Mills’ testimony was another story. There was doubt in her testimony, but she handled it convincingly enough, tears and all. Mike let Connie handle the summation, to offer an additional perspective, and hopefully a less tainted bias of The People. You both sat and listened to her.

“The defense only has subterfuge to hide the truth. Cathrynn Mills’ motive was the fact she implicated herself in her friend’s murder and chose to kill to cover up the error she had made. She thought she could get away with both. When she failed to do so, she concocted this story. Ms. Y/L/N was there to help, concerned over the defendant while trying to find fairness in a difficult case. Ms. Mills manipulated her, just as she manipulated her friend who testified to the killing of Ms. Russo-- their own friend, just as Ms. Mills is trying to manipulate you all now. As Ms. Y/L/N testified, she acted with integrity and no ill-will, representing The People and her job to the best of her abilities. Ms. Y/L/N has no reason to lie and her physical injury evidence supports her testimony, while disputing the alleged provoked attack, among The People’s other evidence.

Knowingly locking an exit door ahead of time, chasing and physically assaulting someone, is not self-defense. Hitting someone in the head with a weapon, who’s running away from you-- is not self-defense. Rendering them unconscious, believing they’re dead and not calling the authorities-- is not self-defense. Moving the body to cover it up, and in this case, leaving the victim to almost suffocate in a trash can-- is not self-defense. It’s attempted murder.

These are factualities untouched by any biases the defense can offer about the prosecution. These facts have nothing to do with the relationships Ms. Y/L/N has with or within the D.A.'s office. We admit, we work with her, we know her. We care and are affected by this chain of events, as all well-meaning human beings would be, if they found themselves and those they considered their friends, in a similar situation. That does not mean we prosecute the case any differently. The people have sworn to uphold the pursuit of truth and justice just as we did in Ms. Russo’s murder and all other cases. We do not ignore the truth and facts, we seek them. As should you. They speak clearly here. Find Cathrynn Mills guilty on all charges.”

...

The longer the jury deliberated, the heavier the air got in the D.A.’s office. You barely spoke to anyone, burying yourself into case-law research. Connie kept to her desk, while Mike holed up in his office, likely with his good-luck baseball. You all went home with no news.

SUPREME COURT

TRIAL PART 15

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

As you settled back into the courtroom, you eyed the silhouettes of Mike and Connie. All three of you watched the jury file in and hand over the verdict.

Mike was practically biting off his finger, as he sat stoically, elbow resting on the table, in front of the judge, who was reading the slip of paper which held so much. Connie looked on, in hope.

“How does the jury find the defendant...”

Mike Cutter’s favourite words in his recent memory were mainly from you. But the foreperson’s reading of “guilty” twice had made it into the top 5.

He looked to Connie who offered a reassuring smile and congratulations, while he complimented her summation again.

As Mills was led away beside the bailiff, people emptied the courtroom. You waited for Mike and Connie in the back. After speaking with the grateful Russo family, who had also been in attendance, they joined up with you.

“Thank you, guys, but I don’t think that’s enough really” you said.

“Just doing our job, Y/N.” Mike replied with a nod. 

“We know you’d do the same for us,” Connie assured, patting you on the shoulder, before excusing herself, arching a knowing eyebrow at you and Mike before she disappeared out the door.

You looked back towards Mike, who cleared his throat but said nothing more. You both wandered out into the hall, your footsteps somehow echoing louder off the marble floor.

“So,” you said, awkwardly, loitering on the courthouse steps.

“So,” Mike mirrored, hands stuck in his pockets, as he shifted his weight in that suit he never looked bad in.

“Sentencing and then--” you dragged out.

“And then this will be over.” He assured, eyeing you with a knowing look.

You slightly smiled, joining his side as you both headed back to the office.

APARTMENT OF 

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT D.A. MICHAEL CUTTER

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12

Cathrynn Mills was in prison.

You were in your boyfriend’s apartment.

Your headaches were less. Your scars were fading. You had some sense of closure, despite the darker memories lurking unannounced in your head occasionally. During times like these though, you forgot about them completely-- distracted by the enveloping surroundings. 

The gentle patterns of Mike playing with your hair. His soft t-shirt as you leaned against his chest. The noise of the old baseball game on the TV in the background, melding with his murmured exhales and yours. The files you were supposed to review, abandoned for the time being on the coffee table-- unconcerned that they were. You closed your eyes, committing this to memory, every single detail.

You nuzzled closer to Mike’s neck, leaning up to press a light kiss against his jawline, then his cheek. You shifted back into the couch beside him, filled with a sense of contentment.

Like a force field he couldn’t escape, Mike turned to you.

You looked into his pretty blue eyes, and how his faint dimples showed as he started to smile back at you. He knew you were thinking about something.

“What is it?” Mike asked, admiring your features.

“I’m just really glad I have you.”

Cutter smiled wider, “Me too, Y/N.”

You reached for his hand, to hold and observe a moment. He bashfully glanced away because he was at a loss for words, every delicate gesture somehow melting him a little more, building something he’d never thought he’d be capable of having. His heart was full of a language he didn’t know how to use, or maybe was afraid to use again. He rejoined your gaze, whispering out loud,

“I’m so in love with you.”

You had to blink a few times, processing the line you didn’t imagine you’d hear from him then. He watched you, swallowing the ghost of his words, realizing you now had actually heard what he had only kept to himself, for months.

You lurched towards him, hugging him tightly, arms reaching around his neck. Mike gauged your reaction, allowing some weight to be lifted. 

“I’ve been wanting to say that for awhile now,” his voice rumbled, as he exhaled a breathy laugh over the back of your neck, “Before any of this happened.”

You pulled away from the hug, “I think I loved you, and I didn’t know it.”

“I always knew it, Y/N. I didn’t want to admit it. So, if anyone’s happy and lucky to have you, it’s me. It’ll always be me.”

Every new memory with Mike pushed those painful ones away farther and farther. You kissed him quickly, before getting up to gather the memo you had left half-highlighted before taking a break.

“So, you wanna get back to these?” You asked, gesturing to the pile of legal briefs.

“I have a better idea,” Mike’s voice lured, grabbing your hand to pull you gingerly towards him. He guided your frame into his arms.

“We watch the next inning, and do this,” his warm breath floating closer to you. 

His lips found yours determinedly, trying to make up for all the times missed out on, his caged heart finally free and together with yours, after waiting so long.

You gasped a smile in the small space between you two, before leaning into another new memory.

[musingsofsaturn]

Just Imzadi Things™

Fandom: Star Trek The Next Generation

Ship: The Enterprise Will Riker/Deanna Troi (no I’m not going to stop making that joke)

Rating: T because adult themes are lightly suggested. There are also mentions of death.

Words: 2,100+

Summary: Five things that become perfectly normal when you share a telepathic bond with someone you’re pretending not to be in love with.

Author’s Note: Okay so I read this post from trekkingamongststars and loved the implications of them anticipating each other’s needs and just... the accidental intimacy of their bond? So I was thinking about all the lovely little ‘I’m in love with you but trying not to be because I value our friendship’ things that probably happened as Deanna and Will reconnected. Anyways I am just so soft for these two so I hope you enjoy this fluffy little collection of Just Imzadi Things™.

~ Saturn

O N E

Betazed was a warm planet. Its climate was almost tropical, and the air was often thick with hot humidity that nurtured the vibrant plants of the gardens and natural spaces of the planet. Deanna loved the sensation of sunshine on her skin, enveloping her in comforting warmth. She’d grown up with it, and a sunny day would always remind her of home.

In contrast, the Enterprise was a decidedly chilly starship. With so many people from all different cultures and climates, she understood that the temperature on board had to suit the average comfort level of the crew, but Deanna still sometimes wished that that average level was just a few degrees higher.

Fortunately, she was able to adjust the temperature in her own quarters. It was kept high, and she loved the flood of warmth that escaped when she opened the door and stepped into her private space, where she was free to suit herself and be properly comfortable.

The first few times she’d been in Will’s quarters, the rooms had been the same temperature as the rest of the ship. And why wouldn’t they be? He was familiar with Alaskan winters. He hardly needed the level of warmth she did in order to be comfortable.

But as she started to visit more often, and as their telepathic connection strengthened, the temperature in his quarters had started to increase over time. She knew why; he’d commented on how warm her rooms were the first time he stepped inside, and had begun to pick up on her mild discomfort at how cold the rest of the ship felt. Whether that was telepathy, or just him reading her body language, she couldn’t be certain.

What she could be certain of though, was that Will was gradually raising the temperature in his quarters, even if she wasn’t there to appreciate it. Over a series of weeks, so he himself could acclimatise to it, he’d successfully adapted his own living space to suit her needs and make her comfortable.

That thought made her feel warmer than any Betazoid sun ever could.

~

T W O

The first time Deanna brought Will some food without asking, he hadn’t even realised that he was hungry.

He’d been writing reports and reviews for an hour that had slipped into two, then four, until he didn’t even recognise that time was passing. The chime of his door pulled his mind away from his work abruptly, and his voice was hoarse from lack of use when he invited the guest inside.

Deanna entered tentatively, carrying a bowl of something that smelled fantastic. “I brought you some soup. You need to eat.”

“That’s very kind but I’m not hung-” The statement was interrupted by a ravenous growl from his stomach as she placed the bowl in front of him on the desk, pushing the PADD to one side as she did. She smiled knowingly at him as he quietly said, “Thank you.” He tucked in.

After that, it became a regular occurence between them.

It wasn’t a conscious thought; they never asked the other to bring them food like a waiter. Sometimes, like the first time, they didn’t anticipate that it was needed at all.

But they could sense the subtle need for sustinence within each other. Will knew exactly when to turn up at her office with a chocolate mousse when she’d had a difficult appointment. Deanna seemed to arrive on the Bridge with perfect timing to deliver a coffee when she could sense his focus wavering. And once, they’d met in the corridor on the way to each other’s quarters, carrying food that they hadn’t wanted to eat alone when they knew the other would benefit from some company.

More than the food, it sustained them both to know that the other was thinking about them. To know that their needs were recognised and that someone cared about relieving them, that was the kind of nourishment that would last a lifetime.

~

T H R E E

Starfleet officers are trained to accept that they and their colleagues are at risk while serving. Everyone aboard the Enterprise has a tale of losing someone in the line of duty, whether they be a friend, family member, or lover.

For more senior officers, they even accept that their decisions and orders could be the reason that someone dies. It is a great burden and responsibility, and it takes its toll more than anyone ever seemed to admit.

In front of others, she accepted his cool and collected demeanour with regards to a recent mission. No one could have anticipated that there was an explosive device from a long-ended war still buried at the entrance to a small cave. And Will never could have predicted that ordering a member of his away team to quickly investigate that cave would have caused an explosion that knocked them to the floor and killed the young ensign instantly.

A young Bajoran, the ensign had only been assigned to the Enterprise that week. She had just begun to form friendships, and had shown that was a friendly and compassionate member of the crew. Will had sensed that, with experience, she would have climbed through the ranks of Starfleet. She had a promising career ahead of her.

Had.

The whole time he was discussing the incident with the captain, he maintained his composure. He filed the necessary reports, wrote a sincere statement to the ensign’s family, and later returned to the surface to continue their investigation of the area. To the outer world, he seemed measured; not uncaring and detached, but not emotional and defeated either. He was the model of a First Officer coping with a hard situation.

Deanna recognised his inner turmoil, however. She could sense his guilt, the feeling that he should have been the one to die, not the one who gave the order that snuffed out the woman’s life when she’d barely had chance to live it. She could tell that he was reeling from the terror of being caught on the outskirts of the blast, and the horror of realising that a member of his team hadn’t survived. There was an aching sadness in him; the knowledge that a loving family was about to learn that their daughter wasn’t coming home weighed heavily in his mind.

Later, when his shift had ended and he finally had a chance to return to his quarters and retreat into his thoughts, he barely got through the door before the weight of the day slumped his shoulders and made his large frame seem to collapse in on itself.

But Deanna was waiting for him. Her inky eyes met his as he started to cry, and he knew that she was the only person in the galaxy who could understand how he felt in that moment.

Wordlessly, she wrapped her arms around his body, pressing as much of herself into him as she could. The pressure was good, reassuring, and he returned her embrace with shaking limbs.

His face burrowed into her shoulder as sobs racked through him. She didn’t say a word - there were none that would help anyway. Instead, she continued to hold him close, permitted him to be vulnerable and exposed without any judgement or expectation.

There was nothing she could do to relieve him of his grief, but standing in her embrace, crying like a small child for the first time in years, Will felt the closest thing to peace that he’d experienced that day.

~

F O U R

Deanna awoke with a start.

It wasn’t the first time she had suffered from a nightmare, and it wouldn’t be the last. Gasping for air, she sat up and ran her hands through her hair. The images that had haunted her were already slipping away.

In the dark, she fumbled towards the replicator and quietly got herself a glass of water. Her heart was still racing slightly, adrenaline coursing through her veins, but it had only been a dream and she knew she would be alright.

After finishing her water with slow sips, she went back to bed. She felt calmer, and knew she was tired, and it seemed liked the sensible thing to do. With a few deep breaths, she closed her eyes and tried to empty her mind of thoughts.

Almost an hour later, she was still awake.

She hadn’t been able to get herself comfortable - the material of her pillowcase seemed to scratch at her cheek, it seemed she had one too many limbs to arrange them in a way that suited her, and a sudden leg cramp in her calf had been the final straw.

Deanna didn’t really know why she chose to leave her own quarters, a robe wrapped over her nightgown for propriety’s sake. It was a short walk to Will’s quarters, and it seemed as though no time had passed at all before she arrived at his door.

Hesitating, she almost turned to return to her own rooms. Will was definitely sleeping, and she felt guilty about waking him. Not to mention it seemed so pathetic to go crawling to him because she couldn’t sleep after a bad dream.

However, in the instant that she decided to leave, the door opened for her. She hadn’t pressed to ring for permission, hadn’t overrided any security systems, and there was no way Will had known she was there and just opened the door to let her in and stop her dithering.

No, he had programmed it to open automatically for her, just as it would for him.

Touched at this unexpected display of trust and familiarity, Deanna stepped into his quarters. She made her way to his bedroom, and quietly climbed in to lay beside him.

He didn’t wake up as her arm wrapped over his chest and she snuggled into his back, seeking warmth. Deanna was lulled to sleep at last by his soft breaths, and the knowledge that she was safe and welcome here.

~

F I V E

As the pair of them strengthened their Imzadi bond, it seemed that their feelings throughout the day had become shared.

Will would be sat on the Bridge and feel a sudden rush of satisfaction. He smiled to himself every time he realised where it had come from. He knew that Deanna had had a long day full of appointments with members of the crew, and she had decided to treat herself to a chocolatey dessert. That satisfied burst he felt had been her tasting the first bite of a sundae or piece of cake, perfectly balanced with chocolate, cream, and fudge.

Deanna discovered that watching Will play poker was almost as entertaining as playing herself. When she had folded her hand, and it no longer mattered if she used her empathic abilities, she loved to zone in on Will’s feelings, and he opened his mind to hers when she was no longer playing. In many ways, she became his ‘tell’, as she had to work hard not to grin when she experienced a rush of mischevious energy when he bluffed, which was only amplified when the bluff worked.

Will came to recognise how the people Deanna interacted with could affect her mood. He knew when she was with Beverly, because he could physically feel her mind relaxing over their telepathic link. He also knew when the two were engaging in salacious gossip, as a feeling of giddy curiosity came over her as Beverly disclosed various secrets. The Imzadi bond between Will and Deanna made it so he knew exactly who she liked and disliked, and to what extent. And he once learned just how strong that bond could be when Lwaxana Troi made a comment that was so intensely irritating to Deanna that it made Will’s eyes roll without warning from four miles away.

Deanna learned that she could always get an honest opinion on her outfits, whether Will knew he was sharing it or not. She never minded the flood of attraction that leapt from his mind to hers when he saw her in some of her more flattering dresses. People can’t control their natural impulses of attraction like that, and she had learned not to read into it. However, she knew that Will would be embarrassed if she ever acknowledged his more lustful feelings, so she politely pretended not to pick up on those feelings when they arose.

Will spent years being convinced that he was learning to empathically block his more erotic feelings from reaching her mind. Since she never even flinched when his feelings became far more than friendly when she walked into a room in a certain blue dress, he was certain that he could appreciate her beauty and his own fantasies without it reaching her.

It was only when he arrived at her quarters in a particularly revealing v-neck wrap one evening and she wasn’t quick enough to mask the warmth of attraction that filled her mind (and by extension, his), that he realised just how much their telepathic bond had probably been betraying him all along.

[unicorn-and-bluebells]

Hehe so I just watched the TNG episode with Arridor and Kol in it. Thoughts:

Fuck this Devinoni dude. Blegh

FUCK YEAH THE CHAIRS SCENE LMFAO

DaiMon Goss and Dr. Arridor low-key poisoning that guy should make me dislike them but this is fun actually. Hope that guy felt better quickly though

Wheee it's the dog butt wormhole and I get to watch them figure it out

That tall dude looks neat, I like his outfit. Also yay for another alien that doesn't have five fingers on each hand :)

Hey so they said at some times the wormhole ends in the Gamma quadrant? Is that the same chunk of the Gamma quadrant that the other end of the Celestial Temple goes to? Or is it like the other end of the quadrant or something? Does the Dominion go that far? I want answers

I would rather watch DaiMon Goss hit on literally every other person in Ten Forward than watch this Devinoni dude. At least Goss is fun

Dr. Arridor has nice teeth

Come to think of it I think Goss is even being more gentlemanly than Devinoni (not by much, but at least he isn't messing with anyone's hair. Deanna babe please do you have to have a crush on this guy please you can do so much better than him. Also this is making me realise how much I'd like to see Deanna and Riker get back together. And/or how much I'd like to see Deanna get with an alien lady of the week)

Hey Deanna and I have basically the same nightgown

Literally the only fun thing about this part of the plot with Deanna and Devinoni is that I am bisexual and find Deanna attractive (not Devinoni, he's not my type and his personality is gross), so I can just stare at her and go :) and ignore the plot. Can't imagine what I'd do here if I was heterosexual (perish the thought)

Seriously this part of the story would be so much more tolerable if Devinoni was good-looking and/or had a personality that wasn't rancid

RIKER LOOKS SO GLAD TO GET THIS GUY'S ASS AND I AM CHEERING YES BRING HIM DOWN A PEG CALL HIM OUT, GET FUCKED DEVINONI

ASFHJKLJD I SAw that bit where Arridor and Kol stay behind and are surprised to see the wormhole go away literally five times in a row bc their faces were so fuckin funny (Arridor in particular. Motherfucker really went >:O)

GET HIS ASS DEANNA!!!

[thegeminisage]

ok, its time for a QUICK tng update before xm*s proceedings. saturday we did "best of both worlds part ii" and "family" and last night we did "brothers" and "suddenly human."

best of both worlds part ii: I LOOOOOVED THIS EPISODE. mwah. EVERYTHING i wanted. creepy little cyborg implants. brainwashed picard. his beautiful perfect cgi tear (which may or may not have been cgi, this is a point of debate, experts please weigh in). data bravely doing a robot mind meld. 1000000/10 more borg episodes please please PLEASE

can you imagine if the borg has ben in tos btw. what a thought experiment, except for how i quite literally can't think about it or i'll get so excited i'll pass out

did guinan imply she and picard were lovers in this ep...girl you can do better

my one nitpick with william riker was him promoting that lady he hated instead of someone who deserved it, like worf or data. it probably would have given worf ptsd but can you imagine that enterprise having a captain and first officer being gay on the bridge again...wonderful. except this time there would also be deanna <3

"how much do you remember" "everything" AHAHAHAHA GREAT. GOOD. WONDERFUL. anyway

family: extremely unusual episode but i loved it nonetheless. i was really shocked worf's parents were so sweet!!! i fucking loved them. they're like the cutest people on earth i can't believe they raised such a taciturn and stoic guy like worf...

picard's family i wasn't sure about at first until the wrestling match in the mud. sometimes you need to punch a guy and his brother stepped up to the job admirably. i kept thinking he looked like michael caine, which would have been an incredible choice.

WESLEY.....................................................we don't need to talk about it

everyone's accents in this ep were wack. why does picard have a totally different accent from his brother. why is worf's accent different from his parents. ik its not that deep but its making me crrrazzzyyy

brothers: i didnt even get a look at the title of this episode before we started bc vumoo (the shady site im using to watch) doesn't display them but it was SUCH an unexpected pleasure to get a data episode

absolutely scuh-reaming at the ease with which he hijacked an ENTIRE goddamn starship. he's so competent i love that. a real "glad he's on OUR side" moment, not unlike spock commandeering the enterprise in "the menagerie" (rip i wish that had been a better episode).

lore grew on me really fast. i was neutral on him during his last appearance, the meme aside, but in this episode he was really fun and unsettling. brent spiner can do horrible, horrible things with his face

this ep felt a little cut off? i expected another confrontation with lore, a getting back of the chip, or at least some kind of burial or funeral for dr soong, but we just quit like 3/4 through the episode. maybe less time spent on the opening section of the hijack could have fixed this

anyway i love the foil between data and lore...one has support and the other does not...but it doesn't make sense for lore to get the emotions chip because it seems like he already HAS them??

oh yeah and data repeating "i am not less perfect than lore" got funnier EVERY time he did it. little man was really going thru it i was cracking up genuinely <3

suddenly human: this episode was wack

ok, did you guys read face on the milk carton when you were in school? i did when i was way too young to be reading it and it fucked me up real bad and i completely forgot about it until i watched this episode and then i got to unlock that memory in real time

anyway, while it is obviously the correct choice to return a child to their family when they are kidnapped as babies, it is also hugely traumatic for an older child to be ripped away from a loving home* and transplanted with strangers, which those books explore in horrific detail. so the whole episode i found myself going "i KNOW it's bad politics but could they not just CONSIDER leaving him with the only family he's ever known as a possible choice" and then they DID THAT and i wanted to be ill because it was obviously the worst choice in the world

* this is a different scenario than the first tng episode involving kidnapped children, which strongly resembled the residential schools from real life. THIS particular situation, minus the method of kidnapping (during warfare), more closely resembled the crazy cult shit happening in those books, where the kidnapped girl was being raised by people who thought they really were her biological grandparents and weren't bad people and her biological family also weren't bad people. a "no fault" situation EXCEPT FOR HE KIDNAPPENED THAT BABY DURING WARFARE.

anyway this is the second time tng has dropped the ball on this subject so i think from now on they should not do episodes like this anymore. really really really really bad.

NEXT TIME: "remember me" and "legacy"

[discotreque]

LwD 1.10, “No Small Parts”

Well, that was the most fun I've had watching Star Trek in literally a quarter of a century.

I had high hopes for this series. I love TAS, largely because of its wacky outsized concepts that could only have worked in animation—not that they all did work, but the potential was so apparent to me, even as a kid reading the Alan Dean Foster novelizations—and as an adult, there's something about the imagination of Lower Decks's FX setpieces that transcends even the glorious CGI bonanzas of Discovery.

Pause for a confession. I've long pushed back against criticism of serialization in new Trek. That's just how TV is now, okay? Might as well complain about it being in widescreen. But I'm backing down a little, because I've realized there is something about Star Trek that's inextricable from at least a partially-episodic format. And while Picard was telling a different kind of story, I can't deny that my favourite episodes of Disco have been the ones with a mostly self-contained A-plot. After 10 delightfully episodic instalments of LwD, its focus on long-term development of characters instead of a season-spanning puzzle-plot (okay, mostly just Mariner, but we only have 10 × 22 minutes and she is the star) has been downright refreshing.

So here we are, at the end of the most consistent and well-executed Season 1 of a Star Trek series since, arguably, Those Old Scientists. And sure, if they'd had to produce another... yikes, 42 episodes? Then sure, they probably would have dropped a clunker or two—but they didn't, and winning on a technicality is still winning. I'm practically vibrating with excitement for Disco to come back next week, but damn, I'm going to miss this little show while it's on hiatus.

Spoilers below:

Something I've been keeping track of finally paid off this week! (Which never happens to me, lol.) The destruction of the USS Solvang marked the first present-day death(s) of any Starfleet officer on Lower Decks, the only other on-screen killing at all being a flashback in "Cupid's Errant Arrow". Which makes sense, being (a) a comedy, and (b) about typically "expendable" characters: it hasn't been afraid to flirt with a little darkness here and there, but killing people off at Star Trek's usual pace wouldn't just be wrong for the tone, it would be downright bizarre.

But... people die on Star Trek. That's one of the core themes of the show, really: space is full of knowledge and beauty, but also danger and terror, and believing that the former is worth the risk of the latter is (according to Trek) one of humanity's most noble traits. I'm the least bloodthirsty TV watcher I know, but the longer we went with a body count of nil—ships completely evacuated before they were destroyed, main characters hilariously maimed without permanent consequences, etc.—well, I didn't mind per se, but the absence of truly deadly stakes was definitely getting conspicuous.

Turns out they were saving it up for maximum impact. And holy fuck, I've never felt such a pit in my stomach watching a ship get destroyed that wasn't named Enterprise. It felt grim and brutal and somehow both much too quick and dreadfully inevitable—and yeah, it looked extremely fucking cool—and I'd like every other Star Trek property for the rest of time to take notes under a large bold heading labeled RESTRAINT.

Comedy doesn't need to do this, but my favourite comedy does, and in a way that few other art forms can even approach: lower my emotional defences by making me laugh, endear character(s) to me with goofy-but-relatable antics—then BAM, sucker-punch me in the motherfucking feels. M*A*S*H is probably the classic example on TV, Futurama was notorious for it, and even Archer has pulled it off a few times; it's also a staple of some of my favourite standup. I wasn't sure if Lower Decks was going to go there in Season 1—and wasn't sure if they'd earn it—but I knew if they did, that they'd nail it, and damn. Feels good to be right.

Last batch of notes for the season!!! I rambled enough already, so let's do it liveblog-style:

I fucking KNEW they were going to use "archive" visuals from TAS at some point, I KNEW IT :D

"THOSE OLD SCIENTISTS" ahahahahahahahahahahahaha

I like chill and confident Boimler a lot? You can really see—

oh bRADWARD NOOOOO

That opening shot of the Solvang tracking down to the red giant was extremely Discovery-esque... minus the motion sickness, that is

A lady captain AND a lady first officer? That's—oh hey, it's Captain Dayton's brand-new ship. Hahaha, that means they're totally fucked, right?.

Yep! They sure a—umm, wh—shit, okay, but—oh no—no, you can't—wait DON'T

...fuck

FUCK.

Narrator: "And then Amy needed a five-hour break."

[live-action Star Trek showrunner voice] "Gee, Mike! Why does CBS let you have two cold opens?"

Okay, yes, the bit with Rutherford cycling through all the different attitudes in his implant was transparently an excuse for Eugene Cardero to vamp while waiting for something to do in the story, but as far as I'm concerned they can contrive a reason for him to do a bunch of different silly Rutherfords in a row any time they damn well want, because that was classic!!!

EXOCOMP EXOCOMP EXOCOMP EXOCOMP

AND THE EXOCOMP IS PAINTED LIKE THE EXOCOMP IS WEARING A LITTLE EXOCOMP-SIZED STARFLEET UNIFORM

EXOCOMP!!!!!

The slow burn and now the payoff of the Mariner-is-Freeman's-secret-daughter plot has been executed so well. I'm beyond impressed with this writer's room, y'all—they are threading a hell of a needle here

"Wolf 359 was an inside job" would have been a spit-take if I'd had anything in my mouth

...how many memos do you think Starfleet Command has had to issue asking people to stop calling the USS Sacramento "the Sac"?

CAN WE TALK ABOUT HOW THEY'VE DECORATED THE SHUTTLECRAFT SEQUOIA THOUGH

Is, uh, is it weird if I'm starting to ship Tendi and Peanut Hamper a little? It is weird, isn't it. I knew it was weird...

Coital barbs??? I take back everything I said about wanting to know more about Shaxs/T'Ana.

The "good officer" version of Mariner is... kind of hot, tbh! But Tawny Newsome has done such a great job of building this character all season that her voice getting uncharacteristically clipped and martial and "sir! yes, sir!" is also deeply, deeply weird

Ah, so this is literally exactly like when TNG (and DS9) would bring in, and then blow up, a never-before-seen Galaxy-class ship, just to underscore that we're facing a real threat this week, baby. And hey, it fucking worked—my heart was in my throat, omg, for the reveal of the—

PAKLEDS?????????

The fucking PAKLEDS have been gluing weapons to their ships for the last 15 years. GREAT.

(We interrupt the SHIP BEING SLICED INTO SCRAP for an interesting bit of world-building: on Earth, the traditional First Contact Day meal is salmon!)

"I need a dangerous, half-baked solution that breaks Starfleet codes and totally pisses me off! That's an order." I'm starting to think Captain Freeman might actually be overqualified for the Cerritos, y'all—she's REALLY awesome

OH SHIT IT'S BADGEY, this is a TERRIBLE IDEA

"How much contraband have you hidden on my ship?" "I don't know! A lot!"

Awwww, Boims!!!

AHAHAHAHAHAHA, FUCK THIS, PEANUT HAMPER OUT

BADGEY NOOOOO

AUGHHHHH WHAT THE CHRIST DID HE JUST—BUT—RUTHERFORD'S IMPLANT????

RUTHERFORD!!!!!!!!!!

SHAXS!!!!!!

F U C K ! ! ! ! !

ahaIOPugdfhagntpgjrq90e5mgu90qe5;oigoqgw4ouegrw5SP;IAEHURVa IT’S THE TITAN???????????

IT'S CAPTAIN WILLIAM T. RIKER ON THE MOTHERFUCKING TITAN??????????

i'm screaming I'M SCREAMINGGGGGG​TGGGTGQER;​LBHAOIBVNV;​OAPBIJNVagr;h;​oagruipuwtnaetbaetgq35ghqet

I'M SO GLAD THIS WASN'T SPOILED FOR ME WTF

I AM WEEPING LIKE A CHILD

...

(Just a brief 20-minute pause this time)

And oh wow, seeing Will and Deanna hits different after Picard too, in a few different ways, which I may even get into later now that my heartrate is back to normal, lmao

Oh, I am always here for some jokes at the expense of the Sovereign class. The Enterprise-E sucked. They should have built a new bigger model of the D and new Galaxy-class interiors for the TNG movies, and I will die on that hill

OKAY, FINE, YOU GOT ME, RUTHERFORD × TENDI WOULD BE ADORABLE AND THIS IS ACTUALLY A PRETTY GOOD SETUP FOR IT

Awwww, Shaxs though :( Congrats on the single most badass death in Star Trek history, dude. The Prophets would—well, the actual Prophets would probably be slightly confused about most of it, but Kira Nerys would be proud of you and I feel like that probably counts for more. RIP, Papa Bear

I am here all damn DAY for the Mariner–Riker parallels, ahahahahaha

Pausing it to record my prediction that Boimler's commitment to not caring about rank anymore is going to last 3... 2...

Yep.

Bradward, how DARE YOU.

"Those guys had a long road, getting from there to here." OH FOR THE LOVE OF—

What a brilliant way to resolve and renew the various character arcs and relationships moving into Season 2! The writers could easily have brought everything back to status quo—chaotic Mariner fighting with her mom and being a bad influence on Boimler, etc.—and done another 10 just like these, but I suspect that wouldn't have been ambitious enough for these writers. What a blast. I cannot wait for more.

Thanks for following along, friends! Stay tuned for my (similarly patchy and amateur) coverage of Discovery, starting next week!

[lieutenantcharleslorem]

It is finished! This is a commission for @datalaur​! It was fun to go outside my comfort zone, since I do not actively ship Data/Geordi, but I hope I did it justice. 

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Star Trek: The Next Generation Rating: General Audiences Relationships: Data/Geordi La Forge Summary: The Enterprise is transporting some dignitaries, and one of them has the hots for Data. This inspires Geordi to say something he probably should've said a long time ago.

The Junior Minister was a plump woman. Certainly wide in appearance especially when standing next to Counselor Troi, but not unattractively so. Her short navy hair emphasized strength while drawing attention to her soft features and light eyes. And those eyes were so thoroughly and obviously fixed on Data, Geordi thought he could have seen it without his visor.

Having feelings for a dear friend was a strange thing, because part of Geordi wanted to tell Data to go for it; he deserved an alien fling once in a while just as much as anyone else on the crew. But of course, part of him wanted to tell the Junior Minister to take a hike.

“They’ll, uh… They’ll catch you staring, Sir. At least, someone always does me…” said Barclay, sitting down next to Geordi at the bar. He practically winced as he sat, not really knowing if he was welcome.

“No one ever accuses a blind man of staring, Reg.”

“But you are. St-staring, I mean… Aren’t you?”

“I’m having a drink, and looking in the general direction of our guests.”

“Yeah, he’s been staring at them for 20 minutes,” interjected Guinan. “But how you doing, Reg? You want some fruit punch?”

“I-Well, er, yes please.”

Geordi smiled, thinking for a moment that Guinan could make just about anyone feel at home, but his eyes never left Data and the Junior Minister.

While the Junior Minister sat with the officers in the middle of the room, fully immersing herself, the High Minister, a tall man whose dark blue hair was greying on the sides, stood at the end of Ten Forward having a muted conversation with the Captain and Commander Riker. * Ten Forward was fuller than Geordi had ever seen it. The Ministers had 6 other dignitaries with them, 2 lawyers, and 17 trackers which as far as the crew could tell meant some sort of assistant, and all 27 people were mingling jovially with Starfleet officers. Their people had been in the process of joining the Federation for 7 years and according to some gossip from one of the trackers, it was still a few years off.

“Though we’re a warp capable species with a one world government, it’s obvious the Federation disapproves of our bartering system,” one of the trackers had mentioned to Ensign Velor that morning. The ensign was meant to be leading each of them to their quarters; Geordi just happened to overhear the chatting.

The Enterprise was transporting them to some sort of negotiation and cultural exchange. No one really knew the details.

“Care to join us?” asked the Junior Minister, looking straight at Geordi. Her voice carried over the crowd with ease, without her yelling or disrupting the other sounds of the bar. It was a little unsettling, in fact.

“I told you,” Barclay whispered.

“Mmm, forgive me if I’m resistant to trust your assessment of social situations,” said Geordi lowly, while shooting the Junior Minister an apologetic smile. Barclay sank a little further inside himself. Geordi took a swig of his drink, left it on the bar, and stood to approach the group.

Halfway there, he said, “Come on, Reg.”

Barclay stood suddenly, smoothing his uniform. He started to follow but Guinan whispered, “Reggie, take your drink with you,” and pushed his glass toward him. He raised an eyebrow and she added, “Something to do with your hands.” He nodded and took his drink with him.

“Geordi La Forge is the Chief Engineer, of the Enterprise,” Data introduced him, adding, “He’s also my best friend.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. La Forge.”

“Right, I just wanted to apologize. I didn’t mean to leer. I was just, thinking about something. It’s an honor, Junior Minister.”

“Oh please, like I told your friend, call me Tuviece. And who is this?” asked the Junior Minister looking squarely at Reg. He tried and failed to look her in the eye.

“Is there something wrong with my face?” she asked. Counselor Troi opened her mouth to cut in, but Data beat her too it.

“Lieutenant Barclay interacts somewhat differently than other humans. He means no disrespect, just as I would not were I to do something considered socially unacceptable by your people.”

Tuviece smiled, eying Data. “You care very much your crewmates, hm?”

“I… They are my family,” said Data, not wishing to bog Tuviece down with a more technical explanation of how an android forms attachments.

Geordi and the Junior Minister melted. Deanna would have too, normally the first to call Data cute, but she had to take a subtle step back from the group instead, overwhelmed by Tuviece and Geordi’s internalized reactions. She blinked and fanned herself with her hand. She made eye contact momentarily with Barclay, and his eyes widened as he tried to figure out what the look on her face meant.

“That must be magical to be so close with your coworkers.”

“Magical?” asked Data, “I do not understand.”

“She just means good, Data,” said Geordi, “Very good.”

“Yes, it is a common expression in my language. When something feels so special it is as if it was caused by an impossible magical force.”

“O-ours too. Our language I mean,” said Barclay.

“Ah, so you can speak!” replied Tuviece.

“Do you have many relationships you would consider magical?” asked Data.

“Mm, no I suppose not… But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like one.”

The Junior Minister was a very passionate woman, and with her feelings, Geordi’s responses, and Barclay’s embarrassment, Deanna could only handle being in the conversation so long.

“I hate to run, but I think I’ll go check on the captain if you don’t mind,” said Troi.

“Oh, of course, dear,” she grabbed Deanna’s hand suddenly. “If I don’t see you again this evening, have a pleasant night. It was a pleasure to meet you.”

“Of course, a pleasure,” the counselor replied, moving away.

“Now, boys!” continued the Junior Minister, “Tell me what made each of you decide you wanted to serve on a starship?”

The night wound down gradually. The High Minister had already gone to bed, as had Reg, both admitting they needed some time alone. No one knew when the captain had disappeared, only that he was probably the first. The Junior Minister was afraid she wouldn’t be able to remember where her quarters were, so Data had offered to guide her.

“Such a gentleman,” she had called him.

Riker, Troi, La Forge, and Worf meandered slowly down the hall, heading for their own beds.

“Geordi, I’m sensing some discomfort,” said Troi.

“Hm? Oh, you know… big parties.”

“Oh, come on, you’re the life of the party,” said Riker with a smirk.

“I understand the feeling,” said Worf. “I too find parties exhausting.”

“Don’t Klingons have rather wild parties?” asked Riker.

“Our celebrations can be a bit much for humans, but the requirements of the socializing are different. Less pretense.”

“Sure,” said Troi, trying not to sound sarcastic.

“Though I will admit, even Klingon social events are sometimes tiring and disconcerting for me.”

“Well, everyone needs their space,” said Troi, “but that wasn’t the type of discomfort Geordi was feeling, was it Geordi?”

They stopped as they reached Geordi’s quarters. They formed a casual circle, Geordi’s back to his door. “… I didn’t ask for a group therapy session,” he said.

“If you need to share your feelings, Commander, we will listen without judgment,” said Worf.

The three of them turned their heads to look at Worf.

“What?” he asked. “Why do you stare?”

No one answered, and Worf huffed.

Troi cleared her throat, “I’m only worried that you’re sabotaging yourself again, Geordi.”

“Again?” La Forge replied incredulously. When he looked at the others, he realized they agreed with that assessment, and was suddenly quite self-conscious. “What is it exactly you think I’m doing on purpose?”

“Not on purpose,” said Riker, “But subconscious. Because of… well, hmm…”

“Out of fear,” finished Troi. “But there’s nothing to be afraid of—”

“Deanna—” interrupted Geordi, but Troi didn’t stop.

“I don’t think honesty will hurt you in this situation.”

“Yes,” Worf cut in, “do not dishonor yourself with lies.”

Geordi raised an eyebrow at Worf, wondering why he cared about this.

“It’s not fear… It’s… I just don’t know if it’s fair to put that kind of pressure on him.”

“I don’t know, I think our android friend is pretty good at taking things in stride,” said Riker with a smirk.

“I just don’t know if he is in a position to be made to make those kinds of decisions.”

 “Well what if something happened with the Junior Minister?” asked Troi.

“That’s different… She’ll be gone soon enough. There’s no long-term decision to be made.”

“Listen, I know Data is a little awkward when it comes to dating but—”

“Is that what we’re talking about?” asked Worf. “Commander La Forge having a romantic interest in Data?”

“Oh Worf…” said Deanna. Riker started laughing. La Forge delicately lifted his visor from his face so that he could rub the bridge of his nose.

Replacing it, he said, “It’s like a teenager. They think they know what they want. And when it comes down to it, you can’t stop them from having their own experiences, but… but you can’t expect…”

Geordi drifted off and there was a pause as they all let his point sink in.

“La Forge, if I may?” asked Worf.

“What is it, Worf?” asked Geordi, trying not to sound exasperated.

“Now that I understand the premise of this conversation, am I to infer that you are insinuating Commander Data should be deemed incapable of giving consent?”

“I… well not in so many words—”

“Because from what I know of Data, though he wishes to be a part of humanity, he also values his autonomy, and I believe he would be offended by a denial of his right to make his own choices.”

Worf’s surprisingly aware statement rattled around in Geordi’s head the rest of the evening. He was right. It was up to Data to make his own choices. That didn’t mean Geordi would automatically get whatever he wanted, but not everything was about him.

Data helped him with some maintenance in engineering for most of the next day. Reg was in and out providing assistance. The Junior Minister came around to observe. Normally La Forge didn’t appreciate outsiders sticking their nose in his warp core, but the maintenance wasn’t urgent, and Tuviece asked questions with a friendly curiosity that showed she didn’t mean to get in the way. Plus since Data didn’t mentally tire, or struggle with how to answer a technical question, he was happy to entertain all of her inquiries. Sometimes Reg would translate to layman’s terms when he got the courage.

Around midday Tuviece asked if they ever took breaks.

“Ha! Sometimes. But oh so rarely,” Geordi had joked from his place on the floor.

“ I was so hoping to have a spot of lunch with you…” She said it like she meant all three of them, but she looked at Data out of the corner of her eye. Geordi figured he shouldn’t third-wheel, so he made up some excuse about not leaving this panel open.

Data immediately began explaining that he neither requires breaks or food, and Geordi could almost hear the disappointment on her breath.

“Well then… What about you, Reginald? Care to join me?”

“Me?” he asked.

“Of course. I promise you don’t have to look me in the eye if you don’t want to.”

Reg let out a half laugh, and led her back to Ten Forward.

“Data, you eat sometimes,” La Forge said once they were gone.

“Yes, but I do not need to.”

“…Buddy, are you blowing off Tuviece on purpose?”

“Blowing her off? You mean to avoid? No. Should I have gone to lunch with her?”

“Only if you wanted to.”

“I… I have no specific desire. No desire to stay or to go.”

“Oh.”

Geordi knew he should talk to him, but he also knew he wouldn’t be able to focus on work afterward.

Reg and Tuviece returned after about an hour. It wasn’t their fault, but by the end of the day Geordi was sick of them both. Or maybe it was of Data being oblivious.

When Tuviece asked if someone might walk her back to her quarters, Data volunteered Reg for the job. Geordi raised his brows and mouthed why at him but Data only looked confused in return.

After Reg and Tuviece had disappeared, Data and Geordi chatted idly as they made their way toward Data’s quarters.

“Data, what’s the matter? You don’t like the Junior Minister?”

“I like her very much. She is fascinating.”

“Then why’d you send Reg to walk her back to her quarters?”

“His quarters are closer to hers.”

“Sure, I guess that’s logical.”

“Have I turned down another invitation, Geordi?”

“Well… Yeah, actually.”

“But why would she prefer me to walk with her?”

“Data…” whispered Geordi as they came up to the door to Data’s quarters. He turned and leaned against the bulkhead, crossing his arms and pulling up a leg to press his foot into the metal behind him.

Data came close, anticipating Geordi continuing to speak quietly.

“She likes you, Data.”

“And I like her too, but—”

“No, she’s interested in you. Romantically.”

“Oh.”

“And if you don’t want to engage with her in that way, that’s obviously up to you. But I just thought you should know so that you have the choice.”

“Oh,” Data repeated.

“I mean, because I have feelings for you too,” Geordi blurted out before he could lose his nerve. “And you don’t have to acknowledge that either. But I just wanted you to know all your options, because if you don’t know—”

“Do you believe I have offended the Junior Minister?”

“Oh… I… maybe a little, but not detrimentally so.”

“So you do not think that I should interact with her on a romantic level in order to maintain diplomacy?”

“Oh, no, Data she’s not going to be angry if you don’t like her. Only go for it if you want to. It’s about what you want.”

“I see no reason to. I’ve already attempted to have a relationship once and it failed.”

“You—Data, that was like three days.”

“It was nine.”

“Okay, but Data, that’s not how it works. Relationships aren’t pass or fail, and you’re supposed to keep trying until you find the right fit for you. I mean, that is, unless you don’t want to.”

“Would explaining this to me require lying about having these types of feelings for me?”

“Lying? I wasn’t lying.”

“Then why would you choose now to tell me?”

“When do you think the best time would have been?”

“Whenever it first became true, which I’m assuming wasn’t during this conversation.”

“Well… that’s easier said than done, Data.”

“Why, if you have these feelings, would you push me toward someone else?”

“I’m not pushing you. I just wanted you to know the opportunities. I just want you to be—” he almost said happy but stopped himself. “Satisfied,” he finished, “I want you to have what you want.”

“I like challenges, but most humans I have observed seem to enjoy relationships more when they are less challenging. A familiarity seems to help in anticipating and preventing challenges. I would also personally prefer a relationship that lasted a significant amount of time, as I haven’t experienced that yet. And since I don’t have a sex drive, there’s nothing pulling me toward the momentary interlude I would have with Junior Minister Tuviece.”

“I see.”

Geordi was so resistant to getting his hopes up that he almost looked sad, and Data put a hand on his shoulder with a look of concern.

“So, you are the obvious choice,” said Data.

“Excuse me?”

“You are the obvious choice for me to be in a relationship with.”

“But you can choose no one. You don’t have to be in a relationship.”

“I’m… unsure why you keep repeating the same point. But you have presented me with an opportunity and I am taking it. Unless you are taking back what you have said.”

“No! No, I’m not taking it back.”

“Excellent,” Data said moving forward and kissing Geordi with little grace.

“Data, Data,” mumbled Geordi, “You’re pressing on my visor.”

“I apologize.”

“Maybe we should go inside.”

“Your quarters are more comfortable,” said Data.

“You’re incapable of physical discomfort.”

“I would like you to be comfortable.”

“If you insist,” Geordi said pushing off the bulkhead and starting off for his own quarters.

“Geordi?” Data asked.

“Yes, Data?”

“There are several things that, due to my lack of time in relationships, I have yet to experience… that I would like to.”

“Let’s… let’s wait until we get into my quarters, and then… you can tell me all about them.”

 As this particular mission came to an end the captain, his chief engineer, his first officer, his second officer, and… Reg, walked with their multitude of guests to transporter room 1.

“It was a pleasure meeting you, High Minister Bieve,” said the Captain Picard.

“The feeling is mutual, Captain,” he replied as he joined several others on the transporter pad. One of the trackers blew Riker a kiss, and then the group was gone.

The Junior Minister was the last to leave, and as she turned back toward them on the transporter pad, she told them how much she’d enjoyed spending time with all of them.

Just before she disappeared, she said, “I’ll write to you, Reginald,” and winked.

Reg blushed.

“Barclay!” said Geordi once she was gone, “Did you—?”

“It’s none of your business,” he replied without missing a beat.

“Reg!” Geordi shouted, clapping him on the back.

Speaking for the first time, Riker said, “I guess everybody got laid this weekend.”

The Captain pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, but admittedly, he did it with a smile.

[pearfight]

RIKER HAS A BABY FACE 🥺

it’s so weird seeing him w/o his beard...