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ladyfogg · 1 year ago

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May I? - 43/52

Fic Summary: Ensign Faith Diaz struggles to hide her mental illness from her fellow shipmates aboard the Enterprise until an intrigued Data goes out of his way to try to understand her behavior. At his insistence, Faith tries to figure out what she’s truly passionate about and eventually seeks the professional help she needs. Fic Masterpost.

Fic Rating: NC-17

Pairing: Data/Female OC

Warnings: tw: depression, tw: anxiety, fluff, friends to lovers, eventual smut

Data came back to himself slowly and with disorientation. As one by one his systems came online, he became aware of the sounds around him: two voices having a conversation, though he was unable to distinguish exact words at first. There was pain throughout his body and occasionally his limbs twitched involuntarily, the aftershocks of some kind of electrical weapon, powerful enough to render him unconscious for a time.

“When…back…?”

“…hours.”

“…what of the others?”

“They were…not the delegates. No telling where they were... We have to keep moving if we want to stay ahead of the Federation.”

His processes started to catch up and bit by bit he caught more of the conversations and put the pieces together.

“Only sentient android in existence in our hands. Didn’t think he could pull it off.”

“Yeah, me neither. I know we’re supposed to wait but I want to get in there and see how this thing is constructed.”

“What about—”

“Nothing he can do about it once it happens. Hand me that toolkit.”

Data heard all he needed to hear. The moment he felt someone move in close, he reacted. Eyes flying open, he had enough time to take in two Cardassians leaning over him before he lashed out. One man went flying into the wall as Data punched him as hard as possible which, even without his usual strength, was enough to do significant damage. Certainly enough to knock him out.

The other proved more of a struggle. He seized Data from behind, locking his arms around his chest. Data threw his head back, satisfied with the sickening crack of the man’s nose breaking. He released his hold in an attempt to reach for a com panel but Data seized the back of his head and smashed it into his knee until the man lay limp on the ground.

While still somewhat disoriented, Data had processed enough to know that he was on his own. The room they had him in was small, meant for nothing other than storage and it was not until he stood still that he could feel the subtle sway of a ship, a small transport one if he had to guess. His uniform was gone, leaving him nude which only served to increase the vulnerability he felt. A quick look around produced a spare jumpsuit from a cache of emergency supplies.

Once dressed, he turned to the door, which unfortunately would not open when he tried the panel. It seemed to require a handprint so Data grabbed the arm of the nearest unconscious Cardassian and lifted it high enough to press his hand to the pad. There was a click and then the door slid open.

He found himself at the end of a short hallway, which made him pause, ears straining to hear something, anything that could give him more information.

With nowhere to go but forward, Data pressed on. Through another door lay a semi-open area that narrowed again several feet ahead. To the right, a table and chairs beside a replicator and, to the left, one more door. Hesitation tossed aside, Data went through it and came face to face with one more Cardassian.

The room, if it could be called such, held a desk with a terminal and chair, and nothing else. Data’s abductor jumped to his feet.

“What are you doing loose? And what have you done with my men?” he demanded.

“It is I who will be asking the questions.” Data reached across the terminal and yanked the man over it even as he struggled to get away. “Where are you taking me?”

“It’s no use fighting,” the man told him with a wild grin. “Whoever delivered you is long gone and they have no idea where you are. The Cardassian empire will be most pleased to have such an exquisite piece of technology in their possession.”

Data understood him to be correct. He did not have his communicator and if they were no longer on the same planet, as was clear by the ship, it would be difficult for the Enterprise to find him without assistance. However, he also knew they would not stop until they did.

“I will not cooperate,” he said. “And when the Federation learns what you have done, they will react accordingly.”

The man yanked himself out of Data’s grasp, straightening his clothes as he did. “If they learn,” he said. “Obara is far from Federation space. By the time they figure it out, it will be too late.”

“Who are you?”

“Konro. Vorbos Konro.”

Data could not imagine the person in front of him was the imposing figurehead they had thought him to be. Though his words were strong, his posture was anything but and his eyes kept darting to the door behind Data, as if waiting for someone or attempting to find a means of escape.

He would imagine someone with such extensive reach as Konro would not be flying in a small transport vessel with only, as far as Data could tell, two crewmen. Nor would he have been caught unaware.

On a hunch, he asked, “Are you the only Vorbos Konro?”

The man tilted his chin up as if attempting to make himself seem bigger than he was. “I am the current one,” he said.

“What happened to the last?”

“Vorbos Konro is a moniker, not a single person. When one leaves, someone else comes in to take their place, to use the name for whatever they need. It helps maintain the reputation and connections.”

That was what Data was afraid of. Another seemingly dead end. Another path in the wrong direction.

“I see,” he said, slowly moving around the desk. The man tried to back up but the wall was already behind him. “I have another question and I want you to think hard before you speak because my reaction will depend on your answer. Why were you highly focused on Faith? What did you want with her?”

His abductor blinked, looking confused. “Who?”

Data had a sinking sensation he associated with dread. “Faith. The young woman whose picture was in your files thousands of times, the one who was photographed with me and then alone.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Data concluded there was no reason for him to lie. “I believe you,” he said, then he lunged.

It was not much of a struggle. Konro was clearly not used to physical combat and Data overpowered him quickly, knocking him out as he had done the other two. Once the man was in a heal on the floor, Data sat at the terminal, however, it quickly became apparent he would need to find the main computer to have full access to the ship’s systems.

After storing all three Cardassians in the room he had woken in, and breaking the panel to prevent them from leaving, he went in search of the cockpit. The ship was indeed small and he found what he was looking for just beyond the small sitting area.

It was on autopilot, which suited him fine for the moment, but provided an additional dilemma. The main console was locked and Data was unfamiliar with Cardassian ships. If he had his processing power and full android technical skills he could infiltrate learn in a matter of seconds.

But he did not.

Frustration welled within and Data felt tears streaming down his cheeks. A moment later, his breathing became erratic and when it dawned on him that he was experiencing an oncoming anxiety attack, he forced himself to remember the breathing techniques he had instructed Faith in numerous times. It was infinitely harder than he imagined it to be and took several long moments to help.

You can do this, he told himself. You have to do this. There is no other option. Breathe and then think.

Data made several attempts to gain access, though they were unsuccessful. He was moments away from using some particularly colorful language he had learned from Faith when one of the buttons in front of him started to flash and beep. Not knowing what else to do, he pressed it.

The view screen lit up as Data opened the message, he found himself looking at, well, himself. Almost himself. The visage had several deep scratches across his face which showed the barest hint of flashing lights.

“Hello, brother,” Lore said with a smile. “I thought you’d be waking soon.”

Hands clenched into fists, Data’s body tightened with tension as he gazed at the image of his nefarious brother. “Lore, what have you done?” he demanded.

Lore chuckled, his grin widening. “Me? What makes you say that?”

It all made sense. Data was finally starting to see the full picture. “You were behind everything,” he accused. “Fajo’s escape and our kidnapping, the information and photos taken from the Enterprise, Konro…”

“How quickly you catch on.”

“Why?”

“Many reasons. Care to guess a few? You’re gonna be there a while, might as well get comfortable.”

His lack of a proper answer got under Data’s skin and he felt his anger grow. “Whatever your plan is, I have stopped you before and I will stop you again. The Enterprise—”

“The Enterprise isn’t even looking for you,” Lore cut him off. “Well, that’s not true. They are but in the wrong direction and for the wrong reasons.”

“You took my place.”

“Now you’re getting it. You disappoint me, brother. I thought you were smarter than this. I thought you would have already figured everything out by now. Perhaps screwing around with that human has been a distraction.”

Hearing his brother so easily diminish Data’s relationship with Faith only added fuel to the raging fire.

“Lore, whatever you are planning will not work.”

“You don’t even know what my plan is so how do you know it won’t work?”

“Faith. She will know you are not me.”

Lore’s face changed and his arrogant smirk melted into a look of annoyance. “Yes, your little girlfriend. She did put up quite the fight. She’s a lot smarter than I thought she would be. And she’s scrappy. I’ll admit, I underestimated her.”

“Unsurprising and an incredibly stupid thing for you to do.”

“Listen to you. You’re all snippy now.”

“I have learned a lot since we last saw each other. And, you should know, there is not anything I would not do for Faith. Brother or not, I will disassemble you and send the pieces into the nearest sun.”

“Wow, this relationship has changed you, brother,” Lore said, impressed. “You know, even though humans are so beneath us, I can see why you are drawn to this one. She does have a certain irresistible charm.”

Data slowly stood, leaning on the console to bring himself closer to the view screen and, by default, Lore. He caught Lore’s use of “this”. He understood what that meant.

“Where is Faith? What have you done to her?” he demanded.

Lore grinned. “Oh, don’t worry about Ms. Diaz. I am taking very good care of her. We’re going to get to know each other.”

Vision tinted red, it took every ounce of Data’s willpower to refrain from punching the view screen. “Lore, if you hurt her—”

Lore rolled his eyes and lifted his hand. “I won’t harm a curly hair on her pretty head. Scout’s honor.”

“I do not believe you.”

“Good because I’m lying.” Lore glanced off to the side for a second before looking back at Data. “Oh, it seems our sleeping beauty is waking up. I’ll tell her you said, ‘hi’. Goodbye, brother. As always, I enjoyed our little reunion.”

“Lore! LORE!” Data yelled but it did not change anything. The message ended and he was left alone in the cockpit of a ship he could not fly in a section of space he did not know.

Data was unfamiliar with the sensation of hopelessness until that moment. With all his training and knowledge, the overwhelming combination of emotions he could not control, in a situation he could not get out of, nearly sent him into another spiral. The only thing holding him together was the fact that he needed to get to Faith.

But he knew that would not be enough.

It was in that desperation that he realized what he must do.

Looking up at the ceiling, or rather towards what some would call the heavens, Data took a deep breath and said, “Q? Q, I know you are watching. You have proved your point. Please respond.”

There was a moment of silence before a voice sounded behind him, “Now, who could have predicted this would happen?”

Data turned to find Q leaning against the wall behind him, his arms crossed the typical smug expression on his ageless face.

“You knew from the beginning that it was Lore who was after us,” Data said.

“Not from the very beginning. I do have a life outside of you humans, you know. But yes, eventually I became aware.”

“Then it is your fault Lore has kidnapped Faith.”

Q looked bemused. “Come now, Data, I thought you had evolved passed the blame game. I didn’t help him. He did it all on his own.”

“But you did not stop him either. You could have told us so we would have been prepared. Instead, you decided to test me. If anything happens to Faith, it is on your conscience.”

“How dare you accuse me of having such a human thing as a conscience? You take that back!”

“I will not.”

“Really, Data, I did you a favor. I let you experience what it would be like to be mortal and how things would change if you didn’t have those android capabilities you rely so heavily on.”

“I am under no illusions that this was for my benefit.”

“Alright fine, a little bit was for my amusement but I was honestly trying to help.”

Data supposed in Q’s twisted mind, it made sense. Of course, he would think he was helping. Never mind that Data has staunchly refused, to Q, he was all-knowing and therefore was always right.

“I believe you think that you were,” he said.

“See? I knew you’d see it my way. I’ll take that apology whenever you’re ready.”

“Not until you reverse what you have done to me.”

Q raised his eyebrow and stood up straight at that. “Finally come to the realization you are better off as you are?”

“I would not say I am better or worse,” Data clarified. “Both have their advantages and disadvantages. While I will cherish the time I had with Faith living as a human, it is my android capabilities that will require me to save her. And her safety is worth more than any emotion. I will also remind you of what I said to you before: she fell in love with me as I was, therefore there is no reason to change.”

“Yes, yes, that’s all well and good and noble. But, until I hear you say that I was right—”

Data bit back a heavy sigh. “You were right.”

Q’s face lit up and he snapped his fingers. “Done.”

Everything around Data brightened and the noise of the ship increased to such a degree that he would have become overwhelmed if he had not anticipated the change. That storm of emotion diminished significantly though did not fade away. It lingered just on the precipice without overtaking him. His mind was brought back into focus and before he could lament any loss, he turned his attention back to the console.

“Thank you, Q.”

His hands and mind went to work, resulting in gaining access to the main computer within seconds.

Q patted Data on the shoulder and leaned in. “Good luck. Let’s hope your realization of your talents doesn’t come too late.”

Data paused for a fraction of a second to contemplate what he meant, however, when he turned his head to ask, Q was gone. He could not bring himself to care about the being. There were other more pressing matters to attend to.

Once in the system, Data was able to find out what sector he was in. He quickly engaged warp drive and headed back in the direction they came. Unaware of what the Enterprise’s heading was, he could only hope that they would be within range to receive subspace communication quickly.

“Enterprise, this is a message from Lieutenant Commander Data,” he recorded in a message. “I was taken from the planet by Konro and his men, while Lore was sent in my place. I have commandeered a Cardassian transport vessel and am on my way back to Obara. Please respond.”

The message was sent, and all Data could do was wait for a response.

Meanwhile, he downloaded the ship’s logs and monitored sensors to ensure he was not being tracked or followed. It was nearly two hours later when that red light started flashing again. Except this time, Data already knew who it was from.

“Captain,” he said with relief as the Enterprise appeared on the view screen. “I am grateful you were still in this system.”

“And we are grateful for some answers to your odd behavior,” Picard said. “Though, Mr. Crusher had put the pieces together right before receiving your transmission. The Enterprise is on its way to intercept. We’ll have you back within the hour.”

“Sir, Lore has Faith.”

The grave expression on the captain’s face spoke volumes. “We’re aware, Data. We are doing everything to track them. Sit tight. Picard out.”

Data was left alone with his racing thoughts. He did everything in his power to increase the speed of the ship which shaved off several minutes of travel time. Meanwhile, he mentally ran through numerous scenarios and computations, trying to think of where Lore could be headed. In an infinite universe, how can he catch an android who thought and anticipated as he did?

By the time he was beamed aboard the Enterprise, his list was astronomical.

“You will find three Cardassians in the store room of the ship,” he told Lieutenant Worf who stood by the transporter, waiting. “One is Konro, though I have learned that name is a moniker.”

“They will be taken care of,” Worf assured him, motioning for his waiting security team to handle it. “Commander Data, I must once again apologize.”

“For what, Lieutenant?”

Worf huffed, signaling his displeasure. “Yet again, I failed to take care of Lieutenant Diaz. She was taken literally from my grasp! If had been more vigilant—”

“Lieutenant,” Data interrupted. “Lore posed as me and has been planning this switch and abduction for months, possibly years. There was nothing you could do. If anything, I should have figured it out sooner.”

Worf motioned to the door and the two of them left the transporter room. “It looks like she put up quite the fight,” he explained. “From what I saw, she did not go willingly.”

“I must see our quarters,” Data said as he moved passed the lift to the Bridge. “There may be a clue as to where he has taken her.”

“We haven’t found any.”

“I may have better luck.”

Data was aware that he was supposed to report to the captain but, for once, he ignored regulation. His protective program had taken control and nothing could override it. Worf kept pace, using his com to let Picard know where they were headed.

The first thing Data noticed when they reached his floor was the wall panel across from his door had been broken, glass littering the floor. His keen eye picked up small drops of blood amount the rubble.

Lore did not bleed, but Faith did.

Geordi and Beverly were already in Data’s quarters. The former was scanning every inch with his tricorder while the latter had Spot in her arms, giving her a full examination.

“Data!” Geordi exclaimed when he saw him. “I’m so sorry. We didn’t know it was Lore.”

“As I told Lieutenant Worf, there is no need to apologize.” Data crossed towards Beverly with concern. “Is Spot injured?”

“No, she’s okay. Just a little ruffled,” Beverly said, handing the feline over to her owner. “She was a little dazed when I got here but quickly came around. I found some synthetic material on her nails. Looks like she knew what we didn’t.”

Data cradled his cat, grateful she was unharmed. “Thank you for trying to stop Lore,” he said, earning a light head-butt from Spot. After which she jumped out of his arms and made a beeline for the closet. He let her hide as he turned to his crew mates. “Have you found anything?”

“Traces of Faith’s blood in the hall on that panel and floor,” Beverly said, putting her tricorder into her pocket. “But it’s small. She’s injured, most likely with a concussion judging by what Worf saw. I don’t know if Lore hurt her in another way.”

“I do not believe he has,” Data said. “He spoke to me while I was on the ship and made a comment about getting to know her. I do not think injuring her on purpose is his goal.”

“Otherwise he would have done so as soon as they were alone,” Geordi supplied as he examined the remains of Data’s coffee table. “None of her blood is here so not sure what happened to the table.”

Worf spoke up. “When I saw them, she was a few seconds ahead of him out the door, meaning she broke free of his hold,” he said. “I have been training Faith over the last few days. She must have used his weight against him, thrown herself backward to knock him off balance. It was a technique we had tried once or twice.”

“Backwards, onto the coffee table,” Geordi said, mostly to himself as he constructed the fight in his mind. “He lets go so she scrambles away, manages to call for security, but he’s too fast.”

“Not fast enough,” Beverly picked up. “He wasn’t anticipating Spot. She attacks and scratches him, giving Faith a few seconds head start.”

“She gets into the hall but he grabs her again, they smash into the panel,” Worf finished. “And he transports them away.”

“Which must mean he had a ship nearby,” Data pointed out. “One that could avoid the sensors. He is familiar enough with our systems to know how to surpass them and given the cloaking technology Fajo had, Lore may have it as well.”

“We might still be able to track it now that I have all the spec information on that type of cloaking, but none of that means anything if we can’t even figure out what direction they’re going,” Geordi said.

“And, we also have to assume he has Faith sedated somehow,” Beverly suggested. “So she won’t be able to break free and try to get away again.”

Data felt a nudge on his leg and he looked down to find Spot head-butting him. He found her behavior strange considering her affinity for hiding when other people were in the room. She wound her way through his legs, looking up at him with her wide eyes.

“Now is not the time to play, Spot,” Data said, gently shooing her away. He turned back to his friends. “As well as I know Lore, I do not know the reach of his deceptions or resources. He has had much time to—”

A loud drawn-out meow interrupted him, followed by a nip at Geordi’s ankle.

“Ah! Goddamn cat, I swear to God, Data…” Geordi swore, shaking his foot. “What’s her problem?”

Frowning, Data looked down, confused about Spot’s overt behavior. Seeing she had their attention, she meowed louder and trotted over to the closet. It was not until she began pawing at the clothes on the ground that he realized she was trying to show them something.

“What did you find, kitty?” Beverly asked. As she was the closest, she knelt to rummage through the cloth. When she stood back up, she extended her hand to show Faith’s communicator.

“Lore must have thrown it in the struggle,” Worf said. “He would have known she could use it to reach out to us.”

Data’s heart sank and took the device from Beverly.

Geordi closed his tricorder and swore. “Shit,” he said. “There goes tracking her badge.”

Data’s fingers closed around the cool metal as he stood rooted in place. He touched the place where his own badge normally would be, only to remember it wasn’t there. At first, he assumed Lore would have taken it along with his uniform until he remembered something extremely important.

Which gave him an idea. “Computer,” he said. “Where is Lieutenant Commander Data?”

“Lieutenant Commander Data is not aboard the Enterprise.”

Data swung around to face the others. “Faith took my communicator before I left, which means if it is not registering that I am on the Enterprise—”

“Then Faith still has it on her!” Beverly exclaimed.

“Which means we can still track her,” Worf said.

“Again, only if we have a direction,” Geordi reminded them.

Data had to think. Even with the massive list of places he had compiled he needed something, anything, that could narrow it down.

“Let us go to the Bridge and tell Captain Picard our findings,” he suggested. “At the very least we can scan for my badge in this system. Lore may have had a head start but he is limited to his ship’s speed.”

“Agreed,” Worf said.

“I’ll head to Engineering and make sure Lore didn’t do anything that would slow us down. I don’t think he had time but I don’t want to take any chances,” Geordi said.

“I’ll do a final sweep here and make sure we didn’t miss anything,” Beverly offered.

The group separated, with Data and Worf heading for the Bridge with quiet determination. The captain, Commander Riker, and Counselor Troi were there, as well as Wesley, who was running Ops.

Picard turned to them the moment they step off the turbo-lift. “Good to have you back, Commander,” he greeted Data.

“Sir, we have discovered that Faith does not have her communicator, however, she does have mine which means we can still track her with our sensors,” Data explained, skipping the pleasantries.

Picard nodded towards Worf, who was already inputting the information at his station. “Lieutenant, anything?”

A moment later, Worf sighed. “Nothing. She is no longer in his system.”

“Where would Lore take her?” Wesley asked. “What does he want with Faith in the first place?”

“That is what I have been trying to deduce for the last hour,” Data answered. “There are too many variables to consider.”

“Maybe not,” Deanna spoke up. “Data, Lore has been obsessed with you and now that obsession has transferred to Faith. We all know how insanely jealous he is of what you have, to the point of stealing the emotion chip meant for you. Finding out where he is going may lie in those emotions rather than logic.”

“You know him and Faith better than anyone else, Data,” Riker said. “Where is somewhere significant to you and Faith? You met on the Enterprise, yes, but—”

Data already had the answer before Riker could finish.

“Tridas 6S,” he said. “The Sunterre Isles, where Faith and I had our first shore leave together. It is a special place, one where we truly cemented our relationship and intimacy. Faith had been quite paranoid when we arrived and was questioning if we were truly alone. At the time, we assumed it was her anxiety and I assured her that we were but—”

“But maybe you weren’t,” Deanna said. “Lore could have easily spied on you without you knowing.”

“Ensign Ro, set a course for Tridas 6S,” Picard ordered.

“Already on it, Captain,” Ro said, her hands dancing wildly as she inputted the coordinates. “At maximum warp, we can make it there in two days. However, they do have a five-hour head start. We might be able to catch up.”

“Engage!”

Data made a move to relieve Wesley but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

Picard was stern though there was a gentleness to his gaze. “Mr. Data, I understand your determination and concern,” he said. “But I’m also aware of how exhausted you must be. You need to rest.”

“I no longer feel exhaustion,” Data told him. “Q has returned me to the way I was, at my insistence.”

He could sense a change in his crew mates at his announcement, particularly those he was close to. Deanna and Riker both had expressions of sympathy which Data understood, yet felt was unnecessary. He was more concerned about Faith’s safety rather than his own personal situation.

“Data,” Wesley said. “I’m sorry you had to give that up.”

“I did not give anything up, only regained what I needed to help Faith.”

“Well then, take your station, Mr. Data,” Picard ordered. “Let’s get our Lieutenant back.”

“Aye, sir.”

Wesley moved, allowing Data to sit at his console. He was filled with determination. Determination to catch up to Lore and not leave or even move from his station until they reached Tridas.

He only hoped they would not be too late.

#Lt. Commander Data #commander data #lt commander data #data tng #data soong #data x oc #faith diaz #may i?#star trek next generation

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ladyfogg · 1 year ago

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May I? - 42/52

Fic Rating: NC-17

Pairing: Data/Female OC

Warnings: tw: depression, tw: anxiety, fluff, friends to lovers, eventual smut

A/N: I have been waiting to write this chapter for the last three years. Enjoy ;)

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As she watched Data and the others disappear off the transporter, Faith let out a slow exhale. There was nothing she could do but wait for their return. Beside her, Captain Picard squeezed her shoulder before he led her from the room.

“They’ll be back before you know it,” he assured her.

Not that long ago she may have found his tone on the patronizing side. However, now she was comforted by the gesture and appreciated the attempt to reassure her.

“I wanted to join the away team,” Faith admitted to him. “But Data begged me not to. Time is going to crawl by while I wait.”

Picard dropped his hand and they walked side by side towards the turbo-lifts. “I am pleased to hear you were willing to volunteer,” he said, pride evident in his voice. “That shows great initiative, Lieutenant. I’ll keep you in mind for the future.”

She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. On one hand, approval from an authority figure definitely released some serotonin, on the other, it also released anxiety over actually doing an away mission. Pushing it away, she refused to let it overtake her. She had to keep her mind sharp and focused.

“If you don’t need anything from me, Captain, I’ll be reporting to Engineering,” she said.

“Understood. Dismissed.”

He kept walking as she took the turbo-lift. Once alone, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, held it for a few seconds, then slowly exhaled. She was in the middle of repeating the process when the lift stopped and Ensign Ro stepped on.

“Everything okay, Lieutenant?” she asked, before requesting the deck she required.

“Frustrated,” Faith told her. “The away team is dealing with the jerk who was responsible for my kidnapping and I have to just…”

“Stay behind?” Ro offered. When Faith nodded, she shook her head and made a noise of disgust. “I’d be wound up too if it were me.”

“I know as Starfleet officers we can’t take things personally but this is personal.”

“It doesn’t get more personal than holding you against your will based on who you’re involved with.”

Faith wasn’t surprised Ro had some knowledge of the situation considering her position on the Bridge. It made sense that she would have overheard and witnessed enough to get the gist of things. In all honesty, it felt nice to hear the perspective of someone who wasn’t a senior officer. There was a deeper sense of camaraderie there from someone who was in a similar position as she was: there but not necessarily on the inside.

“There was evidence that it was more than that, that I was the focal point as well,” Faith said.

Ro’s eyebrows shot up. “Seriously?” When Faith nodded, she asked, “What kind of evidence?”

By now the lift had reached Engineering and though Ro was headed to a different floor, she followed Faith to continue the conversation.

“Photos. Lots of photos of me and me and Data around the ship.”

Ro crossed her arms as if to hug herself. “That’s vile. God, now I wish I went on the away mission too to punch the guy myself.”

“Aww, Ro, you care.”

She rolled her eyes but Faith saw a slight flush in her cheeks. “I hate bullies,” she clarified. “And I hate those who prey on others. Yeah, there’s a risk that comes with being on a starship but we should be able to go about our business without being stalked but some unknown entity.”

“You would think, right?”

“I will say this, you’re handling it a lot better than I would be.”

“Oh, this is all a façade. Inside, I am running around in circles screaming.”

To her surprise, Ro snorted with laughter. “Fantastic mental image.”

Just outside of Engineering, they came to a stop. “This is my stop,” Faith said.

Ro nodded but as Faith made a move towards the door, she said, “Hey, if they’re not back by the end of your shift. Let’s get a drink. You shouldn’t have to be alone while you wait.”

Faith smiled graciously. “Yeah, okay, I’d like that.”

They parted ways and Faith took her place in Engineering. With all the staff back on hand, there was a fair amount of coordinating that needed to be done, including assignments for new crew members. She did the best she could to throw herself into the work. Yet, her mind kept drifting, wondering if they had encountered Konro yet and if the disguises had worked. Had the transmitters gotten the work done? Were they able to fool the escort enough to even get to the planet?

It wasn’t long before the questions became too overwhelming. Faith was at her desk when an idea struck that sent her to her feet. She marched through Engineering nearly running into Barclay.

“Lieutenant, everything okay?” he asked.

“Everything’s fine. Standby to reroute controls to the Bridge.”

“Yes, sir.”

Faith took the turbo-lift with determination. Just because she couldn’t go on the mission didn’t mean she couldn’t still help. When she stepped off the lift, Captain Picard turned to look at her, eyebrows drawn together in concern.

“Can I help you, Lieutenant Diaz?” he asked.

“Permission to assist in monitoring the away mission with you, sir,” she said, standing at attention. “My knowledge in this matter could be of assistance and having built the transmitters, I can step in to troubleshoot should there be any issues.”

It was silent enough to hear a pin drop. Worf stood at his tactical station and when she caught his eye, she couldn’t help but think she saw a glimmer of pride. The captain studied her for a moment and then, to her relief, he nodded.

“Permission granted. You may take this seat,” he ordered, motioning to the chair Deanna usually occupied.

Exhaling slowly, Faith’s legs felt like jelly as she crossed to the chair. As she sat, she saw Ro at the helm. The young woman nodded with approval and smirked as she turned back to her work.

Faith hit the com panel on her chair, “Diaz to Engineering, reroute controls to this console.”

“Understood, Lieutenant. Controls rerouted,” Barclay’s voice came through.

Faith turned to Picard. “Has the team made contact?”

“Yes, a few minutes ago. They are on their way to Obara now. We won’t follow until we’re out of sensor range of their escort.”

It was Faith’s turn to nod. She brought up the transmitter readouts so that she could monitor in real time. As terrifying as it was to be on the Bridge, she found it was a lot quieter than Engineering. Then again, it was also way more tense.

Worf’s terminal beeped. “Sir, the shuttle has landed outside of Konro’s compound.”

“Acknowledged,” Picard responded.

Faith reached into her pocket to touch Data’s com badge. She hated that she had to take it from him while the others could keep theirs, as they could hide them better and wouldn’t be searched as thoroughly. Touching the cool metal though gave her an idea.

“Captain, I can reconfigure the away team’s com badges from here to listen in on their conversation once we’re in range,” she suggested. “That way we can hear what is happening. It’ll take a couple of minutes but it’ll give us some idea of what’s going on.”

“Do it.”

Faith used her access to set up a subroutine that would remotely turn on the com badge's microphone. It wasn’t a difficult feat comparatively, however, the fact that she sat right next to the captain did lay on the pressure. She could feel the sweat dripping down the back of her neck and under her collar.

Come on, you can do this in your sleep, she told herself. Just focus.

“They are out of sensor range,” Worf announced.

“Ensign, take us in, warp three. Once we’re out, use impulse only to get us as close to the planet as possible without going into standard orbit.”

“Aye, sir,” Ro responded. “Warp three, engaged.”

Faith kept working and by the time they were in position, she managed her goal. A moment later, Riker’s voice came through to the Bridge.

“Come now, Dulcer, Enil. Let’s not leave our benefactor waiting.”

Faith couldn’t help the small triumphant grin on her face.

“And you’re sure the android will be safe there until Mr. Konro can examine him?” Deanna asked, doing an excellent imitation of Dulcer.

“Of course. Mr. Konro is diligent when it comes to security. Nothing comes in or out without his knowledge and he only hires the best.”

“He’ll be fine,” Riker assured them. “I have complete trust in our benefactor.”

The silence on the Bridge was tense as they listened to the group move throughout the compound to where Konro waited for them. Faith’s body was tight and her shoulders were nearly by her ears as the moments ticked by. There was the swish of a door and they heard Konro’s voice for the first time.

“Well, well, well. To what do I owe the honor of this visit?”

“Vorbos Konro, I presume? We are the delegates from Vangar and have delivered what Fajo failed to,” Riker said.

“So I’ve been told. And am I to presume you did this purely out of the goodness of your hearts?”

“I wouldn’t go that far. There is much to discuss.”

“I agree. Please, have a seat. Doran, go gather refreshments.”

His aid didn’t speak as he left but the swish of the doors signaled his exit. There was a beat of silence where Faith imagined Konro taking the other three in.

“I have to say, I was surprised to get your message,” he said.

“I’m sure,” Riker responded. “To be honest, we’ve always found Fajo to be rather short-sighted. More concerned for his collection rather than the bigger picture.”

“Oh? And what do you think the bigger picture is?”

“Let’s not beat around the bush,” Geordi spoke up. “We have something that you want and something you need, just as you have something we want and need.”

“Direct. I heard that about you, Enil.”

“And we heard you have a lot of pull in this region.”

“You could say that.”

“I’m sure you’re aware of the Vangar’s seclusion,” Deanna said. “We choose our friends very carefully.”

“Are you saying we’re friends?”

“We could be,” Riker said. “For the right price.”

“I’m intrigued. Although, one android is hardly a reason for us to become friends.”

“It’s not just the android we bring. As your aid can confirm, we also have a cloaking device. Not Romulan or Klingon. Something entirely different, another gift from Fajo.”

“Who knew it would be so generous after his death?”

“Imagine that.”

Faith fidgeted in her seat, incredibly uncomfortable with the entire exchange. it didn’t sit right with her, not that anything that was happening did. She realized she had drawn the captain’s attention with her movements and leaned closer to him so she could quietly ask, “Do you find it strange he hasn’t said a thing about Data? Hasn’t asked about him at all?”

Picard’s face echoed her concern. “I was thinking the same thing,” he responded.

The unease she felt earlier only increased. It took everything to stop fidgeting. Instead, she busied herself with the terminal, quietly checking on Konro’s defenses. They were strong, yet not as strong as she would have expected. She was able to pick up the signal from their coms and their sensors could pick up the life forms surrounding them, but that was it for now.

“Can you get a lock on them, Mr. Worf?” Picard asked.

“Not yet,” Worf answered. “But we can track them for now.”

“Captain, I can try to see if I can break into Konro’s systems from here,” Faith said. “But I’m unsure of his fail-safes. Considering what happened to the Enterprise when Data tried to decrypt the files…”

“Hold off,” Picard ordered. “We’ll wait for Mr. Data to try on his end.”

“I will admit, I’m intrigued,” Konro told them. “But, first things first, how did you know Fajo was working for me? It wasn’t exactly public knowledge.”

“You know how Fajo is. Once he’s proud of something you’ll never stop hearing about it,” Riker said. “We were introduced to the android during a dinner. Fajo hinted he had help and after that, it didn’t take much to get him to reveal more.”

“And his death? What do you know of that?”

“A testament to the android’s strength. I wouldn’t advise making him angry.”

“He has feelings? It was my understanding that wasn’t the case.”

“We were told that as well, and yet, he beat Fajo within an inch of his life. One doesn’t do that unless it’s personal.”

“Curious. Very curious.”

There was nothing in Konro’s tone or words that he had the obsession with Data as the information had led them to believe. His words seemed cold and unattached, almost like he was speaking from a script.

“Something’s not right,” Faith said out loud. “This doesn’t feel right.”

“I’m inclined to agree,” Picard said. “I get the distinct impression that he’s putting on a show.”

“Are we sure this is actually Konro?”

“We can’t be sure of anything at this point, Lieutenant.”

Through the coms came the sudden sounding of an alarm which sent Faith’s blood pressure through the roof.

Konro’s aid came into the room a second later. “Sir, there’s a security breach! The android is loose!” he exclaimed.

“So, this is your idea of friendship?” Konro snapped at the others.

“Hey, we deactivated him long ago and stored him where your aid told us to,” Riker snapped back. “Your place is supposed to be secure. If he escaped, that’s on you.”

“Seal off the exits and start sweeping each floor and turbo-lift! I want the android caught! As for you three—”

Interference cut the connection without warning and Faith tried desperately to get it back. There was static and then nothing, only the erratic beeping of the com pad she quickly tapped on.

“What’s happening?” Picard demanded.

“I don’t know, some kind of interference. I’m trying to compensate.”

“Have we got a lock on them yet?”

“Aye, sir,” Worf assured him. “However, I am picking up many other signatures throughout the compound.”

“What about Commander Data’s?”

“It’s going to take some time to narrow it down.”

Faith was able to reestablish the connection just as Riker’s voice said, “Riker to Enterprise.”

“We’re here, Number One,” Picard responded. “What’s happening down there?”

“Konro has locked us in a room and then he went off to find out what’s happening.”

Just then, Faith saw the Vangar ship downloading information and she realized that Data had gotten to a console. “Sir, Data’s made the connection!” she announced. “We’re downloading Konro’s computer contents now.”

“Monitor it and make sure the transfer goes through!” Picard ordered. “Number One, you need to find Data so we can beam you all out of there. We haven’t got a lock on his signature.”

“Geordi is trying to get us out now, but—”

“I got you,” Faith interrupted, using the connection to access Konro’s entire system. “Just give me a second to find the right room and…”

“The door’s open, we’re out!”

Picard glanced over at Faith with a smile. “Thank you, Lieutenant. Start going through those files.”

“Yes, sir.”

Faith needed a bigger console so she transferred the access to Engineering Station One and immediately sat down at it. She got to work strengthening the connection with the hope of downloading things faster. Once that was established, she went through some of the information.

It was a plethora of criminal activity. Trade agreements with the Ferengi to dark dealings with some Romulans. She saw a couple of files regarding the Federation but it was going to take time to thoroughly go through them all. Either way, it was a start to what they had been looking for.

"It looks like we got more than enough," she reported. "It's going to take time to sort through it all but from what I see, Konro has a lot to answer for. I've found several of the correspondences that match Fajo's. He's definitely the one that sent Fajo after Data."

"Good! Mr. Worf, I want them out of there the second they find Data."

There was a moment when it looked like someone was trying to shut down the connection but Faith had ample warning thanks to the way she boosted the link. In the back of her mind, she was concerned that the shutdown could mean Data was found out. However, she couldn’t let that stand in her way. She bypassed their orders yet made it appear the shutdown had worked, which could only fool them for so long. Hopefully, it would be long enough.

“Number One, what’s going on down there?” Picard asked, the tenseness in his voice echoing the tension blanketed throughout the Bridge.

“Heavy resistance,” Riker responded, sounding out of breath over the sound of phaser fire.

“Sir, someone tried to shut down the connection so we should assume Data is incapacitated,” Faith told the captain.

“Did you hear that, Commander?”

“Yeah, I heard. We’re on it."

Faith stood at the console, every muscle tight as they waited, and waited, and waited. She busied herself with the progress bar, watching the percentage climb higher until it flashed one word: complete.

A second later, Geordi’s voice sounded through the com. “We got him,” he said. “Looks like they deactivated him and took him to some sort of lab. Transporter, lock on to our signals. Four to beam up.”

Faith slowly exhaled and shared a look of relief with Worf. A second later, he nodded to the captain, “They’re on board.”

“Ensign Ro, take us to the nearest Federation starbase, maximum warp!” barked Picard.

Faith watched the view screen warp and the planet faded into blackness. Only then did she let out a slow exhale. Turning to the captain she asked, “Permission to leave, Captain?”

Picard nodded. “Granted. I’ll come with you. Mr. Worf, you have the Bridge.”

Together he and Faith rode the turbo-lift to transporter room two. It felt like it took forever, like the lift was taking its sweet time getting them to where they wanted to go. Finally, the doors opened, and they were met with Riker, Deanna, Geordi, and Data coming down the hall. They must have reactivated Data as soon as they found him.

As much as she wanted to throw herself into his arms, she restrained herself. “I’m so glad you’re okay,” she told him when they finally met in the hall.

He smiled. “As am I.” Turning to Picard, he said, “I was able to establish a link with Konro’s computer to our systems before I was deactivated. I am unsure if the link was severed afterward.”

“No, it wasn’t, thanks to Lieutenant Diaz,” Picard told him. “We received all the information and preliminary searches found plenty of incriminating evidence. What went wrong?”

“Once it was discovered I was missing, security sounded an alarm,” Data explained. “I avoided them as much as possible but it was difficult once I accessed the main computer. Someone came up behind me and deactivated me. I did not see who it was.”

“That place was crawling with security,” Riker explained. “We barely got out of there in time.”

“Another minute and we would have been overrun,” Deanna said.

Picard nodded in understanding. “Well done, all of you. We’ll reconvene in the morning and you can give me your full report. By then, we should have more information on Konro’s files. Get some rest, you’ve earned it.”

“I need to get these damn prosthetics off, I’m going crazy,” Geordi said, pulling at the fake facial unit.

“Agreed,” Riker and Deanna said at the same time.

They headed in the direction of Sickbay as Picard returned to the Bridge, leaving Data and Faith alone. The moment they were, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. His arms came around her waist, gently returning the hug.

“I was so worried about you,” she whispered.

“There is no need to worry. I am fine.”

She had gotten so used to his new emotional state that it surprised her to find him so subdued. She gathered he was as exhausted as the others and probably hungry too. Not to mention, they were standing in the middle of the hallway where anyone could happen upon them.

“Let’s go to our quarters,” she suggested, pulling away and taking his hand. “You can tell me all about what happened.”

“I would like that very much.”

Smiling, she pulled him in the right direction, eternally grateful that the nightmare was finally over. They didn’t have to worry about Konro anymore. He was finally going to be in custody and she and Data would be able to breathe.

As soon as they were inside, Faith turned to Data, cupped his chin, and pulled him into a kiss. It took a second for him to respond, but once he did he all but knocked her back from the force. It hurt more than anything else and Faith jerked away in response. His arm came around her waist to hold her in place when she pushed on his chest.

“Ow, watch it,” she said. “There’s a difference between pleasure and pain, babe.”

“My apologies. I did not intend to hurt you, only show my appreciation.”

“It’s okay."

She ran her hands up his arms to rest on his shoulder, pushing herself up on tiptoes to kiss him again. His response was much gentler yet, still felt off. Almost like he didn’t quite know what to do with his mouth at first. His teeth roughly nipped her bottom lip and she drew back with a frown.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, I am fine. Why do you ask?"

"I don't know, you seem…" She shook the thought away, not wanting to spoil the mood. "Sorry, ignore me. We’ve both been on edge about this whole thing. I’m just relieved you’re back.”

There was something about how he studied her that made her uneasy. His gaze was intense in a way she couldn’t describe, not quite what it used to be before Q’s intervention and definitely not what it’s been like in the last few days.

“Are you sure you're alright?” she asked. “You seem…off.”

“Do I?”

Faith nodded, detaching herself from his embrace. “Did something happen while you were down there?”

“Nothing out of the ordinary. It was a successful mission and I am glad we were able to receive the information we required. I believe I am still processing that this ordeal is finally over.”

Brushing the feelings off again as her annoying anxiety, she suggested, “Let’s get some dinner and unwind.”

When she took a step towards the replicator, Data took her hand. “Faith, before we continue, I feel as though we should have a discussion.”

A stab of fear sparked through her nervous system like an electrical current and she suddenly found her mouth dry. “Okay,” she said in a soft voice. It wasn’t just the words that made her worried but the way he said them, the carefulness of his tone.

He led her to the couch where they sat, side by side. His expression was one of sympathy which didn’t help her rattled nerves. “I have come to a decision that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later,” he said, taking both her hands in his. "I believe we should end our relationship."

Faith blinked. For a second she thought she imagined what he said but when he continued to stare at her with that blank expression, she realized she hadn't.

"Are…are you serious?"

Data nodded solemnly. "Yes. I believe it is the right course of action."

"What are you talking about? Where is this coming from?"

"I have given it a fair amount of thought and after everything I have put you through, I cannot continue to put your life in danger."

"Data, you haven't put me through anything. None of this is your fault." She reached out to cradle his face. "You know I love you. I don't blame you for this."

He gently took her hands away. "It is not only this situation. We both know I will never be human and cannot give you everything you want, especially the love you feel for me. It would be unwise for me to continue this relationship knowing, in the end, you will be hurt."

Faith was dumbfounded. She was beyond shocked. The words were coming out of Data's mouth and yet they didn't sound like him at all. What the hell was he talking about? Hadn’t they just discovered that he did indeed love her and that what he was feeling had been genuine? This wasn't how this was supposed to go. Why would he break up with her now, when they finally figure out who had been stalking them for months?

Did he see something when he was down there that changed his mind? Was Konro not the culprit and Data was still trying to protect her?

"Data, I don't understand why you're saying this," she told him, getting to her feet. She needed to move, needed to pace as she sorted out her feelings. "I thought we had talked things out before you left. What you're saying to me now doesn't make any sense!"

“I’m sorry to have caused you pain, please know this decision was quite difficult.”

She froze in her tracks, her ears instantly registering what her nerves had been trying to convey since the second the turbo-lift doors opened. Ever so slowly, she turned to look back at him.

“What did you say?”

“I said, I am sorry to have caused you pain—”

She cut him off. “No, you didn’t. You said ‘I’m’ not ‘I am’.”

There was a beat of silence and though his expression never changed, the air around him did. It was suddenly thick, almost enough to choke on.

“I believe in your agitated state you must have misheard,” Data insisted as he stood up. “Perhaps I should escort you to Counselor Troi.”

When he reached for her, she slapped his hands away and backed up. “Don’t fucking touch me!” she barked. “Who are you?”

Data cocked his head, only this time she didn’t find it the least bit endearing. “I am Data.”

Faith shook her head so hard, her hair started to loosen from its braid. “No, no you’re not. Data wouldn’t break up with me, not that way.”

“I understand that it might be difficult for you to accept my decision but my calculations have determined it is the right one for both of us.”

“Oh, really, your calculations told you that?”

Though he continued to take steps in her direction, she kept her distance, putting as much space between them as possible. She was one-hundred percent certain whoever she was looking at was not the man she loved. Setting aside the fact that he couldn’t do his calculations at the moment, he hadn’t shown an ounce of emotion the entire time he’d been back.

There was one final test.

“What do you call me?” she demanded.

“Faith, you are starting to sound hysterical. I am sure Dr. Crusher or Counselor Troi can help.”

“Answer the fucking question! What do you call me?”

“I call you Faith.”

“And what else? What term of endearment?”

There was a pause, which was all she needed.

“I do not feel it is appropriate to use such a name given the termination of our relationship,” “Data” said. “I really think you should go see the doctor.”

“And I think you should stop fucking lying to me! Data would fucking know the nickname he gave me and he wouldn’t gaslight me!”

She was almost to the door. If she backed up a little bit more she would be there. Unfortunately, whoever it was that stood before her noticed that fact as well. In the blink of an eye, he charged and she immediately reached for her com badge as she bolted from him.

“Securi—!”

Seized from behind, a hand slammed over her mouth leaving her in the grips of android strength that was familiar, yet clearly didn’t belong to Data. The badge was ripped from her chest and tossed across the room, disappearing into the closet.

“Well, well, well,” said a voice filled with amused malice. “You’re a lot smarter than I gave you credit for. My brother sure knows how to pick ‘em.”

Cold realization crashed over Faith like a tidal wave and she felt the bile rise in her throat. Every instinct told her to fight but she heard Worf’s voice in her head.

He knows you’re going to struggle so don’t give him what he wants.

So she didn’t fight back, because she knew it was pointless. Even with the basics of training, she was no match for his strength. Instead, she jerked her head and tugged his hand away from her mouth.

“Lore I presume?” she asked.

Lore gave her a dark chuckle and pressed his cheek to hers. “Aww, so he has mentioned me. How sweet. I bet you two have shared many intimate moments and conversations over the last few months,” he said gleefully. “I gotta say, when I first started keeping tabs on my brother, I never imagined I’d find him shacking up with someone. That was a pretty big surprise.”

Faith found herself spun around, giving her a chance to look her attacker in the eye. Seeing such a dark expression on Data’s face was disturbing enough, yet there was something more. The way he gazed at her chilled her right down to her bones.

“It made me very curious about you,” he continued. He reached up to push her bangs back from her face, caressing her cheek as his hand drifted away. Once more, she jerked her head, gritting her teeth at the unwanted touch. “Who is this person who decided an emotionless android was the ideal life partner? She must really love to torture herself or really hates herself. Probably both.”

“Where’s Data?” she demanded.

Lore pouted. “‘Where’s Data?’” he mocked. In a blink, he bared his teeth and tightened his hold on her. “What is it about him that makes everyone flock to him? He can’t feel anything! He can’t return the love that everyone throws at his feet! I get disassembled and shot into space while he gets accolades and…”

He suddenly paused and spasmed as if jolted by an invisible force. With a gasp he shut his eyes, seemingly relishing in whatever he was feeling. When he looked at her again, he was smiling.

“But we’ll talk more about that later,” he said, securing her to his side with only one arm as he freed the other. “You and I, we have a ship to catch. We’re going on a little trip, someplace where we can get to know each other better.”

“I’m not fucking going anywhere with you!”

“Mmm, feisty. I think I kind of like that.” He reached out to bend his nail back, exposing flashing lights and a small button. “Sorry, sweetheart, you don’t have a choice.”

Faith knew she had only seconds to act while Lore’s hands were busy. Using his weight against him, she suddenly threw herself backward, sending them both crashing through the coffee table. Lore was taken off guard just enough for her to slip out of his grasp.

Scrambling for the door, she yelled, “Computer, intruder alert!”

An alarm sounded and a second later, Lore dive-tackled her to the ground. Faith did her best to fight him off, desperately reaching for something, anything to hit him with.

A loud hiss and a ball of fur darted out from under the bed, latching onto Lore’s face. It was the chance Faith needed to free herself. Stumbling, she made it to the doors which automatically opened. For the briefest moment, she thought she was going to make it.

A yelp from Spot was followed by a growl from Lore which tore that hope away. They slammed into the wall as he grabbed her again. Faith’s temple struck a console and stars exploded before her eyes. Through them, she barely had a second to notice Lieutenant Worf before she felt the pull of a transporter. She reached for him as he dove for her, but it was too late.

The halls of the Enterprise faded into swirling lights as she was pulled into the unknown.

#Lt. Commander Data #commander data #lt commander data #data tng #data soong #may i?#faith diaz #star trek next generation #star trek tng

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