#picard couldn’t handle her but i could

[8-possums-in-a-trench-coat]

fuck everyone and everything lwaxana troi is my favorite woman ever. she’s annoying. she’s hilarious. she’s full of herself. she’s genuinely caring and kind. she wears wigs because she can’t stand to be ordinary. she’s the daughter of the fifth house, holder of the sacred chalice of riix and heir to the holy rings of betazed. she’s unfathomably horny. she’s a milf. i’m deeply in love with her. odo out of my fucking way

[crowfootwrites]

Devotion & Diplomacy - Part II

Y'all, I'm SO PUMPED to share this chapter with you! Daro has finally arrived! Much of this chapter follows the events of TNG S4E12 "The Wounded", but with the spin of our OC being present - but it felt like the perfect introduction for Daro in the show, and it feels that way for this story, too, I think.

Anyway, Emrys and Daro meet and it's all heart eyes and shit. 🥰

Part I of Devotion & Diplomacy | Read on AO3

Warnings: Miles being a traumatized bb boi; spoilers for TNG S4E12 | Words: ~3,100

When Emrys awoke the next morning, she was sorely tempted to remain snuggled under her blankets - spending weeks at a time dealing with the tense atmosphere of peacekeeping and treaty-writing was beginning to wear on her. She had stacks of PADDs to work through and she almost certainly had new, pressing messages from her superiors, the tone of which she could already guess.

She sighed and pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes, rubbing away the sleep and steeling herself for the day ahead - at least aboard the Enterprise she could be a bit more leisurely. With no Cardassian timetables to keep to, and no meetings to report back on to her superiors, Emrys could sit and review things methodically and interruption-free.

As she flung the covers away from her, a tremendous jolt rocked the ship and sent Emrys rolling off the bed. She stumbled to her feet just as the thunderous roar that had followed died down. Immediately, the red alert klaxons began to wail and Emrys reached for the comm in her quarters.

“Do you need any assistance, Counselor?” she called to Deanna. If her memory served her correctly, her friend would be on the bridge this morning.

“We’ve got things under control for now, but standby.” Emrys could hear Lieutenant Worf barking orders in the background and let her communication line close. They’d call her if they needed. Trying to keep any anxiety at bay, she took to pacing.

— — —

A brief chime sounded, interrupting Emrys’ review of what little progress her group had made on Cardassia Prime, before Captain Picard’s voice came floating through her temporary quarters: “Commander Beck, I hope I’m not interrupting, but I have a favor to ask.”

“Go ahead, Captain,” she responded, gathering up the stack of PADDs on the table before her. The red alert klaxons had stopped sounding not too long ago and she had a sinking feeling this favor had something to do with that.

“The red alert this morning was called after we were fired upon by a Cardassian vessel,” he began, and Emrys frowned. “The crew of that ship was apparently retaliating, due to reports of a Federation starship destroying an unarmed science station in the Cuellar system.”

Emrys couldn’t contain the groan that pulled at her throat. This incident certainly wouldn’t help when she had to return to Cardassia next. 

“The USS Phoenix is responsible for the attack,” the captain continued, “but they have since gone silent and are not responding to Starfleet communiqués. Admiral Haden has asked us to find the USS Phoenix, and the crew of the Trager, the Cardassian vessel, have offered safe passage, provided that we allow a delegation aboard while we do so.”

Emrys blew out the breath she didn’t know she’d been holding as quietly as she could. The tension that was sure to accompany these Cardassians aboard would be difficult to navigate. Peaceful relations were so new that there were certainly still members of the Federation who would be unable to stay quiet, even if it went against orders.

“Given your experience on Cardassia and in helping to navigate the formation of the treaty in general, I was hoping that you might be available to assist in the… handling,” Picard added delicately, “of their delegation while they’re aboard.”

Although the situation was sure to be tense, Emrys reasoned, drumming her fingers on the tabletop, it had the potential to be a net positive. The vast majority of Emrys and her team’s interactions on Cardassia had been limited to members of the Central Command. That made sense, of course, but Central Command wasn’t exactly known for its tolerance of dissenting opinions. If she could manage to broker or at least maintain positive relationships with the delegates who came aboard, perhaps she could gather some additional perspective to take with her into negotiations. 

Emrys cleared her throat and tossed her stack of PADDs into her travel bag. “Of course, Captain,” she replied. “I’m happy to help in any way I can.”

“Excellent,” the captain responded. “The gul and two of his aides will be beaming aboard in one hour. Please meet us in Transporter Room Three.”

“Aye, sir.”

Gulping down the rest of her red leaf tea, Emrys rushed to get ready as her first day of “vacation” was suddenly dashed. A strand of hair came loose from her braid as she tugged on her boots and she blew it out of her face exasperatedly. Smoothing the wrinkles in her uniform shirt determinedly, she stepped out into the hallway to make for the Transporter Room with only a few minutes to spare. 

In the Transporter Room, Emrys took her place beside Deanna, who gave her a friendly bump with her shoulder, and Will, just as three imposing Cardassians appeared on the transport pad. Their helmets still donned, and clad in brown armor, Emrys was reminded acutely of her trips to Cardassia over the past several months, far from friendly faces and never too far from underlying currents of tension and anger.

Immediately, Emrys noted that she didn’t recognize any of these men in particular, although she understood their insignia easily – the aide to the left of the gul had a much friendlier look about him than the other two. Although the firm set of his mouth remained, his wide eyes curiously took in his surroundings, and Emrys smiled to herself.

“Welcome to the Enterprise,” Will offered. “I’m First Officer William Riker.”

He motioned to the two women beside him. “Counselor Deanna Troi and Lieutenant Commander Emrys Beck,” he introduced, as Deanna and Emrys nodded in turn. Emrys smiled as the friendlier-looking aide caught her eye and dipped his head in acknowledgement.

“I am Gul Macet,” the Cardassian in the center declared, stepping down off the transporter pad. “My aides, Glinn Daro, Glinn Telle,” he added as his men followed, standing at ease behind him.

“This is our Transporter Chief, Mr. O’Brien.” Will motioned to Miles as he spoke and Miles nodded curtly at the group. A tinge of dread began pooling in Emrys’ stomach as she watched the interaction, remembering that Miles’ reaction to the Cardassians on board would hardly be an isolated incident. A glance at the mostly well-concealed concern on Deanna’s face told Emrys that she wasn’t alone in her worries.

“Shall we?” Will asked, leading the group into the busy halls of the Enterprise.

The group was quiet as Will guided them to the Observation Lounge, and Emrys found herself wanting to bridge the gap, to be as welcoming as possible, if only to shake off the lingering effects of Miles’ terseness. 

“Gul Macet,” she remarked, matching her pace to his as he looked at her in mild surprise, “on my most recent visit to Cardassia, I had the opportunity to speak with the Prefect of Bajor stationed on Terok Nor, Gul Dukat. I can’t help but notice that you bear a striking resemblance to him - are you of any relation?” Emrys turned to await his response, noticing the glance that the two glinns walking behind them shared.

A dark look passed over Macet’s face. It was quick, but Emrys caught it and filed it away to be analyzed later.

“Yes,” Macet responded blithely. “Dukat is my cousin. Although, I am significantly more interested in hearing what brought you to Cardassia, my dear.” He appraised Emrys with a critical eye. Even with the armistice in place, few non-Cardassians came to his home world for any reason.

“Well… I assisted in forming the armistice between Cardassia and the Federation,” she admitted. “And now I lead the team of Federation members who are working with Central Command to formalize a treaty.”

“Ah, so you’re a diplomat.” He seemed almost disdainful, but Emrys thought she’d seen the barest hint of a smile on his face.

“Not entirely, Gul,” she countered. “In fact, I’ve served as a communications officer on several Starfleet ships. Weeks at a time on Cardassia is the most time I’ve spent on land in years,” she added with a light laugh.

Emrys was robbed of Macet’s response as the door to the observation lounge opened and their group joined the captain, who was already seated at the head of the table. Emrys found herself seated beside Glinn Daro as Miles and Commander La Forge trailed into the room. 

As Will and the captain discussed the steps they were planning to take to locate the Phoenix, Emrys allowed herself the opportunity to subtly study the Cardassian beside her. He seemed more at ease than his counterparts, his broad shoulders relaxed as he listened intently to Captain Picard. Emrys had spent more time than she could reasonably quantify around Cardassians in the last year, and none of them had been half as agreeable as this one. She wondered briefly if it was an act, some elaborate display designed to catch adversaries off guard. She dismissed the idea just as quickly, however; Cardassians could certainly be devious and underhanded, but in the more recent past, they’d preferred to rely on brute strength, a trait that Emrys had noticed was perpetuated by most members of the military and Central Command. She then wondered how this Glinn Daro’s seemingly pleasant nature served him there.

The sound of Miles snapping at something the gul had said brought Emrys back to attention. As the captain intervened, she made a mental note to have Deanna check in with Miles later. If the information Emrys had from Vice Admiral Nechayev was good, the Federation wouldn’t be able to handle falling back into conflict with Cardassia; they were still reeling from their losses to the Borg. Emrys often felt that her job was akin to walking a tightrope, and she wanted to ensure that at the very least, no one on this ship would be pushing anything off balance.

The captain’s combadge chirped as Worf summoned him to the bridge. The gul and captain exited the lounge and Emrys turned to the glinns, rising from her seat.

“Would you like to join me in Ten Forward for a drink? It seems likely that it will be a while before we catch up to the Phoenix.” 

Daro nodded his agreement and gave her a small smile. Emrys was struck again by Daro’s height as he rose from his seat; he was several inches taller than her, and carried himself with a cool confidence that only accentuated his stature. Telle fell in step with them as they approached the turbolift, looking for all the world like someone had just hit him. 

Emrys’ heart rate picked up slightly as she stepped into the turbolift and realized that Miles had joined them. 

Miles called for deck six and Daro, seemingly intrigued by the command protocol, called for deck ten. There was a moment of awkward silence while Miles glared at the wall, but just as Emrys opened her mouth to break it, Daro spoke up.

“Your captain is most impressive,” he proffered kindly. She couldn’t be sure whether he was speaking to her or Miles.

“Yes, he is,” Miles agreed, his voice clipped.

Daro’s eyes slid to Emrys’ for a moment and she gave him an encouraging smile.

She watched as he bolstered himself slightly, standing up just a bit taller. “Chief O’Brien, our transporting system is still operating with active feed pattern buffers. I would like to talk with you about your technology.”

Emrys felt a momentary fluttering in her chest. He was trying to be friendly! Even though Miles had already been standoffish, Daro was still trying to build bridges, something Emrys could certainly appreciate. His attempts to break the tension in the turbolift were endearing.

“I’ll have to get Commander La Forge’s approval on that.”

“I understand.” Daro paused, as though hesitant. “In the meantime, we’re going to your Ten Forward. Will you join us?”

Emrys felt the dread deadening her limbs again as the turbolift halted and she glanced at Miles’ face. He looked murderous.

“If my Commander tells me to discuss the transporter with you, I will,” he began acidly. “If Captain Picard orders me to tell you everything I know about Ben Maxwell, I will-”

“Miles,” Emrys warned quietly. 

“But who I choose to spend my free time with,” he ground out, ignoring Emrys and stepping into Daro’s space, “that’s my business.” His proximity to Daro suddenly sent anger crackling through Emrys like lightning.

“O’Brien,” she barked, placing a hand between the two men. Miles glared at her before stepping aside and exiting the turbolift. The doors closed and they were off again. Emrys exhaled sharply before finding a smile for the glinns.

“My apologies. In my experience, the chief is not usually quite so… prickly.”

Telle, who Emrys had yet to hear speak at all, addressed her sternly. “Perhaps that is your experience because you are human.”

“That is very likely,” Emrys replied softly. “I apologize for it nonetheless.” The turbolift halted and she guided Daro and Telle to Ten Forward, eager to move on to more pleasant conversation.

At the bar, over kanar and Alvanian brandy, the trio kept the discussion light, discussing how the glinns came to be posted on the Trager and how Emrys was enjoying her visits to Cardassia. Emrys did most of the work, which she had anticipated, but once she started getting responses from the thoroughly stiff Telle, she gave herself a mental pat on the back.

After a while, Telle excused himself and Daro seemed to relax even further. Until Miles appeared. He spotted Emrys and Daro and approached hesitantly. Emrys appreciated that he at least had the decency to look a little ashamed of himself.

“Mind if I join you?” he asked. Emrys glanced at Daro questioningly. He gestured to the open barstool and Miles sat down as Emrys hid a small smile behind her glass of brandy, affected once again by Daro’s civility.

“I wanted to say,” Miles began sheepishly. “I owe you an apology. I shouldn’t have popped off like that in the turbolift.” He peeked at Emrys before looking down at the bar top.

“I think…” Daro replied quietly, “This has been hard on all of us. I know I’ll be happy when I’m back on my own ship.” A delicate tendril of something like sadness curled around Emrys.

Miles nodded thoughtfully. “I guess that’s true. I hadn’t thought about that.”

“I was on Setlik III with Captain Maxwell,” he continued, “the morning after the massacre.” Daro’s eyes widened just slightly. Emrys knew this story - knew how Chief O’Brien became the “Hero of Setlik III”. She understood why Miles felt the way that he did. Part of her job in the formation of the treaty had been thoroughly reviewing Cardassian war efforts, in addition to all the things she’d experienced firsthand. There were atrocities she’d seen and heard about that she’d never be able to forget. But she was also capable of considering the big picture, the long term: that continuing to behave like enemies would only lead to a ceaseless war that no one could afford, certainly not the Federation. 

The chief carried on, as if determined to get this out. “We were too late, of course. Almost everyone was dead.”

To Emrys’ surprise, Daro spoke. “That was a terrible mistake,” he murmured, gazing down at his kanar glass. “We were told the outpost was a launching place for a massive attack against us.”

Miles shook his head sadly. “The only people left alive,” he contended, “were in an outlying district of the settlement. I was sent there with a squad to reinforce them.” His eyes studied the wall behind the bar despondently. “The Cardassians were advancing on us… moving through the streets, destroying, killing. I was with a group of women and children when two Cardassian soldiers burst in. I stunned one of them. The other one jumped me.”

Daro regarded him wide-eyed.

“One of the women threw me a phaser and I fired.” Miles grimaced. “The phaser was set at maximum. The man just… just incinerated there before my eyes.” He looked at Daro meaningfully. “I’d never killed anything before. When I was a kid, I’d worry about swatting a mosquito.” Grief swelled in Emrys’ chest for Miles, knowing that nothing would ever take away or undo the burden he carried from his time in the war. It was yet another reminder for Emrys why she was working so hard for this treaty.

Miles got up from his barstool abruptly, and both Daro and Emrys regarded him with concern.

“It’s not you I hate, Cardassian,” the chief added with a note of finality. “I hate what I became because of you.” Before Emrys could even consider responding, he was gone.

Daro studied the glass in his hands intently. Emrys opened her mouth, but he cut in. 

“Please don’t apologize for him,” he said, finally meeting her eyes. “I understand him.” He nodded, seemingly to himself. “We all carry things with us that we’d sooner forget.” He drained the last of his kanar and set the glass down lightly.

“I think,” he added quietly, “that I should return to my quarters.” That tendril of sadness around Emrys squeezed a little tighter, wishing that this visit could have been easier, more positive. A small part of her whispered that it also would have been nice to have more time to talk to Daro alone. But she couldn't imagine how exhausted he must be, how uncomfortable.

“Of course,” she replied. “May I walk with you?”

Daro gave her a small smile. “I would enjoy that very much.”

Emrys noticed how Daro slowed his pace as they made their way through the halls of the Enterprise and hummed thoughtfully.

“You know, Glinn Daro,” Emrys admitted, tucking her hands behind her back and glancing up at him thoughtfully, “you are unlike any Cardassian I’ve ever met.”

His eye ridges rose slightly as he looked back at her. “Is that a good thing?”

Emrys nodded emphatically. “Definitely. You are infinitely more approachable.”

“Well,” he replied as they reached his door, “if that is what has allowed me the pleasure of your company, then it is a trait I am happy to have.”

Emrys flushed, dipping her head to hide her flustered expression. Forcing herself to look at him, she found her voice again.

“The pleasure has been all mine, truly.”

The warmth in his eyes seemed to spill over as he gazed at her. “I bid you goodnight, Commander.”

Emrys inclined her head, allowing a smile to pull at her lips. “Goodnight, Glinn.”

[jesternene]

Unexpected Circumstances

Hey guys! here is the story that has swirled in my head for a while. I remember Gates saying in an interview how she wished they wrote her pregnancy in the show and I thought "I wonder how that would have gone". This takes place during S3-S4 and starts from the episode Allegiance. What if Beverly didn't leave that night?

It is very TNG-esque. I wanted to keep it traditional in that manner. Enjoy and let me know what you think!

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CHAPTER 1

It wasn’t out of the ordinary for Jean-Luc Picard to ask Beverly Crusher out for dinner. However, Beverly had noticed the change in Jean-Luc’s demeanor. He was charming, a little flirtatious, and he said all the right things that made her heart skip a little. Of course, her curiosity got the best of her as she accepted his invitation to have a 'more intimate' dinner in his quarters.

Dinner was lovely, romantic, something she was not expecting from her commanding officer. When she pressed him on it, he began to talk about growing closer and how their positions stood in the way. She was afraid of where this was going but didn’t know if it was because it is what she always wanted or was afraid of disappointment if it turns out it wasn’t. He asks her to dance and she happily accepts, which leads to a very slow, intimate kiss. She is taken aback, unsure of who is standing before her.

“Jean-Luc, if I didn’t know any better, I think you were playing games with me” she said in a nervous tone.

“Are you sorry you came tonight?” he asks in almost a whisper.

“I didn’t say that” she responds, with a small smile that crept up in the corner of her mouth.

“Good. Because I’m delighted you did” he smiled and placed his hand on her cheek. She stared into those fiery hazel eyes of his, the ones that melts her heart every time she sees him. She swallowed hard due to the anticipation of what was going to happen next.

What surprised her next was that it wasn’t Jean-Luc leaning in for a kiss, but she was. The kiss was light and sweet but deepened as the seconds passed. She should have realized something was going on with him, but her desire for him from all these years took over and all her inhibition faded.

As the night turned into the morning, she woke up alone in his bed. Her heart dropped in her stomach, unsure if Jean-Luc was playing games with her or if there was something seriously wrong. She quickly dressed and snuck out like a teenager hiding from their parents. Hoping no one, especially her staff, saw her leaving.

The surprise she had days later was that the man she was with that night was not Jean-Luc Picard but an imposter who wanted to learn about the human species. This doppelgänger got more than they bargained for in the arts of romance and lovemaking, which made Beverly sick to her stomach.

How could I be so foolish? she thought, angry at herself for falling for such a horrible deception. When the captain returned to the Enterprise, she avoided him at first until she couldn’t no longer. She put on that winning smile and made him think everything was fine. The oblivious Captain never pressed her on what had happened while he was gone; he didn’t have any reason to. He trusted her and usually trusted her word more so than everyone else. Beverly made a promise to herself that she would take this secret to her grave. No one needed to know what happened with that imposter, especially the Captain, and the more she denied it the more it would just go away. Unfortunately for Beverly, 3 1/2 months later, her secret would be exposed.

____________________________________________

A lot happened on the Enterprise over the last few months. The captain’s assimilation was the hardest to handle. Seeing someone she loved in such a horrific state was almost too much for Beverly to handle. Her determination in saving Jean-Luc is the only thing that kept her going, and to be strong for Wesley, who took the Borg attack and Wolf 359 the hardest.

It wasn’t until Wesley left for Starfleet Academy that Beverly began to not feel herself. Maybe the stress of Wesley and Jean-Luc’s disappearance took more of a toll than she thought. Even though everyone was safe, Beverly couldn’t shake this nauseous feeling in the pit of her stomach. She self-medicated just to get through the day but it was far worse at night. This particular night, she couldn’t sleep and the nausea was getting worse. When she felt she couldn’t handle the dinner she had hours earlier, she knew something was wrong.

Maybe I picked up some viral infection on the moon? She thought to herself.

After her urgent visit to the bathroom, she replicated some cold water and sat down with her tricorder. She hovered the instrument from her head and moved slowly down her body, keeping a close eye on her tricorder for anything that might pop up. After a few seconds of no sign of any problems, she notices the red lights flashing on her tricorder once she goes over her stomach. Beverly slowly looked away, letting the information sink in.

"This can't be right" She said to no one but herself. She began to pace in her quarters, letting the anxiety take over as the minutes began to pass by. As her eyes stung with the tears that wanted to fall, she knew she needed answers, and fast.

“Computer, time?” she asked with a shaky voice.

“It is 0400 hours” the computer complied.

Without thinking of how early it was, she grabbed her combadge and activated it. “Dr. Crusher to Dr. Selar”

Dr. Selar didn't respond right away. Beverly knew she was probably asleep as she was off duty this particular day. Beverly closed her eyes and prayed to anyone that would listen, that Selar would answer. She trusted a lot of people on her staff but no more than Dr. Selar. After a few moments passed, she heard her voice.

“Selar here” The Vulcan doctor responded in a sleepy yet professional manner.

“I'm sorry to wake you Doctor, but can you meet me in sickbay in room 3” Beverly asked with concern, something Selar picked up quickly.

“Of course, doctor. I will see you soon. Selar Out” The Vulcan ended the transmission quickly. Beverly dropped the tricorder on the coffee table before quickly grabbing a robe and slipping on some shoes and rushing out to sickbay. Her walk is usually a few minutes from her quarters but this felt like an eternity. She slipped through the back entrance that was closest to the private room and met the stone-faced Vulcan there.

“Dr. Crusher. What is the nature of this emergency?” Selar didn’t wait to beat around the bush or even noticed the blood that drained from Beverly’s face.

“I need a second opinion” Beverly said with a lump in her throat. Selar raised a brow, noticing her anxiety and how Beverly was gripping her robe tightly around her stomach.

“of what, Doctor?” Selar asked curiously.

“To see if I’m pregnant”

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To read Chapter 2, please go here

If anyone is interested in this story, I will continue. Any comments (or tweets) are appreciated.

J

[mooglestiltzkin]

the loss was a fab episode with deanna bc she really is at her most dislikeable (in a way? it’s different to early episodes where she’s kinda redundant so this ep is intentional, i think. i like her stroppiness in the episode but i do think i laughed at her too) but she’s sooo interesting bc of it

-love that it shows that she absolutely does think herself as better than everyone else bc she could originally sense their emotions and has that over them. i wish more time could have been spent with her uncomfortable tbh. like a four ep arc or something.

-everyone keeps using blindness as a metaphor — both picard and crusher use this as an example to deanna — why on earth not let deanna have a conversation with geordi, the blind character on the show. yes, geordi was born blind, and deanna only became disabled at a later part of her life but i would have been interested in the conversation all the same. instead, deanna misunderstands a slight from geordi and that’s it.

-deanna screeching out that she’s disabled made me laugh. she’s not wrong either, honestly. but the episode made it seem that deanna lasted one day before wanting to resign bc she couldn’t handle it. you need way more time to get used to the situation!!! i mean q was needy and clingy when he became fully human too, but idk. something something superior beings being unable to handle it, getting off their high horse, they reminded me of each other, so yeah i’m a little bit unsympathetic.

-without sensing emotions, deanna says that everyone feels like a holodeck program. does that mean that data, an android, constantly feels like that to her????

-riker/deanna scenes were great. i think aristocratic was the wrong word to use, but he’s not wrong in what he’s getting at. and how troi would deny it, obviously!!! bc yeah, she wouldn’t see it that way!!! but that doesn’t mean it’s not true!!!

-i do like how picard and guinan say it’s not required to be a betazoid to be a councillor. she still has the knowledge, the experience, and yeah, i would have liked to have seen troi fumble in the dark longer tbh, bc i think the actress could have had fun exploring that side of deanna, who has these blind spots she didn’t know she had.

this sounds like i dislike troi, and want her to suffer. i don’t, but i get frustrated that she is written redundantly and exists to state the obvious and is often useless in an episode or being way too pushy at times (sometimes this has merit other times it is just being nosy), and i think this episode does an incredible job at giving troi something to do while exposing her flaws, which makes her a much better character in the long run. and well. sometimes watching characters struggle is fun, and it’s rewarding as a viewer, writer and actor.

[storiesofsvu]

Habits of the Heart Ch 8

Warnings: Language, arguing & fighting between friends, Carisi trying to be a protective bean and coming off too harsh, and we throw Amanda under the bus here, whoops.

**

The next morning you managed to slide into your desk only a mere 15 minutes late, more than thankful when you noticed Sonny had picked you a decent cup of coffee on his way to the precinct. He eyed you carefully as you quickly pulled out your laptop and a few files, attempting to make it look like you’d been there on time when Benson would enter the room. When you caught him staring you your brows furrowed.

“What?” You quietly questioned.

“Way ta stand me up last night.” You felt your heart quicken in your chest, shit, you’d completely forgotten you had plans with Carisi for drinks last night. He’d left work earlier ‘cause he was helping Bella with something, but you’d agreed to meet at 9:30.

“Shit. Sonny I’m so sorry, I got caught up checking into Herman’s financials, I totally blanked, I was here ’til practically midnight.” He cocked a brow at that, 

“Really…cause when I came to pick up a file at 10:30 ya were nowhere to be seen.” You huffed as he turned back to his computer, nearly missing the next quiet comment, “Nice shirt…” You glanced down, obviously you couldn’t show up wearing the same thing as the day before, but that was one of the biggest advantages to dating girls, you could share clothes all the time.

“…Thank you..?” Your face scrunched at his reply, confused at the statement as you opened your laptop to start digging through the rest of Herman’s financials. You heard Sonny huff out a frustrated sigh, gaining eye contact with you before nodding his head towards a conference room, standing from his desk. Giving a quick glance around the squad room you followed him, closing the door behind you. Before you could open your mouth he was on you, voice hushed but still heated.

“Ya really think this is a good idea?”

“Sonny what are you talking about?” He rolled his eyes, the frustration seeping off his body.

“I’m talkin’ about you sleeping with the ex that completely destroyed you!” You could see the concern in his eyes as you shrugged off his comments.

“Oh please! I tell you one little fib and you think I’m fucking Casey?! Am I not allowed to have a sex life? I’m not one of your sisters!”

“You’re my partner! I don’t wanna see ya spiral down that hole again cuz you let her hurt you!”

“I wasn’t with Casey last night, not that it’s any of your business anyways Carisi!”

“Really?! Cuz Novak was wearin’ that shirt last Friday.” Fuck. She’d spent most of the day at the precinct, you remembered distinctly that she had the shirt on, technically it was your shirt, you’d simply missed grabbing it because it was in the laundry the day you’d picked up your things. Trying to cover your tracks you rolled your eyes, 

“So we have the same shirt, so what?”

“Never seen you in it before.” His brows were furrowed, hands on his hips, he was nearing his usual interrogation stance as your conversation continued.

“It was too tight, didn’t fit ’til recently…”

“Stop fuckin’ lying to me!” You nearly froze at that, Sonny wasn’t one to use profanity towards another person, or at all, looking him in the eyes you could read the frustration and emotion behind them.

“I repeat..it’s none of your damn business.” You moved towards the door, fingers wrapping on the handle to pull it open when his hand nearly slammed against it, holding it shut. “Carisi!!” You practically shouted, turning to face him, “Stop behaving like a fucking child.”

“It is my business if you end up heartbroken and depressed again, Y/N, you nearly lost your job last time! She treated you like shit! After the crap she pulled with the Picard trial aren’t you worried about her running off with her ex again?” You were practically fuming at this point, there was no doubt you cared for your partner, but he was treating you like you were his 15 year old daughter. You and Casey had spent a few hours curled in each others arms talking over everything the night before, shedding more than enough tears before the conversation extended over breakfast that morning, exploring every inch of emotion and secrets that had gone on over those few weeks before your split, and the years following. You shoved at Carisi’s shoulders, pushing him off you as you stalked up to him.

“Charlie was a fucking schizophrenic and off his meds Sonny! He had been playing fucking mind games for MONTHS with her, he’d managed to convince her that I didn’t love her, that I didn’t want to marry her and that I didn’t deserve her but he did!! I was so fucking busy studying for the detective’s exam trying to prove myself for the promotion I wasn’t paying enough attention and it was more than easy enough for her to believe his bullshit.” You felt the tears welling in your eyes, “You said it yourself, I’m still in love with her, and I’m never not going to be.”

“And when Charlie pops back up, off his meds and tries to hurt you again, or take her away, what then?!”

“Charlie’s fucking dead Sonny!” He stilled at that and you could see the thoughts scrambling in his head as he tried to figure out his next tactic,

“Novak’s still fuckin toxic for you, you shouldn’t be with her.” You laughed outwardly at that, Sonny barely knew Casey outside of work and the very few heartbreaking stories you’d told him, 

“You wanna talk TOXIC Sonny?! How about Rollins?! You don’t see all those fucking red flags?”

“That is NOT what we’re talking about right now!”

“Oh..so we’re just attacking my relationships then?!” 

“So you admit you’re having a relationship with her?” You groaned angrily, Sonny tensed, he’d seen you act this upset with perps before but he’d never actually seen you this riled up before as you advanced upon him. Your small frame entirely intimidating him as you cornered him in the room.

“Carisi you have NO idea what it is like to be so fucking in love with someone that you’d do absolutely anything for them, that they’re all you can think about, even after they completely tear your fucking heart apart! All those years ago I should have fought harder, I should have done more, I left her to nearly DIE at his hands and I’ll never forgive myself for it. And you know NOTHING about Casey, sure, things are fucking complicated but we’ll figure them out, we’ve already started trying and you can’t stop us. If you have a problem with the way I conduct myself outside of work, I’d prefer you to keep it to your fucking self from now on, understood?” He stuttered, trying to protest when the door swung open, wooden blinds clattering against the glass.

“We okay in here?” Benson’s harsh voice rung through the room, looking between the two of you.

“We’re fine…” You practically snapped back, you already had the reputation to be snippy with the Captain, you figured you could save Carisi from that at the least.

“Herman’s in interrogation two…maybe you two could take out your anger on a criminal rather than each other?” She cocked a brow, not wanting to deal with your bullshit today (or any day really…) You both let out a sigh, moving towards the door, if you were this riled up an interrogation was probably the best thing to come your way.

**

It took less than 10 minutes before Herman confessed, turning into a trembling excuse of a man at your questioning. Olivia was impressed, she’d seen you work perps pretty well before but usually Carisi was the bad cop while you were the gentle one with the vic’s. Casey had joined her on the other side of the glass at the time of questioning, when Sonny saw her he practically stormed out of the room back to his desk, eager to get back to paperwork, you however turned to her.

“That sufficient Counsellor?” She gave you a small smile, nodding, 

“More than enough, he did understand his miranda, right?” Olivia nodded at that, mentioning that it was her and Fin that made the arrest. Her phone went off, she quickly excused herself back to her office to answer it, leaving Novak and you alone outside the interrogation room. Casey could feel the tension radiating off you as you took a heavy breath.

“You okay?” She questioned softly, “Herman’s scum, he’s not worth it.” You took a heavy breath, glancing towards the door to assure you were alone before you replied.

“It’s not Herman…I..got into it with Carisi…” Casey’s brow furrowed, 

“You two’ve always been so close.” You gave her a sympathetic look, 

“He recognized the shirt…thought he could lecture me about a relationship with you..doesn’t understand…” Her eyes softened, hand squeezing yours reassuringly, 

“I don’t want you to have to fight with your friends because of us…” You met her gaze, a small smile on your lips, 

“Baby I’d go to war for you…” You brazenly moved forward, kissing her cheek gently, when you pulled away she had a smirk on her lips

“Relationship hey?” She quirked a brow, you let out a soft chuckle, rolling your eyes, 

“I mean…we’re at some stage of one, aren’t we? Besides, after talking through everything…I really missed you. I…I’d like to try again Casey..if you’re up for it?” Smiling she stroked the side of your face, pulling you into a soft kiss, her heart swelling for the first time in years, adoration taking over the room.

“You have no idea how much I’d love to…” 

[mirrorhunt]

Touch and go

bruises | touch starved | hunger

Cris and Agnes share a moment after his fight with Raffi.

Rios winces when Agnes’ cold fingers trace his bruising nose. He knows Raffi could’ve broken it, and he knows she knows exactly how much force she needed to hit him to achieve it, even being drunk, but she didn’t. There was blood, a lot of it, but nothing was broken. And now Cris feels even worse.

He knew he didn’t have to defend Agnes. She was a grown woman, and could defend herself well enough. It's just… Raffi’s words sounded too close to what his crew had been saying after the incident. He knows she wasn’t saying it was his fault, the opposite actually, but it was not what he was hearing back then. And he came at her. Just as hard as he came once on Vandermeer. He at least should’ve learnt how to keep his mouth shut from that.

It was some relief knowing Seven was with her. Only after Seven told him she’ll handle this, he let Emil deal with his nose and went to his cabin, stumbling in the dark on the chair and waking up Agnes.

“Do I need to worry?” exhales Agnes, placing her hands on his shoulders instead, after examining his nose.

“No, it was a misunderstanding,” Cris says calmly, wrapping his arms around Agnes and pulling her closer, resting his head against her stomach.

“Misunderstandings don’t break your nose,” Agnes puts her fingers in his hair, gently massaging his scalp. Cris closes his eyes, enjoying the contact. Only his mother touched his hair like that. And now Agnes. He honestly forgets most of the times that her hands had killed. He thought the killer's hands couldn’t be that gentle. He had killers for lovers, and they never left him without angry bruises and burning soreness, touching only where he needed to be touched, not where he wanted to. Never not in bed. Never just for comfort.

Cris feels like crying. He probably lost his best friend because of this, right there. Agnes, holding him when he needed it the most. He lost Raffi because he wanted a piece of happiness in his shitty life. Was this worth it? He knew Raffi for more than a decade, Agnes – only a couple of months. Raffi saved his life more than once, in different ways, she was there when he was scared of silence and his memories, she helped him acquire La Sirena, she brought him Agnes unknowingly, and she brought this crew to him too. Now he hardly remembers his ship empty of Elnor’s hair-ribbons, that he forgets everywhere, scent of peppermint from Sodji’s tea and bergamot from Picard’s, Seven’s knifes here or there, Raffi’s bottles and hurriedly scrambled notes, Agnes’ pad which she looks for anywhere where it’s not. He didn’t have a proper crew for so long, but now he cannot imagine being without them. And what if he made Raffi leave?

“Was it Raffi?” quietly asks Agnes, kissing his hair. Cris hugs her closer. “Only she would dare to hit you. She’ll forgive you.”

“I don’t think she will. Not after what I told her,” he says carefully, not knowing if Agnes knows about Raffi’s son. Probably not.

Agnes puts her hands on his neck and makes him look at her.

“She loves you. And she’s a good person. You love her too, and you’re good just like her. You will figure it out, whatever it is,” she says so confidently and with such a sweet smile, that Cris desperately wants to believe her. He straightens his back, and she smiles wilder, understanding his silent request, and kisses him oh so tenderly. It’s a bit uncomfortable due to his throbbing nose, but he doesn't care enough to stop.

Agnes paints something on his chest, brushing her fingers on his skin. He holds her close, looking at the dark ceiling and hearing his ship rumbling around them. It’s peaceful here. Not inside him, where people ought to have hearts, though. He tenses from time to time when Agnes’ touch becomes too much to feel, and she giggles.

“Were you always so sensitive?” she asks after he shudders again. He makes his best to shrug, laying in the bed and with her draped over him like the best kind of blanket.

“I never really had this, so I can’t compare,” he says simply, sighing. He never thought about this, not really. Yeah, sure, he was jealous of those on his crew who were in long-term relationships and were so relaxed around each other, but he could never retain his partners for longer than a couple of weeks. And then he was an XO, so any relationship was out of the question. Then there was his trauma and two-years gap in his memories, then La Sirena, and how could he have a partner with the life he led? Who would want a broken captain of a freighter?

Agnes would. For now at least. He doesn’t have any illusions about their relationship, he is too old to believe in love from first sight and soulmates and happy endings. He was indifferent and then annoyed with Agnes when he firstly saw her; he doesn’t have a soul, not anymore; and what happy ending can be for someone like them? Quick death would be most favorable, but he doubts it. He’d heard stories and seen for himself what a fate awaits for freighters’ captains.

“You got lost again,” she says gently, kissing his shoulder, where a barely visible scar is. “What do you mean you didn’t have this?”

Cris turns his head to look at her better. She turns too, looking at him with confusion and innocence he saw few have possessed.

“I don’t think I ever was… cuddling with someone,” he tries to put it delicately, not wanting to use crude words with her. He had heard her cursing, and he was cursing in front of her hundreds of times, but it wasn’t the same. He didn’t want to dirty up this moment.

“But your mother? I thought that you and her…” Agnes looks at him, at his sad smile, and her eyes widen. “Oh.”

“Yeah,” he says, hugging her closer, and, when she lays her head back on his shoulder, presses a kiss to her mussed hair.

“Then I shall endeavor an honorary mission of cuddling you so much you’ll become sick of me,” she giggles, nuzzling his neck. He shivers, which makes her giggle more.

“Then I shall allow you such a torture,” he says seriously, sneaking his hand to her side, where he got to knew she was ticklish. Agnes squeaks and laughs out loud, giving a hard buck to get away, but his bed is only so big, so he, on pure reflexes, catches her before she would’ve slid down the bed.

He basks in her warm laugh and her smile and her cautious touches, that never lose gentleness. And tries to put Raffi down from his mind till morning.

[ylizam]

is WIP amnesty still a thing?

anyway, here is a scene from the Beverly/Will/Deanna thing I spent way too much time thinking about in the existential sense of, “hmm, what if Beverly shows up right after Picard left” and “how do we deal with Picard-era JLP not being quite right?” and “oh of course they’ve been a long-term long-distance thing and Will bakes comfort foods and Deanna understands Beverly in a way that makes Beverly Uncomfortable sometimes and it’s both soft and also hard-as-in-difficult and prickly but also important and loving and when Beverly goes back to her ship to save the galaxy from pandemics and whatnot she thinks back to their arms as home,” and not enough time actually figuring any sort of plot or writing anything god forbid. so! 

“You just missed him, you know.” Deanna smiles when she says it, though, gentle and not actually chiding. Beverly drops her bag on the ground. Steps into Deanna’s open arms for a very necessary hug.

“I know,” Beverly says, when she finally settles into the safety of Deanna’s arms. “Laris called to let me know he’d left on some sort of epic quest, and to shoot him for her if I saw him. And then Will warned me he was actually here. Although I’m still not entirely sure whether he was trying to tell me to take my time or to push warp nine.”

“Neither,” Deanna says. She releases Beverly, but mostly so she can make sure to maintain eye contact. “Or both. Either. I think Will was mostly telling you to do what you needed to do, and that we’d support you in that choice, in that Will way of his.”

Beverly lifts her bag and hitches it on her shoulder. “Well, in the end, Cardassia made the decision for me. We got stuck dealing with another outbreak in Lakarian City, and there was a mandatory quarantine period even I couldn’t get us out of.”

“Jean-Luc, he’s,” Deanna says.

“I know.” Beverly may not be his treating physician anymore, may barely even merit the title of friend these days—more his fault than hers this go-around, but they’ve both had their turns at fucking things up—but she’s seen his medical records recently enough to know that his brain’s a ticking time bomb.

“I think he’s enjoying this opportunity for one last great adventure.” Deanna is careful, gentle, kind to everyone involved in this mess; she’s a fierce protector to all of them, and Beverly chafes at the feeling that Deanna’s trying to handle her. To handle them. 

“I’m glad,” Beverly snaps. 

Deanna grasps Beverly’s empty hand. “You’ve every right to be angry with him,” she says.

“Oh, I am. But”—and how to explain this? She doesn’t even fully understand it herself, and it’s her own damned brain—“I’d rather he go out in a blaze of glory than continue to hide himself away in France waiting to die. Although I think he really hurt Laris when he left; he can be so unthinkingly callous when he has a mission to plan.”

She just wishes he’d thought to say goodbye to her as part of his grand farewell tour. (Even a message, a letter, something left with Will and Deanna or sent through subspace to her ship. She’s not difficult to find, and they’d been so close, for such a large part of her life. For him to head off to tilt at one last windmill, to run toward certain death, without a word? And the worst of it is that he probably didn’t mean to hurt her. To hurt any of them. He had a quest, after all.)

Deanna doesn’t respond (to either her words or her obvious emotional turmoil). They make their way through the woods; Beverly can’t hear her, can’t see her through the leaves and foliage, but she can feel the comforting presence of Kestra following behind them, probably dragging some sort of dead animal with her for dinner.

 “How’s Will taking it?” Beverly asks. 

“About as well as you are,” Deanna answers. “Or I am. He’s Jean-Luc, and he’s going off to fight some sort of cosmic evil without any of us at his back, all while—“

“—dying,” Beverly says. Fuck. 

“Yes.” Deanna stops then, still about another ten minutes from the house, and turns back to Beverly. “With a new crew and a new mission.”

“I am so angry at him, Deanna.” She kicks at a cluster of stones. Takes no small amount of pleasure at the sound of the cracking against one another. And then it hits her: “Shit, do you know if he’s told anyone else—Worf, Geordi, anyone?—or are they going to find out when the obituary hits the news?”

“He didn’t say,” Deanna says. “I only know he didn’t tell you because you’ve told me as much.”

“I’ll call them—“

“We’ll call them,” Deanna says. “After dinner, after a few drinks, maybe some of the chocolate cake Will baked last night.”

“I could kill him myself.” 

“No, you couldn’t.” 

Beverly feels like her entire body deflates. The air punched out of her. 

“I hate that you know that,” she says. She reaches for Deanna this time, steps close enough to lean down and press a soft kiss to her mouth. “That you know me well enough to know that I’m mostly bark.”

“Ah,” Deanna says. She kisses Beverly once, twice, quickly, and then takes her hand again. “But when you do bite, it is always deadly.”

Beverly pulls her back. This time the kiss is anything but short, anything but gentle. Her hands gravitate to Deanna’s hair, to the back of her head, to her ears and neck and back to her hair. She nips at Deanna’s lower lip. 

“Ew,” Kestra says. Beverly jumps back, thinks Kestra’s voice is coming from above. She looks around, but can’t see anything but nature. She’d think she was imagining it, but then Kestra adds, “I’m right here.”

And then she jumps down in front of them. An animal Beverly doesn’t recognize is strung up in what she assumes is Kestra’s standard hunting gear, her bow and arrows in a quiver on her back. 

“Is that for dinner?” Beverly asks. 

“Nah,” Kestra says. “We’ll cure it, make bacon from it.”

“Oh.”

“It’s better that way,” Kestra says. “It’s too tough otherwise.”

“I stand corrected then,” Beverly says. 

She feels a little judged, but she’s never pretended that a detailed knowledge of the local flora and fauna of Nepenthe are a particular strength of hers. General survival, yes; the edible plant life on any number of Federation worlds, also yes. But she’s never spent more than a few months here at a time, and at first, well. There was Thad. 

She’d been so cocky. So sure that, given the opportunity, she’d be able to find a cure that didn’t require artificial life. And she could therefore tell Kestra which barks make a tea so noxious that everyone in a five kilometer radius would feel dizzy, faint, and that there are fungi on the eastern shore of the lake that could stave off nausea. But food, no, that had been Will’s particular interest: he’d cook, and bake, and feed them all in the panicked hope (and growing despair) that they might be able to save his son.

“Come on,” Deanna says, interrupting her spiraling guilt. “Will’s probably starting to worry.”

“Right,” Beverly says. 

Kestra rolls her eyes, but Beverly thinks she’s secretly a little pleased about her father’s very obvious love. She darts ahead of them—so fast, so young, so alive.

“Come on,” she calls back, “I smell pizza!”

[ladyfogg]

May I? - 26/?

May I? - 26/?

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

Screenshot courtesy of @geekygwen​

Faith hadn’t realized how much her duties had weighed on her until Data asked her to take shore leave. She knew that he wouldn’t have broached the subject if he wasn’t concerned. She had tried to throw herself more into her work. Geordi and Captain Picard believed she was capable enough to handle the responsibilities that came with her promotion to lieutenant, and she didn’t want to disappoint them.

Without realizing it, she had thrown herself completely into her work without thinking of anything else. Foolishly, she thought if she could just push through the exhaustion and anxiety, it would all get better. She had been wrong.

It didn’t help that the idea of taking a break and leaving the ship behind sent her into a nervous spiral.

After weeks of this behavior, Data had walked her to sickbay himself, where she was given a full physical by Dr. Crusher. The results were unsurprising: exhaustion. True, literal, physical exhaustion.

She was immediately put on leave and ordered to rest.

It was only then that she agreed to take a vacation. Data put in their official shore leave requests that same day. Commander Riker approved it within the hour, stating, “What took you so damn long?”

Now that the time had come, Faith found herself just as nervous as she was before. But she was determined to work through it, to take the advice from her doctor, counselor, and boyfriend. So, she had to let her anxieties go and prepare for the first vacation she'd had in years.

Data had offered to plan their time away and she let him, not only because she had no clue where to start, but because she knew he enjoyed making plans for them.

“Are you at least feeling some excitement?” Deanna asked during Faith’s therapy.

Given Faith’s current mental state, they had upped their number of sessions to twice a week. She currently sat in Deanna’s office, foot nervously bouncing. Per her request, Deanna had agreed to see her the day of their departure for one final pep talk.

“I’ve been trying really hard. It’s been difficult,” Faith said. “I know Data is looking forward to it and I don’t want to ruin his fun like I ruined his romantic date a few weeks ago.”

“Faith, I don’t believe you ruined anything. Considering that evening led to some very powerful confessions from the both of you.”

Faith smiled softly, remembering the way Data had told her he loved her. They had repeated the words to each other several times since it happened, and each time made her just as warm and elated as the first.

“I still have a hard time believing it myself,” she said.

Deanna smiled back. “I don’t. It was obvious that the feelings between you two were progressing. I always felt as though Data had some emotional capabilities long before his first angry outburst. As an outsider, it’s been wonderful to watch your relationship develop and to see the love growing between you two shared out in the open.”

“Thank you, Counselor.”

“Are you still uneasy discussing the intimate nature of your relationship?” Deanna asked. “Not that I want to pry. I just want you to know that should you wish to discuss those particular feelings, I am a professional and ready to listen.”

Faith smirked. “Sure that’s the counselor part of you talking or the friend part of you?”

Deanna giggled. “A little of both.”

Faith could feel her cheeks flush at the thought of her sexual relationship with Data. “All I will say is, his flawless precision and attention to detail translate very well into the bedroom.”

Deanna’s grin widened even though Faith could tell she was trying to keep her composure and demeanor professional. “Well, I am happy to hear that you feel comfortable enough with me to share such information.”

“After our vacation, let’s have a girls' night with Beverly and I’ll share more. Sound good?”

“I’ll hold you to that! So if there’s nothing else you wish to talk about, it is my duty as your counselor and superior officer to order you to enjoy your shore leave. Leave your problems behind. And enjoy much-needed alone time with your love.”

“I’ll try.”

Deanna gave her a big hug before she left. “You’ll do great. Just focus on a certain android’s attention to detail.”

That made Faith laugh and she hugged Deanna back. “Will do.”

On her way back to her quarters, Faith couldn’t help but stop by Engineering. She hadn’t been there in a few days and it was instinct to make sure everything was set before she let. Deep down, what she truly wanted to do was see if Geordi was somehow annoyed with her for not being on duty. The fear of disappointing authority figures in her life was as strong as ever. But she was working on it.

When she arrived, Geordi was as busy as always but paused when he saw her. “Diaz, what are you doing here?”

“I just wanted to stop by and see if you needed anything.”

“Shouldn’t you be getting ready to take your shore leave?”

Faith felt embarrassed for feeling like she needed reassurance from someone who was pretty much the same age as she was. “Well, yeah but, I still have some time. If there’s something you need me to take care of before I go…”

Geordi chuckled. “Everything is under control, Faith,” he assured her before she could continue babbling.

“Oh, okay. Great. Good. Sorry. I know I haven’t been my best lately. I just figured I’d offer my help just in case.”

Geordi studied her for a moment before putting his PADD down and giving her his full attention. “Faith,” he said, his voice in a soft yet serious tone. “You don’t have anything to worry about. I’m not doing to demote you because you need a break.”

A weight she hadn’t realized she carried lifted slightly and she realized how foolish she was being. “No, I know that. I didn’t think you would. At least, I hoped you wouldn’t.”

“Everyone needs a break from time to time,” Geordi said. “I’m taking my leave when you come back. No one can be ‘on’ all the time. I don’t expect it for myself nor the people I command. You’ve done exceptional work and have earned your title. Please don’t work yourself to death on my or anyone else’s account. You’ve more than earned your time off. Go. Enjoy it.”

Faith hesitated. “Are you sure?” she couldn’t help but ask.

Geordi laughed and placed his hands on her shoulders so he could look at her directly. “Diaz, go on vacation. That’s an order.”

With that, her turned her around and gave her a light shove towards the turbo-lift. Getting the message loud and clear, Faith allowed the movement and followed through. When she returned to her and Data’s quarters, the android was waiting patiently.

“Ah, Faith, there you are. We should be arriving at Tridas 6S in one hour. Are you prepared for our departure?”

“As prepared as I’ll ever be.”

She had already packed and repacked their belongings. Thankfully with replicators available at their destination they didn’t need to pack much. Spot had been fed and Barclay would be looking after her for the length of their vacation. With nothing left to do, she took a seat on the sofa and began her breathing exercises.

Data sat with her. “I believe once we are at the hotel, you will feel much better. I have chosen a location that offers isolation for those who desire, yet still has amenities for us to partake.”

The idea of peace and quiet with Data did make her feel better. “That sounds nice,” she said.

“I hope you will enjoy yourself.”

“I’ll try. I really will.”

“I will be with you the entire time.”

Wrapping her arms around him, she crawled into his lap and rested her head against his shoulder. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“I could list suggestions but I do not believe that is what you desire.”

Faith laughed. “No, no it’s not. I just wanted to let you know how much you’re appreciated.”

“Thank you. Would you like to rest here until it is time to go?”

“I would like that very much.”

They stayed snuggled together on the sofa until they were alerted to the ship’s arrival. Data and Faith weren’t the only ones disembarking. Others were taking shore leave on the planet, though Data and Faith were vacationing on a less busy side.

Before she knew it, she and Data were called to the transporter for their departure. Data took their bag in one hand and held Faith’s hand with the other. She clutched it tightly, giving herself an internal pep talk before they left their quarters.

Along the route, they ran into Captain Picard and Commander Riker.

“Ah, Data, Ms. Diaz,” Picard said. “On your way to Tridas?”

“That is correct,” Data said. “We will be vacationing at the Triple Seashore Cabins, off the coast of Sunterre Isles.”

“A nice quiet romantic spot,” Riker said with a knowing smirk. “Perfect place to be alone.”

Picard raised his eyebrow in amusement but let the comment slide. “I hope you both enjoy your well-deserved shore leave,” he said.

“Thank you, Captain,” Data said. “Is there anything you require before we leave?”

“No, not at all. Have a good time.”

Faith offered a smile and a nod. She didn’t say anything, not trusting herself to speak after her babbling incident in Engineering. Truth be told, she was plagued with nausea from her anxiety, her stomach rolling with each step towards the transporter room.  

Chief O’Brien stood at the controls and smiled at them as they entered. “Coordinates have been entered and the transporter pad is ready when you are, Commander.”

“Thank you, Chief.”

O’Brien looked over at Faith. “You alright, Diaz?”

She took a deep breath. “Yeah, yeah I’ll be fine.”

“I remember my first time taking shore leave after a promotion. Trust me, a lot of us have felt the way you’re feeling now.”

In the past, she would have felt like he was just trying to be nice. But her work with Counselor Troi had made her come to understand that many people did in fact feel the way she did and she appreciated his attempt to calm her nerves. “Thanks, Chief. It really is hard to tear yourself away from work, isn’t it?”

“Enjoy it,” O’Brien said with a reassuring nod. “Should be a smooth transport. Nothing to worry about. I’ll drop you right in the lobby of the hotel.”

Faith nodded and followed Data onto the transporter. With his strong hand in hers and smile, some of her anxiety wane.

“Energize,” she said.

She felt the tug of the transporter and the next thing she knew, there were standing in the small lobby of a comfortable-looking building. While the architecture was alien, the warm colors reminded her of many of the places she had been to on Earth. The knot of emotion in her stomach was still there but she was able to let out a slow exhale.

“You are doing quite well,” Data assured her, leading her to one of the many kiosks that stood off to the side. “Let us check-in and settle into our cabin. We are here for seven days. We can take our time.”

“Thank you for your patience,” Faith said. “And for planning all this.”

“You are welcome.”

Data checked them in and the two of them followed the floor markers through the hotel and out one of the back doors. When Faith saw the view, it took her breath away.

While she had done her research on the planet and where they would be staying, it hadn’t prepared her for the stunning ocean view. The building they had left sat atop a hill, which overlooked three distinct shores and stretches of white sandy beaches. His program on the holodeck was nothing compared to the real thing. The smell of saltwater invaded her nostrils and a warm breeze ruffled her hair. Her whole body relaxed as the sun, real sun, hit her face. Actually, there were two suns when she managed to glance up with her eyes shielded.

Data noticed the change immediately. “I was hoping a tropical setting would act as a reminder of where your family came from. I know you expressed the desire to return there at some point. As we are far from Earth, I thought this would be a close alternative.”

“Data, it’s perfect.”

She slipped her arm around his waist as he slipped his around her shoulders. Together they walked for some time until they found the cabin that would be their home for the next two weeks.

After spending so much time on the ship, listening to the hum of Engineering and conversations of her fellow crewmates, Faith appreciated the crashing waves.

Their cabin was a small wooden building, surrounded by numerous kinds of vegetation and a deck that jutted out towards the shore. The ocean was only a few feet away and Faith imagined when the tide came in, the water could easily reach the steps.

“Do you like it?” Data asked as they walked up onto the deck.

“I love it.” She leaned on the railing, unable to stop staring at the gorgeous view.

Data placed their suitcase inside before coming to stand with her. He took her hand and they admired the stretch of beach before them.

“What do you wish to do first?” he asked. “Are you hungry? You did not eat much at breakfast.”

“I just want to stand here and watch the waves with you.”

Data smiled softly and remained where he was, holding Faith’s hand as they admired the view. That only lasted a few minutes because then Faith’s stomach rumbled, making her chuckle.

“I guess you were right. I am hungry. Where’s a place to get a meal around here?”

“We do not have to leave the cabin. There is a replicator inside. What would you like?”

“How about a picnic? We can spread a blanket out on the sand.”

“If you wish.”

As he went to gather what they would need, Faith kicked out of her shoes and stepped onto the white sand. It was warm and pliable underneath her feet as she walked towards the water’s edge. She closed her eyes and surrendered to the sensations.

She hadn’t realized how much she missed being near the ocean until that moment. It had been far too many years since she found herself on a real beach.

Behind her, Data’s footsteps approached. She turned to find him carrying a picnic basket with a blanket tucked under his arm. Together they laid out the blanket and Faith made herself comfortable while Data unpacked their food.

She recognized many of her favorites, snacks that she tended to eat when she didn’t want to have a full meal. Berries, cheese, crackers, assorted nuts, and a thermos filled with a smoothie that seemed to be made from the exotic fruits native to the planet. “This is wonderful,” she said with a smile. “I didn’t realize how much I needed this until I was here.”

“I must admit, I too did not realize I needed a change of scenery. Though I do not require rest, a respite from one’s work is important.”

Faith found herself glancing around on more than one occasion. For some reason, she felt like they were never truly alone. Maybe it was just her anxiety, or maybe it was because she was so used to their fellow crewmates. Either way, try as she might, she could never fully relax.

Data noticed. “Faith, I have scanned the area and our nearest neighbors are some distance. We have this stretch of beach to ourselves.”

She exhaled slowly. “Good to know.” As she reached for a piece of fruit, she snuggled up against Data.

He wound his arm around her and held her close while she ate. She didn’t have much, only enough to settle her rumbling stomach. Once she grew accustomed to her surroundings and felt Data’s familiar embrace, more of the tension left her until she was finally comfortable.

With a sigh, she closed her eyes and rested her head against Data’s shoulder.

“Faith, what would you like to do once you leave Starfleet?” he asked after they had enjoyed the silence for some time.

“You mean when I retire?”

“Retire or leave for something else.”

Faith considered his question for a moment, opening her eyes so she could watch the waves. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “At least, nothing specific. I think I’d like this. I’d like to be somewhere quiet, watching and listening to the waves.”

“I have always thought I might return to the academy later in my life, possibly to teach. But now…” It was so rare for Data not to finish his thought, at least with her.

When he didn’t continue, she gave him a questioning look. “Is that not something you want anymore?”

“I do not. The academy is not located on the beach.”

Faith smiled and leaned towards him. They shared a kiss before she drew back with a mischievous grin.

“Can you swim?” she asked.

“At first, I was unequipped to tread water but once this flaw was detected, Geordi and I made modifications to protect my circuits. I can also act as a floating device.”

“So that’s a yes?”

“Yes.”

“Great.” Faith rose to her feet.

After a moment of contemplation, she decided to push the rest of her anxiety aside and started to strip.

At first, Data did not notice as he stood. “I believe the replicator can construct swimwear…” He paused when he realized Faith was getting naked. “Or we can swim nude.”

“You said our neighbors are far, right? And you will know if anyone comes close?”

“That is correct.”

Faith threw her shirt at him and gave him a playful smile. “So, let’s swim, android-boy.”

Data watched with wide eyes as Faith walked towards the water, fully naked. Which each step, any pesky lingering anxieties were gone, and when she finally felt the ocean wash over her feet, it was like her entire being breathed a sigh of relief.

She glanced back over her shoulder to see Data removing his clothes and carefully folding them. With an affectionate smile, Faith waited until he gently placed them on the blanket before he joined her.

Grinning, Faith pulled him with her as she ran into the next wave, allowing herself to get swept up in the water. It was so warm, it was almost like a bath and felt absolutely heavenly. Data remained perfectly still as the waves washed over him, dousing him completely.

Faith laughed at his lack of reaction. He gave her a puzzled look.

“Did I do something humorous?” he asked.

Faith pulled them deeper into the water until it was chest-high. “Only you can be washed up in waves and look completely unperturbed.”

“I was not aware I should be.”

“You don’t have to. Sometimes I forget how strong you are and that things like waves can’t push you over.” She swam in circles around him. “Have you tried splashing around?”

“No.”

Faith smirked and when the next wave came, she splashed it at Data, hitting him in the face. He blinked.

“I see.”

The next thing she knew, a huge wave came at her, sending her crashing backward under the water. When she came up spitting and coughing. Data was there immediately.

“Was that too much?” he asked.

When she could breathe properly, Faith began to laugh. “Just a little bit,” she said, still lightly coughing seawater in between her laugher. “Maybe we should stick to just enjoying each other’s company.”

She wrapped her arms and legs around him in a hug.

“While I do still have much to learn about human behavior, I can report that when it comes to our romantic interactions, I have developed some skill,” Data said, his arms automatically slipping around her waist.

“Data, you’re wonderful. You always say that you’re not human but through our relationship, you’ve helped me realize that I was barely human myself. At least, I didn’t see myself as such. You’ve always seen the best in me and helped me see it too.”

“I only spoke the truth.”

Faith hugged him close, their foreheads touching. “And it means the world to me.”

She kissed him deeply. Surrounded by the warmth of the ocean and the heat of Data’s embrace, she felt as secure as she had on the ship.

They swam for some time until the suns started to set and the air grew colder. Only then did they return to shore, gather the remnants of their picnic, and head inside.

While Faith showered, she found herself smiling, her body already feeling less tense by the minute. Why had she waited so long? Now that she had distance between herself and her duties, she could see why her friends were concerned. Up until the point Beverly examined her, she had been sure her feelings were all in her head. It turned out that was only partially true. The anxiety was in her head, the physical toll it had taken was very real. She had worked herself to the point of literal exhaustion and would have kept going if Data hadn’t intervened.

Speaking of her beautiful android boy, he was dressed in civilian clothing when she emerged, something she rarely witnessed. She was so used to him being in uniform or naked. To see him sitting there in gray pants and a blue shirt felt strange. She realized this was another side of Data she hadn’t seen before, one he himself probably hadn’t partaken in. The relaxed, leisure side was also an important staple of being human.

“We’ve talked about how I’m feeling but how are you doing?” she asked, sinking into the squishy sofa next to him. “Is this your first shore leave?”

“I have taken shore leave before,” Data said. “To attend conferences and symposiums. This is my first recreational shore leave.”

“And? What do you think so far?”

Data cocked his head, contemplating her question. “It certainly is different. When we left the Enterprise, I made it a point to halt all background processes having to do with Starfleet-related functions. I also wrote a vacation subroutine based on research I have done on what one does to ‘relax’.”

Faith picked up one of the glasses of wine that sat on the small round table in front of them. “I wish I could write a subroutine in my brain. It’d make things a heck of a lot easier.”

“I once spoke with Counselor Troi on the subject and she explained that when humans repeat certain behaviors, it is the equivalent of how I construct my programming.”

“Meaning if I want to relax I should try to do it more.”

“Correct.”

Faith chuckled and took a sip of wine, only to realize it was not synthehol. She sputtered and coughed, unprepared for the robust flavors of real alcohol.

“Are you alright?” Data asked. “I was assured this vintage was special.”

“Y-yes. I’m fine, I just wasn’t prepared for real wine. Where did you get it?”

“It was a gift from Captain Picard. He said it was from his family’s vineyard on Earth.”

Faith had no idea Captain Picard’s family owned a vineyard, which wasn’t surprising considering she didn’t spend much time with him. There was very little she knew of the Captain’s personal life.

Now that she was prepared, the next sip was delicious. “That’s so nice of him to share this with you.”

Data smiled. “Shared this with us,” he corrected. “He gave it to me when I informed him of our shore leave.”

She smiled softly. “That makes it even more special.” She held up her glass for a toast. Data followed through, tapping his glass to hers before they took a sip together.

Once they did, Data put his glass down and stood. On the wall panel, he pressed a series of buttons, and then the cabin was filled with soft music. Data offered his hand to Faith.

She graciously accepted.

As they slowly danced, Faith rested her cheek to Data’s, closing her eyes and enjoying the moment. They hadn’t had one such as this since the art show. It made her realize how little time she had set aside for romance. Not that she could blame herself. It had been years since she had been in any kind of long-term relationship and they had never been like what she had with Data.

“Data,” she said in a soft voice. “Will you make me a promise?”

“Certainly.”

“Promise me we’ll always make time for this. For us.”

“I promise. If you promise to do the same.”

She drew back to look him in the eye. “I haven’t been doing so well at that, have I?”

“You have been consumed with work.”

He was right. In her attempt to keep herself going, she had let a lot fall by the wayside, not just in regards to her health.

“That’s no excuse,” she said. “I’ve been so wrapped up in my own crap I’ve been neglecting you. And I’m sorry.”

“I do not feel neglected. My words were not meant to guilt you.”

“I know. And they didn’t. They just pointed out how distracted I’ve been.”

Data held her close, his temple resting against hers. “Allow me to provide an alternate distraction.”

Warmth flooded her system and she relaxed in his arms. “You’re doing a marvelous job.”

They danced for hours. At least it felt like hours. There was no one to interrupt them. No duties to get to. No one to tell them there were other more important things to do. Because at that moment, there wasn’t anything more important than the two of them finally having time alone. Time to just be together.

It was like a dream.

The quiet music. The wine. The dim lights. It was like Data had reached into her subconscious and drew out her deepest desire.

When the music finally faded away and the room was silent, Faith let out a content sigh. “I love you. So much. I never thought I could love someone this much.”

“I never believed I could love at all.”

“Oh, Data.” She slipped her arms around his neck and drew back to meet his gaze. “You’ve been loving people this whole time. In your own way.”

He smiled softly, the beautiful smile that she loved so much. She stopped their dance, stroking his cheek as she admired the face she had committed to memory. Data initiated the kiss, leaning in so quickly it was as if he couldn’t help himself.

His increasing impulsiveness when it came to affection always sent a shudder down her spine.

When they withdrew so she could catch her breath, she brushed her nose against his. “Let’s make use of that big bed in the other room.”

“A wise decision, mi alma.”

[starfleet-jelly]

We’re Still Friends - Simon Tarses x Reader

Word Count: 1412

It had been almost a year after the trial where Simon had been accused of being a traitor and his Romulan heritage was reviled. It had been almost a year since he had stepped foot onto the Enterprise-D, but he almost felt relief when he did. Simon’s punishment for  lying on Starfleet documents had been temporary suspension. He though he’d certainly be sent to some remote starbase when he was allowed back, however, Captain Picard had been kind enough to ask for him back. Simon nervously walked down the corridors of the Enterprise towards his quarters. He wondered what his crewmates would think of him now. They knew he was part Romulan, not Vulcan. He was especially afraid of what (y/n) would think of him. They were pretty close before the whole fiasco. Simon’s chest tightened a little. What if she didn’t want to be around him anymore? After all, he lied to her, he lied to everyone about who he really was. He was lucky Starfleet Command didn’t place him in jail for fraud.

Simon entered his quarters and dropped his belongs onto the floor. He sat down on he edge of his bed and placed his hands over his face. He felt relief when he first stepped onto the Enterprise, but the longer he was here the more he felt dread and guilt coming over him. Guilt that he no longer belonged here, hell never belonged here! He was a lair! A Romulan. Someone more qualified, more confident should be here instead of him, he messed up by lying. Simon rubbed his face and sighed as he tried to control his emotions. Even only a quarter Romulan, his emotions were still all over the place, hard to control and hard to ignore. Simon stood up and began to unpack his things. He shouldn’t be sitting here wallowing in guilt, that isn’t what Captain Picard brought him back for. As Simon unpacked his things is console beeped. Simon walked over and answered it. “Crewman Tarses,” The voice belonging to no other than the Captain said. “I would like to speak with you in my Ready Room please.” Simon swallowed hard. “Yes, Captain, right away, sir.”

                                                         ______

Simon stood stiffly as he entered the Ready Room. “Captain.” Simon greeted and Picard stood and smiled. “It’s good to see you again Crewman Tarses, welcome back.” Picard walked from around his desk and leaned against it. “It’s been a year since you were last on the Enterprise, I have a few PADDs for you about all the updates to code..”he started and handed Simon a couple of PADDs. “I have to inform you that I was unable to reassign you to your duties you had, and you’ll be doing research instead of the hands on duties you had before your temporary suspension.” Simon knew this already, it had been in the communique he received when he was first informed of his return to Enterprise. Picard locked his hands in front of him and looked up at Simon. “It may be difficult to reintegrate yourself back into the crew, if you cannot handle it, I will transfer you to a starbase if you would like.” Simon looked down and then back up at Picard. “Uh, N-no, Captain, I believe I’ll be fine, thank you.” Picard gave a quick smile and patted Simon on the shoulder. “Good, good. Your shift starts tomorrow” Simon nodded as he was lead out by Picard. “I’m glad to have you back Tarses, I hope to see good things from you.”

                                                        ______

He stood nervously at his station. Simon was supposed to be writing down and monitoring bacteria but he couldn’t focus, (y/n) was going to walk in any minute. The young man might have looked at the crew schedule sometime yesterday to see when she would be working. In 6 minutes she would come strolling through that door. The first time the two had met was his third day on the Enterprise, Simon had gotten horribly lost. All of the corridors looked the same and he was only trying to find storage. (y/n) found him on the completely wrong level and was nice enough to take him to the right area. When he first saw her his chest felt like it may concave. Again, two days later, Simon found himself lost and bumped into (y/n). She helped him again and proclaimed herself to be his new guide to the Enterprise, seeing as how he kept managing to get lost.

“I thought Vulcans had something like photographic memory, how is it you get lost so often?” she teased him, pushing his shoulder lightly.

“I’m only a quarter Vulcan, I guess impressive memory wasn’t one of the traits I was afforded.” Simon laughed shyly as they walked down the corridors.

Simon found himself smiling at the memory. After that encounter (y/n) and Simon spent a lot of time together. They most meals together, laughing and talking about work and things. He remembered one day he went to meet her for lunch and saw the cast that covered her right arm.

“What happened here (y/n)?” Simon asked worriedly motioning to her injured arm. She just shrugged and gave a giggle.

“Well, there was an accident in Engineering and one of the patients had gotten radiation poisoning, he was hallucinating, I was thrown across sickbay! I’ll tell ya, nothin gets the heart a pumping like being thrown effortlessly like a bag of potatoes!” (y/n) flailed her arms in the air dramatically. “Thank goodness you weren’t there Tarses!”

Simon’s chest tightened and he frowned, “If I were there, you wouldn’t have gotten thrown (y/n).” he said as he sat down and took her covered arm. “Does it hurt?” (y/n) gave him a half smile and shook her head.

“No, Tarses, it doesn’t hurt.” (y/n) playfully patted his shoulder and Simon felt is face heat up a bit.

Simon looked up from his station as he heard the doors his open. His chest tightened like it had so many other times he saw her. She looked the same as the last time he had saw her. He quickly looked down to his station before she could see him looking at her. Simon was so focused on not looking at her he didn’t even notice that she had walked right up to him until he felt someone shove his shoulder. He looked up with slightly wide eyes to see (y/n) giving him a wide grin. “Tarses! It’s good to see you again!” she chirped. Simon gave a half laugh and smiled. “(y/n) its good to see you again too.”  She walked past him a bit “We should have lunch together Tarses” Simon looked at her and nodded, “I would like that.” (y/n) walked over to her station and began her work.

                                                       ______

Simon nervously sat down beside (y/n) in Ten Forward and she smiled at him. “Tarses, its been a while, how are you?” she asked. Simon gave a small smile. “I’ve been good, I was on Mars for a while, helping my mother with her practice.” She gave a nod. “It’s good you kept yourself busy.” she stabbed her food and moved it around her plate. “It’s kind of been a little dull since you left. There was like a whole thing with the holodeck, like there isn’t always something goin on with those damn things!” she rolled her eyes with a grin. “so many injuries, unique ones too, don’t often get to see dolphin bites, or head trauma from a coconut.” Simon looked at her in shock and then began to laugh. “I’m jealous I missed that. I bet it was a mess in sickbay.” Simon’s smile faded when (y/n) reached over and  touched his arm gently. “I really wished you were there.” she gave him a smile. “I missed having you around, I really did.” Simon gave a smile and looked down at his hands and looked back up at her. “You’re not mad at me for lying to you, are you?” (y/n) shook her head. “I’m not mad, I’m a little sad you didn’t trust me, but I understand why you would lie about that, Romulans aren’t well liked, are they?” Simon nodded. “We’re still friends?” he asked. “We’re still friends, Tarses.” She gave a peck on his cheek. “Now lemme tell you how to treat a dolphin bite!” Simon’s face lit up and smiled.

[space-helen]

Hydration

Words: 1638

Pairing: Riker x Reader

A/N: I’ve never personally had dehydration but my sister did when she was younger so I drew from that plus some online sources. I hope it’s ok!

Request: For an open request slot. While trying to be an asset to the ship, the reader overworks and lets themselves get seriously dehydrated—to the point where it affects their performance. Will’s there to pick up the pieces. - Anon

______________________ “We need a full analysis of all of the samples by the end of the day tomorrow.”

“I’ll get on it.” you dragged the box of samples across the table and peered inside, there was way too many to process and you doubted you’d get them all done by tomorrow night but you had too.

You’d been running samples non stop for the last couple of days, you came to the lab earlier than your shift and left later, knowing that not many other people would have the same knowledge as you when it came to the nature of the samples. Alone time and time to look after yourself was optionally scarce as you’d decide to work through most of your breaks, running down to the mess hall and shovelling food inside your system before going back to the lab.

Your mouth was dry as you looked at the clock, it was getting late and you should probably leave soon to get some sleep. 

“Y/N? I thought you’d still be here” Will crossed his arms across his chest as he spoke.

You looked up from the table to see him standing near the doorway “Yeah. I was about to leave though I just need to wrap this up.”

“I think you’re overworking.” “But there’s work to be done.” you gestured to the desk in front of you. “But once this is done I’ll have plenty of time on my hands.”

He approached your desk and slid onto a stool “Is there any way I can help?” 

You smiled “Can you put the box away in the cabinet?”

“Anything for you.” he picked up the box and moved past you before sliding the box into the cabinet and returning to your side. He placed a hand on the back of your stool and one on the desk, leaning over as he watched you pack away the rest of the items. 

“Was there something you wanted?” you teased before turning back to the task at hand.

He leant in and quickly placed a kiss on your cheek. “Nothing in particular, I really just came to make sure you didn’t stay here all night.”

“You’re not going to leave until I leave are you?”

“Nope” 

You sighed and pushed everything neatly together on the table, you weren’t going to put up too much of a fight you were exhausted after all “Ok then, let’s go.” 

The man smiled as the two of you walked together out of the room and navigated the corridors together. The two of you slipped into your quarters and you moved straight to the replicator to get a glass of cool water, your body ached with thirst, so you downed the entire glass too quickly.

The speed at which you drank the water brought on a bout of nausea, walking into your bedroom you stripped out of your uniform and into pyjamas before brushing your teeth and crawling into bed to join Will. His arms instantly wrapped around you and it didn’t take long for your tired body to be enveloped into sleep.

When you woke up Will was already getting ready for his shift, sitting up you felt lightheaded and grouchy but nothing you couldn’t handle. Will was rushing out of the door before you could even say good morning, it looked like the two of you had slept better than you thought.

 You stood up and went through the motions of getting ready for your shift. Before grabbing some breakfast and getting to work, a slight dizziness was present in your head but you shook it off.

Time seemed to roll at a snail’s pace yet it was moving at the blink of an eye. Periods of time were merging together.

You’d run to grab some food at lunch but you could feel that you were exhausted. The dizziness in your head getting worse slowly. 

You slid back into your seat and looked at the remaining samples, you only had a handful left and you’d be able to get them done within the next couple of hours. Your eyes and mouth were dry as you worked. You tried to blink through it but the increased blinking was making you gradually feel more tired.

A headache was forming as you finished the last analysis. Tapping your comm you called for the Captain in order to hand over your findings. While you waited for him to arrive you rested your head in your hands and finally concentrated on your body. Something definitely wasn’t right but in an hour you would have some time for yourself.

You noticed how dry your throat was and tried to remember the last time you had something to drink. No memories from today came through and you realised the last time was before you’d slept last night and the time before that? You couldn’t recall.

Just as you sat up and prepared yourself to stand to get a drink the Captain and Will walked into the room. “Y/L/N what’s the verdict?”

“Captain.” you mustered a smile “I’ve managed to do a full analysis on all of the samples and I found some interesting information.” You handed him a PADD “I’ve written up a full report but while you’re here I’ll go over some of the key elements.”

He nodded and tucked the PADD under his arm. “Firstly these samples, C136 to C147 are all harmless, there were some interesting properties in a few of them but nothing to worry about. At most humans with sensitive skin might have a small reaction to them.” you gestured to everything on the table. 

“The most interesting samples were samples C115 through C129” you went to stand up from your stool to get the samples from the cabinet but a wave of dizziness hit you accompanied with a pain in your head, stumbling Will instantly put his arms out to steady you, his hands coming to your waist.

“Are you ok?” his eyes searched your face, you looked tired and worn. 

“Yeah I’m ok.” You quickly turned your head away from the man but the dizziness was extreme and before you knew it everything went black and your knees were buckling from beneath you. 

Will instinctively supported your weight as you slumped forward onto him. “Y/N?” he gently pushed you forward and could see that your eyes were closed. 

The Captain quickly pressed his insignia “Picard to Sickbay. Prepare a bed. Lieutenant Y/L/N has unexpectedly collapsed.”

Will didn’t hesitate in scooping you up into his arms and rushing you down to the sickbay, gently putting you onto a bed and letting Doctor Crusher get to work. 

Picard scrolled through your report to look for key information, calling out possible hazards and causes for your collapse while Will nervously paced.

“Jean-Luc will you just be quiet for one second?” Beverly scolded.

Will whipped his head up “Do you know what’s wrong with her?”

“Yes and it’s nothing to do with any of the samples. Just a side effect from overworking. Miss Y/L/N here is seriously dehydrated. She’s going to be ok though, I’ve administered plenty of fluids and she needs to rest. She should probably take a couple of days off as well to fully recover.” she turned to Will “I’ll keep her for a little bit after she wakes up but she’s going to be tired and possibly hazy.” 

She moved away with Picard at her side to discuss other matters.

Will slid into the seat next to your bed and rested his head back and closed his eyes “I knew something was wrong.” sitting forward he took your hand in his and gently stroked his thumb over it. Patiently waiting for you to wake up.

His wait didn’t take long, you were soon stirring and opening your eyes. Your throat ached with thirst “Will?” your voice was dry and scratchy and your head felt cloudy.

“Yeah it’s me.” you shuffled up the bed into a sitting position as he passed you a glass of water “Drink up, doctors orders.” you weakly smiled and he pressed a kiss to your head “I’ll go get Doctor Crusher.” 

You sat and sipped at the drink while you waited for the Doctor. “You really need to pay more attention to your water intake.”

You smiled at her sarcastic tone “I’m aware of that now.”

She quickly checked over your scans while Will hovered behind her. “I want you to stay here for another couple of hours so I can keep an eye on you but by suppertime I want you having a proper meal and a good night's sleep. I’m sure your boyfriend will make sure you drink enough.” She teasingly raised her eyebrow and Will blushed red behind her “I’ve signed you off duty for the next couple of days.”

“Thank you. I’m sorry to scare you all like that.”

“It’s fine we all have our moments. Just keep those fluids up.” she gave you one last smile before disappearing.

“So it looks like you’ll be looking after me.” you laughed.

“It seems to be that way. Picard was convinced that you’d been exposed to something hazardous in the samples.” 

“Very poor timing to collapse on my part.” your eyelids felt heavy and you attempted to blink through the tiredness. “But then again it could’ve been worse. I could’ve given the Captain the shock of his life by fainting onto him.”

“I can already picture his face.” Will laughed, your signs of being tired didn’t go amiss “Sleep, I’ll be here when you wake up. You’ve had a tough couple of days.”

“Tell Picard that there was nothing seriously life threatening in the samples.” 

He smiled as he stood. Leaning down to place a kiss on your forehead “I will.”

Tag List: (open)

Riker:

Star Trek: @morganofthecoves1​ @sophiasescape​ @livenerdyandprosper​ @allthetrek​ @deeppandanerdbatty​

[saintheartwing]

Lily’s Post about Mary Sues

Let’s analyze this. 

None of those series you mentioned have characters that could be labelled as Mary Sues

Clark Kent, Goku, Luke, Anakin, Kirk.

Okay, a Mary Sue or Gary Stu has to be, basically, either an author avatar or stand-in, they tend to be beautiful or really handsome, have unusual, or dramatic backtories, are “chosen one” types, all of the main characters in the group will love them or admire them and those that don’t are always portrayed as in the wrong for not doing so, this kind of thing. They tend to be overpowered as well and they possess unique, special powers. They’ve basically overpowered, over-idealized, beloved by anybody and if you DON’T like them, you’re clearly in the wrong. Oh, and everything they do is treated as good, and if they DO screw up, hey, it’s no big deal. Any actual flaws are negligible or nonexistent. Like being “Naive” or wearing their heart on their sleeve. 

Let’s take a look at...Superman. Well, he’s got several big weaknesses. Kryptonite, for one. And Magic. HUGELY weak against magic. He IS overpowered and he is mostly beloved by everyone...but he has made a LOT of mistakes. Especially when it comes to Batman. Whenever Batman is involved in a story with him, it’s Batman who’s right, and Superman who’s in the wrong. Pretty much all the time. “Darkseid is dead, Superman.” “You know what Bruce? You’re not always right!” But Batman WAS right, at least technically. Batman regularly beats Superman in several stories. So Clark isn’t always treated as right. On top of that, he does have some real character flaws of constantly being torn between wanting to do more and being afraid of how far he should go. And when you have GODLY strength, that’s a huge exploit, especially for supervillains. But...he does fill a lot of the Mary Sue tropes, so we’ll give Lily some credit. 

Goku? Well Goku is a moron. The story always treats his stupidity as being a huge problem. One that CONTINUES to cause issues, and has even nearly gotten his world destroyed a few times. He’s even gotten himself and his friends KILLED cuz he couldn’t think of any other way but to sacrifice himself or the like. AND he has serious anger issues. When he’s furious, he’s almost uncontrollable. The only person more so is Vegeta. He’s also a pig who eats too much but we can sorta overlook that last one because being a glutton is played more for laughs and “He needs it to keep up his strength”.  How about his powers? Well he’s DEFINITELY overpowered. Is he handsome? Well, he looks pretty good. And he’s well-liked by pretty much the whole main cast except for, of course, the villains. So we could say...yeah. Goku’s kinda Mary Sue-ish. 

Luke? Well...not really. Luke isn’t naturally gifted or talented like Goku or Superman were. Despite having the POTENTIAL to be great, his Jedi skills started out so poor he couldn’t even block blaster bolts using the force alone. He had to train for weeks if not months under Yoda just to get somewhat up to snuff and he STILL failed. “Don’t go into that cave with your weapons”. He goes in. Sees Darth Vader and...oh, wait, it’s HIMSELF he’s killed! You were put to the test and you failed. He can’t lift large objects with the Force. He’s reckless, he doesn’t think things through and he often has to rely on help from OTHERS to succeed. He only got that one-in-a-million shot on the Death Star because Obi Wan’s ghost spoke to him in his head to help guide him. He only got away from the first Death Star because Obi Wan sacrificed himself. Throughout the first two films, he’s just not good enough. He loses to Darth Vader MISERABLY, and he even loses his HAND. A real Mary Sue would have won, or at least held Darth Vader off, or tied. Worse still, he’s not just dangerously reckless and kind of whiny...he’s got a serious anger problem that rises up in the films, he almost outright gives in to the dark side. But other than that, he’s just some country bumpkin who happened to luck out at finding the right droid. All his powers, he basically earned, showing a classic heroes’s journey growth. So that, combined with the huge failures in the first few movies and even if we factor in the sequels and the stupid, dumb decisions he made...he’s not a Mary Sue. A Mary Sue wouldn’t f--k up that much. Or if they did, it wouldn’t be treated as his own fault, or as a bad thing. It’d be brushed off.

Anakin! OHHH boy. This guy is a whiny little brat. I don’t know if people realize this, but...Lily, NOBODY LIKED ANAKIN. Anakin was unlikable BECAUSE he was a Mary Sue. You DO realize this, right? He was overpowered, treated as the chosen one, and he was super whiny at that. But you know what? At least the story treated him doing awful stuff as the wrong thing. Him being reckless? A bad thing. He should listen to Obi Wan more. Him casually killing someone through the back in the Clone Wars? A bad thing, he could have just knocked the guy out or cut his arm or hand off, what he did was murder. Anakin murdering the entire tribe of Sand People that kidnapped his mom, leading to her death? Shown as a VERY bad thing because he slaughtered ALL of them, even women and children. Anakin becoming Sith and killing kids? SUPER bad thing. 

So at the very least, him doing morally reprehensible things is treated as genuinely bad. At least the story calls him out on this. 

Kirk? Uh, Kirk is just a random human. He’s not exactly super strong or super intelligent. He’s clever and he’s fairly skilled in combat, and he’s definitely good looking, but he’s no ‘chosen one’ like so many of the others. Has he got flaws? Yeah, he’s got a temper. And he  flagrantly disregards the rules. And he DEFINITELY is something of a skirt chaser. But he’s not exactly overpowered enough to be considered a Mary Sue. He hasn’t GOT enough powers at all to be counted as one. Plus, when you consider how he died? A real Mary Sue would get a far better and more dramatic death, if they died at all. So Kirk? Ahhh, not really. He’s not a Mary Sue. He’s just not powerful enough to be one and he’s no chosen one. 

But your characters? Well, let’s see. Rey is a chosen one. So is Aliana. And Aliana is descended from a LONG LINE of superpowerful Sith. She’s basically “old money”. It runs in the blood. Pretty Mary Sue right there. They’re overpowered? Yep. Very. They easily beat the crap out of Kylo Ren. Do all the main characters like them? Yeah. And any that don’t are always treated as wrong, like Leia, or enemies, like Kylo Ren. They fit the definitions to a T.

can never be wrong

“So are a lot of characters in popular culture”

Except that’s not true. Superman, as I’ve shown, has been wrong quite a lot, especially when arguing against Batman, or Wonder Woman. Superman having to kill three Kryptonians who had did a literal genocide of an alternate Earth was portrayed as VERY wrong and it haunted him for years and years. Anakin was VERY, VERY wrong. The minute you do mass murder, you kinda instantly become wrong. Kirk ends up being very wrong in the final film he’s in. He doesn’t want to leave his heavenly alternate reality, it’s PICARD who has to convince him to stop being selfish. Goku is stupidly wrong when dealing with Cell, he really screws up and it gets his mentor and a few of his friends killed because he couldn’t think of a better way to get rid of the about-to-explode Cell than to teleport him to King Kai’s moon. He could have just teleported him, say, the serpent bridge, THEN teleported back if he really thought the explosion was gonna be so big it’d take out the entire world but...nope! Then there’s how he handled Majin Buu. He THINKS he doesn’t have to use fusion with his son. After all, Majin Buu has just lost a ton of power! He and his son can beat him normally...then Majin Buu catches him off guard and claims his son. Nice going, Goku, he was weak and instead of doing what everyone told you to do, you whiffed because you assumed you could handle it. And then there was his whole “Okay Vegeta, you finish off Frieza while he’s all Golden”. Big mistake. Frieza does a self-destructive attack that BLOWS UP THE ENTIRE WORLD and Whis has to literally TURN. BACK. TIME to fix this. Thanks, Goku. You COULDA just finished Frieza off like you did last time, but noooo! You had to indulge your friend’s ego. Luke? Luke’s been wrong a ton of times. Even if we ignore the sequels and the stupid way he handled Kylo Ren and hiding off on some podunk island, he ignored Yoda’s advice multiple times, he took off to fight Darth Vader, and he lost miserably. 

Basically, every time these people do something wrong...it is, for the most part, TREATED as the wrong move by the story. That’s NOT the case for Aliana or Rey. Casually killing a guard for harassing a refugee? Cold blooded murder? Not portrayed as wrong. Overkill of guards at Canto Bight? Not even REMOTELY called out, nor the whole “mass forced suicide” thing. Killing Rey’s parents in cold blood when they were unarmed? Barely glanced over. What’s portrayed as wrong was keeping that a secret, not the MURDER thing. SHOOTING LEIA WITH ELECTRICITY? Not even REMOTELY treated as going too far. 

are always victims

“Can’t imagine why a woman who suffers from PTSD writes characters who have suffered trauma in their lives. It’s a fucking mystery.”

You realize though this makes Aliana an author-avatar/stand in though, and that enforces the whole “she’s a Mary Sue” thing, right? 

and bend the narrative to suit their needs

“If they were villains you wouldn’t complain about it this insessantly.”

But they’re NOT villains. When a story has a hero doing this, even when it has a villain doing this, that’s bad writing. Having Leia reasonably point out the fact that the Republic has every good reason to not trust a Sith and Aliana can’t just bully them into going along with everything she wants...and then having Aliana just SPONTANEOUSLY summon her own WAR FLEET to go “Sword of Damocles” on Leia and the Republic? That’s bad writing. It comes out of nowhere, no build up, and exists ONLY to tell Leia and anybody who has a problem with how Aliana’s doing things to SHUT UP I’M IN CHARGE. It’s bullying, bad writing.

Also, those other characters mentioned have other characters who will call out people like Luke or Kirk if they mess up. And Luke and Kirk or Goku will go “Yeah, you’re right, I should listen to you” and they have to change...or at least say they’ll try to. Does anybody in your story do that? Well...no. Because ANY objection to how Rey or Aliana does things is treated as BAD and WRONG because they’re the main characters, and thus everything they do is right, even if it’s morally repulsive and if ANOTHER character shot lightning at a middle-aged woman for a nasty comment, they’d be the bad guy.

Anyway, said my piece. Lily really has absolutely no self-reflection on this. She can’t handle actual criticism. All this is is DEFLECTION and PIVOTING away from your own story’s problems.  It’s very easy to crow about how popular your work is when you dismiss and delete all actual critique and criticism. 

[calliecat93]

ST: The Next Generation Season 3 Watchthrough Episodes 4-6

Who Watches the Watchers: Picard is God now, or at least an alien species believes that he is. Whoops. While I disagree with the Prime Directive preventing the Federation from saving lives when there are no other options… yeah when this kind of things happens, I can understand why it’s a thing. So it was alright. I’m not a big fan of how ST sometimes protrays religion, but I also can’t sit here and pretend like there aren’t issues that do need to be addressed. In this case there’s the danger of introducing superstition to a non-superstitious race which quickly causes chaos. The way that Picard convinces the leader that he and the crew are mortal was depressing, but effective. The episode certainly raises plenty of philosophical questions, though again I’d like it if ST was a bit more nuanced about belief in religion or the supernatural (obviously it’s a sci-fi nto a fantasy but still) but it could have been worst. But the people are clearly not evil or insane and it certainly has a point about not enforcing beliefs of a false God or the dangers that com with it like… y’know, almost sacrificing Troi (loved her and Riker’s costumes BTW) for what was ultimately an accident/misunderstanding. Otherwise it’s an alright episode. 3/5.

The Bonding: The theme of the day is grief! We have a very rare occurrence here: an officer dying in the line of duty and leaving her child, whose father is also dead, behind. Since TOS didn’t have kids on the ship we couldn’t really do this plot, but TNG can. Actually makes me understand why Picard doesn’t like kids on the Enterprise and I have complained more than once on them letting Wesley, a kid, on active duty when untrained so I’m glad to see this kind of episode. I liked all the reactions and the concerns for Jeremy. Worf feeling guilty because he lead the mission as well as his parents being dead and wanting to help Jeremy as a result, Troi being understandably concerned that Jeremy isn’t grieving properly, Picard clearly hating this part of his job, and even Wesley talking about how it was when his dad died and how even though he’s gotten through the grief, it’s still difficult. I think it’s the first time he’s been able to express it in an episode, it’s the kind of thing his character needed. Jeremy’s response isn’t exactly abnormal, but it’s certainly not healthy to keep it suppressed and things only get more when his mother magically reappears alive, but it’s not at all as it seems. The choice between the harsh reality of grief, or living a lie but where the ones you love are alive and well. Which one would you choose to believe? I think this really helps show the more mature writing this season cause they handle the topic maturely and very thoughtfully with a ST twist to it. Like Data and Riker talking about how human nature causes us to feel pained when we lose one close to us like they did with Yar but one we don’t know as well or even a while group of those nameless to us doesn’t quite provoke the same response. Kinda like the confrontation Spock and McCoy had in The Immunity Syndrome, only far, FAR less heated. It’s not at all subtle with the message, but with this kind of topic especially with a kid character involved… maybe bluntness is the best way to go. I just wanted to give the poor kid a hug at the end, but I’m glad that he’ll be okay and now has a family in Worf. Also there was a kitty (not Data’s cat, that BETTER be coming soon though!), yay~! 4/5.

Booby Trap: Ah love, it can be so hard to find that special someone. IDK why Geordi’s having a hard time aside form maybe trying too hard cause he’s adorable, but hey I’ve so much as never even made romantic eye contact with someone in the 28 years I’ve been alive so who am I to judge? At least he can get a date. Anyways, after finding an ancient ship, the power starts being mysteriously drained which is bad. Turns out they’ve been caught in a trap, well no one can say that the title is misleading. Anyways, it’s okay. We have a crisis where Geordi going through the personal log of one of the Enterprise designers to find a potential fix… only to end up causing the computer to create a holographic version of the engineer, Leah. So we have Geordi trying to save them before they get blown up while falling in love with a hologram… welp. So did ST create the whole virtual lover trope? Or at least predict it? Welp. So… is he more or less flirting with the computer of the Enterprise? Or essetially the Enterprise itself? God I can see him and Scotty really getting along haha. But yeah I’m glad to have some Geordi focus… but IDK if the romantic part was necessarily needed, makes it feel more like a Season 2 episode. The next episode is another Geordi one that sounds very interesting so we’ll see if that’s a bit better. Otherwise, no real strong feelings for this one. Probably the weakest thus far but there are still 20 episodes to go and we’ve already had five quality episodes. Very least Levar as Geordi is a blessing XD 2.5/5.

[jesternene]

Unexpected Circumstances

Forgive me for the long wait. Been very busy at work and I had a hard time ending this chapter. Hopefully, you all enjoy it!

You read Chapter 4 here

CHAPTER 5

After they rescued Commander Riker from Malcor III, Beverly was needed almost around the clock to keep Riker alive. It was close, almost too close in her mind, of how they almost lost him. She wasn’t sure if it was the hormones talking, but she was having trouble keeping her emotions in check when she saw her friend near death. After a few days, Riker regained consciousness to Beverly’s relief. She instantly communicated the news to Picard before checking in on her patient.

“Well, look who decided to join the living” Beverly smiled, looking over his chart that was next to his bed. Riker winced and moaned, stiff from being in bed for far too long and the pain shooting down from his back to his legs. “Do you need more pain receptors?” Beverly asked, noticing his discomfort.

“I’ll be okay. Nothing I can’t handle” Riker put on the charm with a half-sided smile. “How long have I been here?” he asked weakly.

“5 days” Beverly responded. She quickly looked over his PADD again before putting it back down. She leaned over him slightly. “You did give us quite a scare. But luckily for you, you have a great doctor” she smiled. He returned the smile as best as he could, thankful for her skills at that very moment. But even in his grogginess, he could tell she was tired and a little out of breath.

“Are you okay?” Riker asked. Beverly was surprised by his question.

“Of course, why do you ask?” she wondered.

“You look a little tired. I hope I didn’t give you too much trouble. You are growing a small human as we speak” Riker chuckled a bit but winced from the pain as he did. Beverly lightly put her hand on his shoulder and was grateful for her friend’s concern.

“You don’t need to worry about us. I know when not to push myself” Beverly said. Just then, they heard the familiar whoosh of the Sickbay doors opening and closing as Picard began to walk towards them.

“How’s he doing, Doctor?” Picard asked.

“All things considered, he is doing remarkably well. He should be back to full duty in a few days” Beverly answered.

“A few days?!” Riker exclaimed, trying to get up but realizing he couldn’t. Just as he did, Picard and Beverly rushed over to his side and eased him to lay back down.

“Oh no you don’t. You are going to heal and rest right here. I know how stubborn you can be, Will. I would rather be safe than sorry on your recovery” Beverly said. Picard nodded in approval over her observation.

“Dr. Crusher is right. I need you to be 100% before you return to duty. I mean, unless you want me to do all the away missions until then?” Picard smirked. Riker rolled his eyes at the Captain’s attempt at a joke.

“No need, Captain. I will do as the good doctor says. But make sure she rests herself. It looks like she hasn’t taken a break in days” Riker commented on the tiresome look of Beverly. Picard quickly looked over to her and noticed exactly what Riker meant. That vibrant glow she had dimmed a little, her cheeks were slightly flushed and she seemed weaker. Beverly's eyes widened as she could feel their eyes on her.

“I’m fine, Captain” Beverly insisted.

“I think I will be the judge of that, Doctor” Picard said. Giving her a stern look, which only made her roll her eyes in defeat. “Get some rest, Number One. I will check in on you tomorrow” Picard smiled at his first officer. Riker nodded back to his captain and watched him escort the doctor to her office.

________________________________________

As Picard and Beverly entered her office, she quickly went around her desk and sat down. Picard rested his arms on the back of the chair in front of her desk, still giving her a raised brow of concern.

“I’m fine” Beverly huffed, smoothing out the material of her uniform over her stomach.

“I’m sure you are” Picard said before sitting down. Beverly could tell by the tone of his voice that he wasn’t being exactly truthful in that statement.

“But?” Beverly asked.

“But– you need to start slowing down” Picard commented. A touch of concern can be heard in his tone.

“Jean-Luc, I’m pregnant, not ill. And this isn’t my first rodeo. I finished medical school when I had Wesley and I worked up until he was born” Beverly explained. A little annoyed by Picard’s request.

“That’s true, but you also weren’t the CMO of the Federation Starship and responsible for the health and welfare of over 1000 people” Picard said sensitively.

“And your point?” Beverly scoffed at his observation.

“My point is, you need to give yourself some breaks. I don't expect you to abandon your duties, but you should allow self-care. If not for you, then for the baby” Picard pointed out. He leaned forward, resting his arms on the desk, giving her a stern look. Beverly rolled her eyes before dropping her guard.

“You’re right” Beverly said, defeated, which only caused Picard to sigh in relief. “I promise I will take more care of myself” She continued. Picard could sense the defeat in her tone of voice.

“Happy to hear that” Picard smiled. He stood up to leave but stopped and turned around to face her once again. “Once Riker is back on his feet, may we have dinner in my quarters?” Picard asked.

Beverly was taken aback for a moment. The last time he said this, it turned out it wasn’t him at all. She had a flashback of that moment and she closed her eyes tightly to forget. Picard noticed her odd reaction and thought he might have overstepped. “I’m sorry. If you don’t want to…” Beverly cut him off before he continued.

“No, I’m sorry. It’s just– that’s what the Verpellian said to me before we– you know…” Beverly lightly touched her stomach again, looking down. Picard took in a deep breath, saddened over what Beverly had gone through.

“Of course. If you want, we can eat at Ten Forward. If you prefer. Or not at all, that’s fine too. Whatever you need…” Picard began to babble, which caused Beverly to chuckle. He stopped talking and was confused by her reaction.

“You’re cute when you're nervous” she smiled. He blushed at her comment but a small smile formed at the corner of his mouth. “Dinner in your quarters sounds lovely” She responded. Picard’s mood immediately changed when she accepted his dinner invitation. He stood taller and more relaxed, smiling widely.

“I look forward to it” Picard said, still smiling from ear to ear. Beverly only returned his smile before he exited her office.

________________________________________

Another week passed before Riker fully recovered from his incident. However, normalcy in the Enterprise didn’t last for long. When they were investigating what had happened on the USS Brattain and got caught in the Tyken’s Rift, the crew began to lose their ability to REM sleep and started to hallucinate and become paranoid. As much as Beverly tried to keep at finding a solution to fix the issues, she was not immune to the effects, and neither was Picard.

Even though Picard had relieved himself from duty and left Data in charge, Beverly was helping Data and Deanna contact another species to free them from the rift. Beverly’s hallucinations grew more intense as time went on. After her incident in the morgue, she began to stress about everything and even felt paranoid when she didn’t feel the baby move.

When they were able to find a solution and escape the rift, the crew still had a lot to recover from, especially getting a long night’s rest. Data ordered Picard to go to sleep and after 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep, he decided to go to Beverly’s quarters and check in on her. He rang her door but no answer. He didn’t feel it was appropriate to use his security pass but he also felt the fear inside him grew in case something could be wrong. It could still be a side effect of what they just went through, but Picard didn’t want to risk it. He took a deep breath before calling out his security code.

“Computer, security override, Picard 4-7-Alpha-Tango” Picard sighed.

“Security override accepted” The computer stated. The doors whooshed open and Picard quickly stepped in. He turned to his right to head into Beverly’s room and slowly peeked around the corner. He noticed her sleeping soundly and a wave of relief overcame him. He stepped back to the door but stopped. The need to stay was overwhelming and as much as his mind told him it was a bad idea, his heart couldn’t help but need to be near her. He always loved Beverly but he wasn’t sure if this need to be with her was because he was in love with her or because he felt he had to because she was carrying his child. He didn’t want to rush things with Beverly but he didn’t want to be slow either. The confusion over what he wanted and what he needed was blurred, but Beverly’s happiness was the most important to him. He shook his head for a moment and decided to leave, but her voice stopped him.

“Jean-Luc? What are you doing here?” Beverly questioned in a soft yet sleepy tone. He turned around and saw her standing at the archway of her bedroom, keeping her robe tightly closed. He ran his hand over his smooth scalp before stepping towards her. She arched her brow waiting for an answer.

“I uh– I’m… well you see…” Picard began to babble which made Beverly more confused. Picard sighed and looked down as if he was in trouble. “I was worried about you and needed to see if you were okay” he admitted. 

“You were worried? About me?” Beverly questioned for a moment before a small smile crept on her lips. “That’s very sweet, Jean-Luc” Beverly said. He looked relieved.

“I was afraid I overstepped by coming in here. Maybe it is a side effect of what just happened but I felt the sudden urge to– to see you” He explained. Beverly shook her head and walked towards him, placing her hand on his shoulder.

“I trust your judgment, Jean-Luc. I probably would have done the same thing” Beverly said, keeping her smile sweet and loving. 

“Are you okay?” Picard questioned with worry.

“I think so” she said. Walking over to her couch and sitting down. She let out a deep breath, leaning back and rubbing her belly contently. “I feel a little more like myself but not 100%”

“I know what you mean” Picard stated before sitting down next to her. “I am having Data take us to the nearest Starbase so we all can get the sleep we need and recover properly” 

“That sounds like a good idea” Beverly said. Picard stared at her stomach for a moment, which Beverly caught. He looked away quickly, as if embarrassed. Beverly wasn’t sure how Picard felt. She knew he was excited that they were having a son, but he hadn’t brought it up much since that day. “Do you want to feel him?” she asked sweetly.

Picard was caught off guard by her question and shook his head instantly. “No, that’s quite alright” he said before standing up quickly. Beverly sighed at his reaction but kept response silent. “I’m sorry. I think I am just nervous about– feeling him” Picard explained, now facing her. Beverly lightly chuckled at his statement.

“He isn’t going to bite, Jean-Luc” Beverly smiled.

“I know that. It’s just–” Picard trailed off a bit, causing Beverly’s smile to fade.

“If you feel him, it’s real?” Beverly finished his statement. Picard looked at her and nodded. He felt ashamed about his feelings, only like he shouldn’t have any. Beverly knew this was going to take him a lot longer to accept and even though he made progress, he still had a long way to go. She stood up and stood as close to him as her belly would allow.

She held out her hand to him but Picard froze for a moment. He looked deep into those vibrant blue eyes of hers and swallowed hard. He slowly gave her his hand and she lightly placed it on her stomach. “He’s 22 weeks now. His kicks are stronger and more frequent. It’s hard to get anything…” She stopped mid-sentence when their son kicked his father’s hand. Picard’s eyes widened at the weird sensation, but Beverly smiled. “I told you he wouldn’t bite”

Picard smiled back at her and placed his other hand on her stomach to get a better feel. Almost on cue, their son kicked again. That kick was hard enough to cause Beverly to wince a little and let out a small gasp. Picard instantly worried when he saw her face.

“Are you alright?” Picard asked, placing one of his hands on her shoulders. Beverly chuckled at how quickly he panicked.

“I’m fine. That kick was a doozy though” Beverly said. Picard let out a small sigh of relief before removing his hands from her.

“Thank you” Picard smiled again.

Beverly only returned the smile before sitting down. The room fell into awkward silence before an idea struck Picard’s mind.

“You know, we didn’t get to have that dinner in my quarters” Picard stated, sitting back next to Beverly.

“No, we did not. Things got a little hectic around here” She sarcastically mentioned.

“Indeed it did” Picard huffed a bit. “But, maybe we can make up for it. How about some breakfast?” Picard asked with a hopeful glint in his eyes.

“Right now? Jean-Luc it’s 4 in the morning” Beverly commented.

“It’s still morning, and nothing beats an early breakfast” Picard quickly stood up and held out his hand to help her up.

“Yea there is, it’s called sleeping in” Beverly smirked, as Picard helped her up from the couch. “But, since it doesn’t seem any of us will be sleeping in today. Breakfast sounds perfect” Beverly continued, smiling again at him.

“Your usual then?” Picard asked with a smile on his face.

“As always” Beverly replied. They spent the rest of the morning together, not letting anyone or anything stand in their way.

J

[lieutenantcharleslorem]

Chapters: 1/3 Fandom: Star Trek: The Next Generation Rating: General Audiences Relationships: Data/Geordi La Forge Additional Tags: daforge - Freeform, AU, Alternate Universe - Steampunk, Goblins, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Mermaids, Pirates Summary:

The Corsair ship Enterprise is not exactly a pirate ship, but they do what they have to to get by on the high seas. Without someone knowledgeable in steam mechanics that becomes even harder. Data is a gear filled robot who can be wound like a watch, and Geordi is merman who cannot see above water. But perhaps this odd friendship could solve some of their problems.

Hi! This was written for a commission for @datalaur​. This takes place in a weird vaguely steampunk, D&D type universe where certain alien species names are interchangeable with mythological names like trolls and goblins, and everyone calls Data a robot. The world building isn't perfect, but I still think it's a good time. 💜 (Here’s a link to chapter two)

 CHAPTER ONE

The sea rippled in the wind, and the ship creaked as the sails were turned.

“Captain,” said the first mate, “We can’t go on like this.”

“What do you want me to do, Will? Stop and ask for directions?”

“It’s not just that. When we go into battle, we can’t have you and the rob’ut shoveling coal.”

“There’s so much more to it than that.”

“Well then? That’s my point. We’ve got to replace O’Brien. I know you were holding out hope, but when we dock at the ninth port again, sure he’ll sing songs, and welcome us like old friends, but he’s not gonna be convinced to go back to the life of a corsair. Not now that he found someone who could love that ugly mug of his.”

The Captain sighed. “You’re right. But Data knows this ship better than anyone—”

“The rob’ut can’t fix himself, Picard,” Riker spat. He steeled himself and tried to speak more respectfully. “We need a new crew member. Even if he doesn’t know the engines, if he’s got a mind to learn, if he can figure Data’s gears, he can pick up slack. Because we need you both on deck, sir.”

“Captain, I’m afraid I have to concur.” The gears in Data’s shoulders creaked as he turned the wheel and changed their course. “Not only that we need an extra crewman, but that we should stop and ask for directions.”

“Data…” Picard said, frustrated, “Who do you suppose we ask. A siren?”

“I propose we anchor along this approaching landmass,” replied Data. “There are signs of life.”

Picard removed his spyglass from his pocket and took a look at the approaching shore. There was smoke in the distance and a path cut through the trees. There was no way to tell if these people were friendly, but they were certainly people.

But Captain Picard was nothing if not an adventurer. If he had been afraid to meet new and mystical species on faraway shores, he never would’ve found Data, or Worf. Even Troi was half Elvin, and they’d all learned to live with her mind trickery. While the old girl, Enterprise, was just beginning to take on this diversity, Picard suspected there were pirate and privateer ships in which humans were the minority.

When they anchored a few hours later, the crew was informed to sit tight while the Captain and Worf sought out the people to make sure it was safe.

The first thing Worf noticed about the locals was that they didn’t seem all that mysterious. They looked human. The only difference being that his humans kept themselves better trimmed.

“Trespassers,” said one of the men.

“We mean no disrespect,” said Picard, putting his hands up to show his open palms. “We’ve only lost our way. We don’t mean to intrude.”

“You have a Klingon with you,” said one of the women.

“This is Worf,” said the captain. “He is a friendly Klingon. He wasn’t even raised on the mountains of Kronos. He was raised among humans.”

Worf nodded. He resented his trustworthiness being equated with how human he may be, but now was not the time to be offended.

“What are you doing here?” asked the man.

“We’re lost,” said Picard. “We’ve been tasked to find the Goblin homeland. They’ve stolen some inventions—”

“They’ll gut you for your latinum.”

“Alas, we have none at the moment. We will be paid for retrieving the machinery.”

“They won’t stop to find out what’s in your pockets. They’d sell the clothes off your corpse.”

“We are familiar with the goblins, and their confrontation tactics,” said Worf, “Money is no doubt the reason for their thieving, not a hope for technological advancement. However, were they to sell to an enemy, the human government would not be pleased.”

“I see. Privateers then?”

“You could say that,” said Picard with a smile.

“Hmm, the kind of privateers who are also pirates, or the kind with a certain code of conduct?”

Picard and Worf shuffled their feet.

“It depends on your definition of pirate,” said Worf. Picard shot him a look that told him to keep his mouth shut.

“We definitely have a code of conduct,” Picard assured them. “You have nothing to fear from us. We’re only asking a little help…”

“You’ve gone too far,” said the woman.

“Excuse me?” asked Picard, wondering what he could have possibly said to prompt this response.

“You’ve gone too far,” she repeated. “That’s how you got confused. You went too far north. It happens. Goblins are southeast of us. We could maybe mark it on a map, but can’t say how accurate it would be. None of us are cartographers.”

“If you’re willing to look at a map that would be great. But you’ve already helped. Thank you,” said Picard.

“You look weary,” said one of the men.

“You might stay,” said the other. “Assuming you are not pirates.”

“Oh, oh that’s very generous, but we should be on our way,” replied Picard.

“Suit yourself, but Jeham used to live the ship life, and any chance to spend a moment on land was cherished later when the chances didn’t come. If you would like to stay a short while we would not object.”

“Well… I don’t know how much time we can waste. But we will tell the crew that they are free to explore for the time being.”

“Explore?” asked the woman.

“Would that be a problem?”

“No,” said the man. “But there are some areas that are… not as safe.”

Picard nodded, not wanting to make a fuss. “Worf, why don’t you go back to the ship and let the crew know we’re welcomed.”

“But Captain—”

“I’m sure I’m safe with our new friends, Mr. Worf.”

Worf looked back and forth between them, nodded, and disappeared through the trees.

“I never asked your names. I am Jean-Luc Picard.”

“I mentioned Jeham,” said one of the men, pointing a thumb to the other. “And my name is Di.”

“And I’m Reese,” said the woman.

That evening they sat around a large fire. Some stood, some walked around, but they fit nearly 200 people into a clearing, Picard’s salty crew mingling idly with this sandy group of families. The doctor had disappeared somewhere. The Captain hoped she was having fun. Data stood very close to the circle around the fire, wanting to be included, but not wanting to take a warm place to sit from someone who would be comforted by it.

“May I ask you a question?” said Data quietly.

“Only if we can ask a few back,” said Reese.

“Of course, please do. I was wondering, you do not look terribly different from us, and you speak human, but—”

“We are human,” replied Di.

“This is only a settlement,” said Jeham. “I used to work on a ship too, but I’d been looking for an out for a while when my ship stopped here. I decided to stay, after I met everyone.”

“Most of the originals came to get away from the black fog of the big cities. We live a little simpler here,” said Di.

Data’s face fell, if only minutely, and he said, “You came here to get away from machinery.”

“Perhaps, you could say that,” said Reese, “But we have no problem with machines. Only the smell of industry.”

“What are you?” asked Di, standing up to look more closely at Data’s skin, “A robot?”

“Yes.”

“Who made a thing like you? Is he with the crew?” asked Reese.

“No. My creator was lost at sea many years ago.”

Di reached out and ran a finger along Data’s forehead and down his nose. “You’re not like any robot I’ve ever seen.”

“I wouldn’t imagine we’re up on the latest trends, Di,” said Reese.

Di continued trailing his finger down Data’s face, and Data resisted the urge to shudder when he reached his lips. Though he would’ve preferred Di ask permission, he couldn’t deny that in some ways Data enjoyed the stimulation to his- his what, he wasn’t sure. He had speculated that he had artificial nerve endings, but it was far beyond the realm of any science in the land. There were rumors on the ship that Soong had not just used engineering, but magic to bring Data to life. But if it was true, that didn’t change that the robot still needed to be wound.

As the feel of Di’s fingers on his neck suddenly became absent, Data realized he had shut his eyes. He opened them abruptly and whispered. “I am… one of a kind.”

The captain cleared his throat. “Perhaps we should do a little exploring in the morning before we leave. Get some exercise before we have to be cooped up on the ship. If you could suggest any trails…?”

“We could take you to look at some pretty areas, but you shouldn’t go off alone,” said Reese.

“Oh, I’m sure we could handle any animals that might come our way.”

“It’s not that,” said Di. “You don’t want to go very far from shore. You don’t want to get near the water.”

“Water?” asked Worf, “What do you mean near water but away from the shore? That does not make sense.”

“There is something of a lake, but it drains in from the ocean and it is quite deep.”

“Everyone on our crew can swim… Except for Alyssa,” said Data.

“It’s not about that either. This is the good water.” Di gestured behind him. They couldn’t see the shore through the trees but knew it was in that direction. “It’s mighty shallow. Just stay away from the rivers and estuary. They’re deep.”

There was an awkward silence as they tried to figure out if they should keep asking questions, and then there was another voice in the darkness.

Troi walked up to the fire seemingly out of nowhere. Her skin appeared to glow in the fire light, and they could see the smallest bit of her brazier at the opening of a men's collared shirt that was a little too big for her. She whispered, “I get the sense you don’t actually want us to know why we shouldn’t see these deep waters.”

“It’s the creatures,” said Jeham.

“Jeham,” warned Di.

“What kind of creatures?” asked Picard.

“I’m sure you’ve heard of sirens,” said Reese.

Data cut in, “The captain mentioned them this morning.”

“Then you know.”

“I know of myth,” said Picard. “I know of imaginary creatures,”

“I doubt you’re so cynical. With a Klingon, and your mechanical man. You would question the possibility that sirens exist?”

“An entire race that is solely female and dedicated to killing sailors? I’m afraid it does cast some doubt.”

“They aren’t only female,” said Jeham. “And they’re not sirens… They’re merfolk. They’re just a species like any of the ones we’ve seen. We’ve all met groups of people that seemed scary,” he glanced at Worf, “and we’ve all met people with a special ability or two.” Now he looked at Deanna but looked away when she caught his eye.

“Well, now you make it sound like they’re just new friends to make.”

“No,” said Di. “People have tried. The merfolk seem friendly sometimes. But this is where the siren myths come from. They’re intelligent. They make you feel things. They can control your emotions.”

“I have no emotions,” said Data.

“Excuse me?”

“They could not possibly control my emotions; I am not capable of feeling emotions, as I am a machine.”

Di sighed. This conversation had gone on longer than he would have liked.

“Fine,” he said, “Chance it, Robot. But don’t blame me when you are dragged into the sea.”

“Well, perhaps if we have time,” said Data.

Troi slid into the circle and sat down in front of the fire. “Now what are the chances that you lovely people happen to have marshmallows?”

Things had stayed friendly and hours later, after everyone had agreed to call it a night, Data sat in front of the dying fire.

Since he didn’t sleep, he was often presented with extra time to occupy while those around him were unconscious. On the ship he usually continued navigating.

There was a pull on the gears of his ticking brain. Almost a tingle to his mind. He wondered, if he were human, would this be the need to be rebellious? After all, he was never a child, neither a teenager.

He needed, like an unquenchable curiosity, to go find the deep waters Di and the others had spoken of. He wasn’t afraid of what he might find there, for he couldn’t feel fear. Even if he could, he also couldn’t feel pain, so there was really nothing to be afraid of.

He got up quietly after the fire had gone out. He didn’t want to ruin their fire pit by extinguishing it or leave it unattended while burning. But now, in the light of only the moon he got up quietly and crept beyond the clearing, heading away from the shore.

It might have taken a biological being a few hours to navigate through the many trees and over jagged rocks, but Data did not tire, and found the estuary before sunrise.

The water here seemed different than that which he had sailed on for many years. This was eerily calm, and the moon shone off it in such a way that made it appear to glow.

Data sat down at the edge of the water, and waited. Nothing happened, but that was okay. He thought about navigation, and the mission they were on, and watched the sunrise.

Just as he was thinking perhaps he should return to the clearing, something in the water moved. Slowly a dark face emerged, with completely gray eyes, like nothing Data had ever seen.

“Are you waiting for someone?” the being asked.

“I suppose I was waiting for you,” replied Data.

“I've never heard your voice,” he didn’t look directly at Data as he spoke. “You don’t live here.”

“No, I’m a corsair.”

“I… I’m afraid I don’t know what that means.”

“I sail… on an independent ship.”

“You’re a pirate,” said the man in the water.

“… We don’t like to hurt people.”

“I’m not here to judge you.”

“What are you?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“You are a merman?”

“If the name suits you.”

“Do you have a name?”

“Do you?”

“My name is Data.”

“A name befitting a mechanical man.”

“You knew I was a robot?”

“I can hear your body tick.”

“But you cannot see me.”

“Merpeople don’t see the same way land folk do.”

“Oh, I understand.”

“Mm, I doubt that.”

“Well, it is true that I probably cannot imagine how you process sensory input, but I also can’t imagine how any biological being does such things.”

“You experience your senses differently than everyone you meet, don’t you?”

“I have yet to meet anyone like me. Other robots do not…”

“They do not compare.”

“I suppose not. Some people think my creator was a genius. Others think he was mad. I’m sorry to say I am sometimes in the latter category… You never told me your name.”

“Geordi.”

“Is that a common merfolk name?”

“Not particularly.”

“I understand that you see differently than humans, but it appears as though you do not see me at all.”

“I saw you when I approached, but we are adapted to the water. We lose certain things above it. But others change. Everything is louder above water as well.”

“If I were human I would get in with you.”

“Excuse me?”

“I would hold my breath, and swim with you, so we could see each other properly. But I can’t get water in my gears.”

“Sailing seems like an odd job for someone who can’t get wet.”

“Well, I can get a little wet. But it could be troublesome to be fully submerged. It’s correct that if I fell overboard, I would most likely die, but that is true of most of the crew when on the high seas.”

“You’re quite the interesting device, aren’t you Data?”

Data didn’t respond.

“I’m sorry,” Geordi said suddenly. “That was rude.”

Data smiled even though he knew Geordi couldn’t see it. Just acknowledging that it was possible to be rude to him was more than some people gave him.

“I’ve been called worse than a device,” said Data. “And definitely worse than interesting.”

“Well, you are. Interesting, I mean.”

“I find you fascinating as well.”

“I’m really interested in mechanology. I hope you don’t mind me saying. It’s just, that sort of learning is limited when you live in water.”

“I would imagine.”

“I’d love to get a look inside you. I mean… that came out wrong.”

“You do not have to worry about offending me. I have learned over my time as a corsair, that it is not the words, but the feeling behind them.”

“Well, I mean, I can’t really get a look.”

“Figure of speech, I assumed.”

“Yes, well, I’m sure it would be terribly invasive to… to…”

“Examine my mechanics? If it were something you would enjoy, and you would not change anything—”

“Oh, of course not! I would never tamper with you without your permission.”

“Then you may open the compartment on my back,” Data said, unbuttoning his doublet. “I only ask that you dry your hands first.”

Geordi’s eyes widened. “Yes, yes of course I will.” He floated awkwardly for a moment before scrambling to get up onto land with Data. He fumbled as he couldn’t see the edge of the rock. Hands reached out and took hold of him around the waist. If he hadn’t known any better, he would’ve guessed them biological hands. The only sign that there was a difference was how effortlessly Data lifted Geordi out of the water, and sat him gently next to him.

Geordi’s tail hung off the edge and into the water but the rest of him was visible, and Data took in the details before handing Geordi a handkerchief and turning away from him.

He pulled the silk shirt he’d been wearing under his doublet over his head, not bothering with the buttons. Geordi finished drying his hands and felt out in front of him. He slid his hands down Data’s smooth back, finding in the middle, something like a key.

There was that feeling of Data being touched again, but this time it was invited.

“Does this keep you going?” Geordi asked, fingering the key.

“Yes, turned clockwise it winds my gears, but if you turn it counterclockwise—”

“I can unscrew it and open this hatch. And it won’t cause you any problems?”

“No.”

Geordi did as Data said, placing the key off to the side, and sliding open a door in his back. Data had of course been worked on and examined before, but this was somehow different. Geordi had to feel the parts to understand what was in front of him and Data could almost feel it himself. Geordi’s soft slick hands running along the springs and wires.

“There’s lots I could do back here,” Geordi said lazily fumbling over some screws. “Are you always so trusting with people you’ve just met?”

“No,” Data replied, eyes closed, “Never.” And it almost sounded breathy to Gerodi’s ears.

“Well, I’ll take this as a compliment… Ow.” Geordi pulled his hand away abruptly.

Data glanced back and saw Geordi put his finger in his mouth.

“You have burned yourself.”

“Nah,” said Geordi. “Just hurt for a second.” He went back to his examinations. “I see, so you breathe to keep this cool right here.”

“Yes.”

“It’s like you’ve got a little engine roaring away inside you. It’s amazing.”

“Do you… know anything about engines?”

“A little. I’d love to learn more.”

“Data!” said a voice in the distance. It was the captain.

“I have to go now,” Data told Geordi, like he was telling a playmate that his mom said dinner was ready.

Geordi nodded and shut the compartment. He felt around for the key before fumbling to screw it back in for Data. Once it was in he kept turning.

“All wound up.”

“Thank you,” Data whispered.

“Data?” shouted Dr. Crusher.

“I am here,” replied Data pulling on his shirt. “No need to go any further, I will come to you.”

He buttoned only a few of the buttons on his doublet before going to stand, but Geordi stopped him while he was still on his knees. He reached out and took Data’s hand.

“Will you be back?” Gerodi asked.

“Back?”

“Will I see you again? I’ve never met anyone like you.”

It wasn’t lost on Data that the merman called him one instead of thing. Data had to admit that though he had only known the being for all of 20 minutes, he wanted to promise he would be back. But it was not a promise he knew he could keep.

Data debated whether he would be overstepping a boundary for .3 seconds, and then decided to place a hand on Geordi’s cheek. “I will try,” he said honestly. Geordi shivered. “You are cold. You should return to the water.”

“Data, please inform us of your location,” said the captain.

“I will be right there, Captain.”

Geordi stayed on land for a few more moments to listen to the sound of Data’s footsteps as he walked away.

Beyond some rocks in the thick of trees and vines, Data found the captain and the doctor searching for him.

“I apologize for the inconvenience, Captain.”

“Out looking for mermaids, Data?” said the Captain with a smirk.

“Of course not, Captain. I would never go looking for something someone told me could be dangerous.” Data had recently begun to master facetiousness. He found it easier than sarcasm, because it didn’t require the same bite.

“Oh!” replied the doctor with a smile, “Of course not.”

“Well, I hate to interrupt our recreation, but we’re trying to get some maintenance done as quickly as possible so that we can be back on the sea before noon.”

“Captain, will we be coming back?” asked Data.

“Back?”

“To this shore…”

“There were no plans to. I know this is no concern of yours, but it depends on where our next meal is coming from.”

“I understand, this little village, of sorts, is not particularly profitable.”

Data was silent for the rest of the morning as they prepared to leave. He spared one passing glance at the shore as he steered the ship back onto the high seas.

With the locals’ changes to their maps they were able to find goblin territory faster than they expected. They came into port in the late afternoon as the sun was setting, and they had a plan before midnight. Goblins were ruthless, but they were also easily scared.

They would beat them at their own game, and retrieve the technology from right under their noses. Under cover of darkness, the captain, Riker, Data, and Worf, crept through the city. They took along a few crewmen who were new to the seas but could provide a little muscle. All of them pulled up their hoods against the rain. They’d been told before they came that it never stopped raining in goblin territory. But they hurried despite their discomfort. They could not be seen under any circumstances. This was not a place they could blend in. Their height alone would make them stand out to any goblin.

They inched into the building where they’d heard it was being held. They were fairly certain the goblins they’d interrogated were telling the truth. It had taken what little latinum they had left, but every goblin has their price.

Inside there were many locking mechanisms, but it was nothing Data couldn’t handle. Though he hadn’t been designed for theft, thieving from thieves brought exceptions. Being a corsair brought oh so many exceptions.

Coming down a hall, lit only by a torch, was the final door. Behind it should be the stolen machine. It was wood, and shorter than human doors, as had been all the doors in the building. It was covered in chains which the goblins no doubt thought were strong. Worf took a chain in hand on one side, and Data took it on the other. Pulling against each other like they might play tug-o-war, one of the links near the middle gave way and opened, and the chains fell apart.

The captain pushed the door open and ducked into the room. The device’s silhouette was monstrous in the darkness of the room, but Picard could tell they could get it through the door if they carried it on its side. After all, the goblins had to have gotten it in here somehow.

Squeezing it through the door and down the hall with the strength of a robot, a Klingon, a Bolian, and 3 humans was easier than expected. They shuffled out of the building, and were almost home-free when they heard a footstep.

A little clay colored boy with the biggest ears they’d ever seen screeched and pointed at them. Suddenly the sound stopped and the boy was on the ground. Worf had put down his corner of the device and hit the little goblin in the back of the head. He flinched as he looked at him. No one on the ship enjoyed when their adventures came to such things. Stealing and defending oneself was one thing but hurting innocent people never felt good.

“He should be fine,” whispered Data.

Worf nodded and picked up his end again and they were able to get it onto the ship uninterrupted.

As they rushed out of dock, wind in their sales, it almost seemed too easy. The simplicity was almost dreamlike, being so unsettling and anxiety inducing, that it was almost a relief when they heard goblins shouting in the distance. Something about profit.

And then, there was just enough light from the moons to see a ship gaining on them. It was a strange looking ship, with little cohesion, different colors and shapes that reminded them of other races they’d met along the way. It was almost as if the goblins had built the ship from spare parts of other ships they’d come across, purchased, or robbed.

The word Ferengi was messily painted on the side. It must’ve meant something in the goblin language, but they didn’t know what, and didn’t have time to think about it.

There was yelling and swift conversations as they heard cannons go off. Were they out gunned? Could they call someone for help? Goblins had always seemed so cowardly, but there had been a feeling in the air, and now it seemed inevitable that they had underestimated them.

While people on the Enterprise were loading cannons, Riker took the wheel, and the captain told Data to go change the direction of the sails. Data nodded and ran to the ropes. Just as he was finishing, he heard Troi shout, “What’s going on?”

“The goblins,” he replied. “Help with cannons!”

Looking at her when he spoke, he was caught off guard when the entirety of the Enterprise shook with a particularly well aimed cannon ball. The ship lurched, and Data tried to grab onto the rope, but his hands missed it by a centimeter. Data went toppling into the water, Troi running to the railing after him, but knowing there was nothing she could do.

“Data!” she shouted at the top of her lungs.

He could hear faintly the water muffled warbling of Troi explaining to someone, “The robot, he’s gone overboard!” before he became waterlogged and shut down.

Data assumed this would be the end of his experiences.

-Chapter Two-

[stripyhorse23]

TV of 2020

1) I May Destroy You

I May Destroy You might not have been written during the pandemic, but when it arrived in June it felt like the sort of complicated, cathartic show that could have been.  Detailing one woman’s experience of rape and its aftermath, Michaela Coel (who wrote every episode) continually found rich narrative avenues in which to explore her characters’ individual experiences of sexual assault and consent.  If that makes the series sound concept-driven, it always placed its characters first; the push-and-pull between Arabella, Terry and Kwame is key to the ways in which Coel’s tender, curious writing is able to explore power dynamics within relationships, friendships and hook-ups.  Other, lesser shows that are this deliberately open-ended might feel opaque: it’s testament to the show’s confidence of voice that isn’t the case here.

2) Normal People

Like plenty of others, I binged the entire series of Normal People in a weekend, although one of its many pleasures is how Sally Rooney and Alice Birch’s adaptation teases out the episodic nature of the former’s bestseller.  From Connell’s early days at university, to a Tuscan holiday turned sour, and an exchange year in Sweden, Normal People was about the ways in which the people we love move in and out of our lives over the years.  It wasn’t immune to mis-steps (the show draws something of a crude line between the abuse Marianne suffers at home and what she seeks out in romantic partners), but the sheer emotional heft of the show was undeniable, nowhere less so than Paul Mescal’s floodgate-opening performance in Episode 10.

3) Adult Material

Perhaps one of the year’s most overlooked shows, Adult Material follows Hayley Burrows as she attempts to balance life as the harassed mother-of-three and the twilight years of her career as adult performer Jolene Dollar.  The slyly comic edge of the first episode is quickly eroded after Jolene becomes embroiled in the abuse of another actor on-set.  A stark portrait of alcohol abuse and loneliness, it’s also a sharp indictment of how little the so-called ‘culture wars’ surrounding pornography are meaningfully impactful on sex workers themselves.  Hayley Squires gives the sort of white-hot star performance usually reserved for 90s Hollywood rom-coms, a veneer of frustration and resignation overlaying even her character’s most abrasive moments.

4) Cook, Eat, Repeat

Why not in this interminably shitty year, choose the one show that offered the sort of balm it’s impossible to reverse engineer?  Following hot on the heels of a disappointing series of The Great British Bake-Off, Nigella Lawson’s warm, inviting half-hour new series was the televisual equivalent of a long bath and a facemask.  Her fish finger bhorta, brown butter colcannon and black pudding meatballs have already made it into this household’s repertoire, but there’s something innately comforting about the luxurious silliness of Nigella that almost transcends criticism.  Whether it’s the giddy nonsense of her liquorice box, the ‘did I hear that right’ moment when she revealed her pronunciation of ‘microwave,’ or the seductive self-care of making a creme caramel for one, no other show elicited such pure enjoyment from me this year.

5) I’ll Be Gone In The Dark

The true crime documentary series boom has increasingly leaned into a focus on the victims, from last year’s The Yorkshire Ripper Files to Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich, but none so effectively or compassionately as I’ll Be Gone In The Dark.  Less a story about the hunt for the Golden State Killer and more a study of trauma and obsession, the series splices together home footage of the late Michelle McNamara’s investigation with survivor testimony to create a haunting portrait of one man’s legacy of pain.  The early episodes are replete with skin-crawling tension, anguish and tears, but the later episodes allow that to fall away, focusing on the mental fortitude necessary for the survivors at its centre and the sense of community fostered by meeting other women like them.

6)The Salisbury Poisonings

I had no interest in watching this BBC limited series initially: the advertising made it look dry, the story itself (the Novichok poisonings of 2018) seemingly devoid of juicy narrative material.  That I’ve watched this three times in the space of a year speaks to its robust, urgent filmmaking.  Like several other shows on this list, it arrived into the context of a pandemic it couldn’t have foreseen, but watching the rapid, careful response of local government (crucially and deliberately obstructed by Whitehall) to this crisis presented a sort of horribly watchable what-if scenario.  What seemed at first blush to be middle-of-the-road programming evolved over three episodes into the sort of spare, quietly terrifying journalistic drama that invites comparison to last year’s Chernobyl.

7) We Are Who We Are

It turns out that Luca Guadagnino’s woozy, seductive style transfers perfectly to television, and despite We Are Who We Are lacking the timelessness that typifies I Am Love or Call Me By Your Name it thrillingly captured the turbulent adolescence of its teenage characters.  Equally effervescent and raggedly emotional, the show’s joy always felt hard-won, bumping heads with the often cynical, unreadable motivations of the adult characters.  A tender and frank depiction of queer identities within traditionally restrictive environments, it’s also a love letter to young friendship and the lifeline that can provide during our formative years.  Spellbinding.

8) Selling Sunset

Perhaps the year’s most impressively constructed reality show, I was slow on the uptake with Netflix’s Selling Sunset only to have it take over my life for a few weeks during the summer.  Manufactured reality series are tough to get right, but much like The Hills (surely this show’s biggest influence) Selling Sunset gains a lot of mileage from gaming pre-existing friendships for maximum impact.  Christine and Mary’s beleaguered relationship and, obliquely, their respective responses to fame continued to provide wildly watchable fireworks, but the build-up to Chrishell’s separation from husband Justin Hartley was exquisitely handled.  Suddenly Davina’s strangely uncharismatic shit-stirrer and Christine’s predictably OTT wedding were forced to take a back seat to something approaching genuinely moving television.  Trying to tease out what was real and what wasn’t, and following the ways this all spilled out onto social media, was pure, unmitigated pleasure in a year sorely lacking in just that sort of unfettered escapism.

9) My Brilliant Friend

Two seasons in and there might not be another character on TV that I’m as continually frustrated and fascinated by as Lila, the eponymous ‘brilliant friend’ of the show’s title.  Sparingly warm, often cruel, seductive, Season 2 of HBO’s masterful adaptation sees her trapped in a loveless, abusive marriage but as ever it’s her fractured relationship with Lenù that forms the emotional spine of the show.  There’s often a strange sort of snobbery around the term ‘prestige drama,’ as if all that money on the screen is a smokescreen for a dearth of anything to say; My Brilliant Friend uses every colour in its paintbox to portray the yawning void that opened up between Lenù and Lila as they entered adulthood, from the lavish, provocative outfits Lila’s adopts after she marries Stefano to Max Richter’s evocative score and the detail poured into the show’s supporting characters.  Rewardingly complex.

10) Mrs. America

I laboured over what would take my tenth spot this year since there was so much TV that I loved, and especially this year so much of it felt essential to how I was receiving the world around me.  Ultimately, Mrs. America’s mixture of astute political commentary, character-driven writing and host of enjoyable performances tipped the scale in its favour.  Cate Blanchett’s all-timer of a performance as Phyllis Schafly understandably received the majority of attention, but Mrs. America gave us so many memorable moments: Sarah Paulson’s Alice ringing the bell at reception whilst high, Uzo Aduba’s Shirley Chisholm speaking to a potentially bugged hotel ventilator, Margo Martindale’s Bella Abzug quietly realising she’s no longer the radical of her youth on a busy New York street.  This sort of deft, smart political drama isn’t often this much fun to watch, and what an ending...

11) This Life

An honourable mention to a show made almost twenty-five years ago that nevertheless helped define the year in TV for me.  Shows that were once considered part of the zeitgeist can often feel quaint and old-fashioned in retrospect, but Amy Jenkins rambunctious flatshare drama isn’t one of them.  Whilst it can sometimes feel like the show’s characters are universally adverse to making even one good decision between them, there’s a compassion and care underpinning This Life that means it never comes across as overly cynical or sneering.  There’s also a lot to be said for discovering a performance that you genuinely consider to be one of the best of the decade, and no other character this year frustrated and moved me in the ways that Daniela Nardini’s Anna did.  Bonus points for the genuinely chaotic final episode, perhaps one of the best I’ve ever seen.

And FWIW, these are ten performances from shows not on the list above that I loved this year: Marielle Heller in The Queen’s Gambit, Nicholas Hoult in The Great, Sarah Lancashire in Last Tango in Halifax, Poorna Jagannathan in Never Have I Ever, Michael Sheen in Quiz, Imelda Staunton in Talking Heads, Leila Farzad in I Hate Suzie, Alison Pill in Star Trek: Picard, Gillian Anderson in The Crown and Andy Allo in Upload.

And ten episodes of TV that I loved too: ‘Terry and Korvo Steal a Bear’ (Solar Opposites), ‘The Gang Deals With Alternate Reality’ (The Good Fight), ‘Uncle Naseem’ (Ramy), ‘The View From Halfway Down’ (Bojack Horseman), ‘The Vat of Acid Episode’ (Rick and Morty), ‘I Am’ (Lovecraft Country), ‘No Small Parts’ (Star Trek: Lower Decks), Seven-Spotted Ladybug’ (Everything’s Gonna Be Okay), ‘Daytona’ (Cheer), ‘Whenever You’re Ready’ (The Good Place).

[corpse-of-bandersnatch]

ship asks 4 and 5/8 for @loathsome-aesthete

My dear, I am sorry (and slightly embarrassed) by the amount of detail I put into answer 5. I know, this is just a ship ask, but you see, I started to think about Alien again and got carried away... there was no turning back.

Ship that is unpopular but you still like

All marines plus Bishop and Ripley from Aliens were one polyamorous family, but some pairings were of a more romantic nature than others. Like Ferro x Bishop or Hudson x Drake. I guess the latter is kind of unpopular, since most people ship Drake with Vasquez (who in my head is bro with Hudson, best bro with Drake and the most brutal match maker between these two oblivious idiots). And I'm probably the only person, who ships Ferro and Bishop, lol.

Ship that you used to have as an OTP

Similar to your answer on that question, dear @loathsome-aesthete, I rarely stop being in a fandom, because I start to dislike it or because I completely lose interest in it. It just fades next to the newest hyperfixation. But it's still important, if just as a part of my past. Often the characters stay dear to my heart, even if I wander of to the next fandom.

So, one OTP from my past: Ferro x Bishop from Aliens

(oh boy, here we go)

We learn in Alien, Alien 4: Resurrection (with the Autons), Prometheus and Alien: Covenant that in the Alien-universe androids are able to develop individualistic thoughts, longings and emotions. I never liked Ridley Scott's explanation, that a machine starts to experience feelings automatically, if you just make it complex enough (that's the simplified version of his statement of course, but this post is not about Scott). For me, that's not an explanation, but the lack of one.

So in my daydreams, androids having emotions started with scientists being curious about the compatibility of the artificial body system and biological substances (or chemicals based on biological substances). Bishop was one of the first test subjects, where the scientists injected just a driblet of chemicals into his system. Nothing happened in the time of these experiments – the scientists concluded, that these chemicals in such a small amount don't have an effect on the artificial body. Though the substances don't degrade either.

The Xenomorphs and the pilot in the spaceship in Alien are examples of lifeforms, that perfectly combine biological and mechanical components in their bodies. So, I thought back then, it would make perfectly sense for them to have substances running through their veins, which make both 'structures' in their bodies work with and in each other.

That's what the scientists tried to achieve with androids ‘back then’, but couldn't make it happen. They were able to include biological substances in an android's system, but not to make the substances effect said system.

BUT if an artificial person, who carries these substances based on human biology in their system, gets exposed to biology from the Xenomorph's planet (you know, that biology that combines organic and mechanical structures and turns them into ONE biomechanical structure), then the biological substances start to interact with the artificial system they are in.

As stated above, I headcanon Bishop being such an android thanks to the experiments. And when he gets exposed to the 'Xenomorph-biology' in the movie, the components in his system start to interact and cause him to feel. This ability to feel doesn't come like an outburst, but evolves slowly.

After the events of Aliens (except for their deaths, which obviously never happen, they all survive in my head), Bishop tells the marines about these weird, new sensations. They bring him to one of the leading scientists, an OC called Erica Rousseau, and she explains, what's happening to him.

So, the marines help their artificial friend to figure things out, he describes what he's feeling and they guess the emotion and help him handling it. Help him with his first feelings of fear, happiness, sadness, anger, shame, longing,.. in their own more or less professional ways. 

Especially Ferro spends more and more time with Bishop, stays at his side, tries to help him reconcile his new ability with his former existence and eventually starts to have romantic feelings for him. He needs years to understand and – in the end – reciprocate her romantic interest.

If you think „Wow that sounds heavily inspired by Data from Next Generation!“ then yeah, it probably is. Unconsciously though, because I watched TNG for the first time when I was around 10-11 years old and didn't remember much of it, when I watched the Alien movies for the first time in my early 20. So I probably had some informations regarding Data stored in my subconsciousness , but didn't use those intentionally as inspiration for my Alien daydreams.

And a final Fun Fact: Bishop is the reason I started watching Star Trek again, back then. I watched TOS and TNG as a kid and than didn't watch Star Trek for a very long time. Bishop re-awakend my interest, because I had a huge crush on him (and a celeb crush on Lance Henriksen) and therefore had a special interest in artificial people. So I thought „I could watch TNG again, didn't do that for more than 10 years and they have that cute Data guy!“ so because of Bishop I wanted to see Data again, and watching TNG dragged me back into Star Trek fandom and I am lost since then. (Because after TNG I watched DS9 and VOY and ENT , rewatched TOS, and continued with Discovery and Picard. So thanks for that, Bishop!)