Flashback/Test Scene:

[tasha_yar]

It was a nice simulation - all rolling hills and green grass. The sky was almost too blue, but Tasha didn't have the greatest color sense in the universe.

Picard had ordered her on a long break for everyone once the Enterprise returned to normal space after their time with the Traveler, and most of the crew was on well-needed shore leave on the world below. She tried going back to her normal comforts - working out, practicing with the aikido program, reading the latest reports. Hell, she even broke down and listened to Klingon opera in order to refine her grasp on the language.

It hadn't helped. The nightmares of being chased and caught with her senses blurred from any variety of drugs she could find making the dream-memories even more nightmarish and barely contained. They melded with the cage from her fight with Yareena. They blurred with Q's courtroom. And they had been blending with...that...ever since the Tsiolkovsky encounter.

It was all getting worse, not better, even as she felt herself wanting to settle in and make this a home. She was feeling her walls come up again - just like when she'd managed to do or say something stupid on her other postings. Lieutenant Yar could handle anything - minefields, riots, the criminally insane. Tasha made Wesley look like a goddamn sophisticated grown-up!

She sighed and looked at the holo-recorder in her hand. She stretched and pressed the button again. Self-pity wasn't going to get this done.

"Geordi, in those moments I felt the most despair, you took my hand and helped me to see things differently. You taught me to look beyond the moment."

Good. Solid. Decent. Sure, it felt woefully inadequate. It's not like she had a gift for words. With a silent apology, she moved onto the last person on the list. She'd splice this all together to put this in the middle - just to save some face somewhere. He wouldn't care, but she cared about the kind of idiocy he'd face.

"My friend Data," she starts on the speech she had planned. "You see things with the wonder of a child -" A smile plays across her lips. "And that makes you more human than any of us. And Data..." She hesitated. "Data, I..." Sigh, rewind, try again. "Data it did happen!" she manages to blurt out, followed immediately by a "Fuck!" Then a realization that was all being recorded again.

She flopped on the ground in defeat and impulsively threw the crystal hexagon back behind her.

"How about, 'Data, I'm sorry.' 'Data, I wish I wasn't so damn scared.' 'Data, I hope you didn't scar you for life so when you do find some person who is as wonderful and smart and fantastic as you are -" She growls in further defeat.

Then she realizes she never heard the holo-recorder land.

Comments

[humandroid]

Humans have often commented on his penchant for silent, efficient movement. Of course, in that line of thought, humans have often commented on all of his notable functions. The limits of his strength. The speed at which he is able to process new information. His ability to adapt to new and unusual situations.

Data has been with Starfleet for quite some time now, but it already seems safe to say that serving aboard the Enterprise presents him with the newest and most unusual situations yet.

He debates seeking Tasha out for a time-- in his own way, at least. Events of late could be considered strenuous ones. The assigned downtime for personnel is well-earned. People often utilize these time periods for socialization and recreational activities. Getting to know one another, engaging in activities with friends. Lieutenant Yar has not made efforts to avoid him entirely, per se, but even Data doubts if it can be argued that she would enjoy engaging in controlled social rituals with him while off-duty.

The desire to seek her out in itself, however, presents enough of a puzzle to seek her out regardless of these facts. It is... not a feeling. Not an impulse. A point of interest, perhaps. Other members of the bridge crew- of ship inhabitants by and large- have proven relatively easy to seek out in times such as these. Data has considered the likelihood that his association with Lieutenant Yar would bear a different approach had they not been physically intimate (either at all, or simply not so particularly early in the Enterprise's ongoing mission). From his understanding of human behavior, it is quite likely.

He requests her location and finds her in enough time to catch her last frustrated outburst of sorts. Catches the recorder on reflex and examines it for potential damage. Suffice it to say, he understands nothing more than he did on entering the holodeck two minutes ago.

"It is not advisable to throw holo-recorders with force. Recordings are often recoverable from damaged pieces, but in the majority of cases, there is a 2.01 percent possibility that they will be beyond repair." He folds one arm behind his back. Tips his head to the right. "I believe this recorder has been spared even superficial damage, however."

[tasha_yar]

Tasha's reply is a strangled mangling of three different curse words coming out of her mouth at once while leaping to her feet at what anyone other than Data would call, "inhuman speeds."

"Data!" she sputters.

Oh, that's right. She didn't lock the door, specifically so if anyone needed to find her they could, or so someone give her an excuse not to examine her own mortality while on shore leave. And she wasn't paying attention because she was deeply mired in self-fueled angst. Great.

Embarrassment and a strange kind of headiness from the adrenaline surge leaves her emotions all over the map. She does not reach out for the recorder, nor is she going to make eye contact.

"How long were you listening?" she demands, fists clenched.

[humandroid]

"Approximately two minutes, four seconds," he replies, not missing a beat. Tasha makes no move to retrieve her recorder, but Data continues holding it in his outstretched palm in the event that she changes her mind. He cranes his neck slightly, not quite attempting to establish eye contact as much as he's making sure the lack thereof isn't due to his positioning.

"I did not wish to interrupt. But it appears that I have still disturbed you. Is that assumption correct?"

[tasha_yar]

She appears ready to fight him, but then deflates and turns to her side. "Yes, you did, but -" She shakes her head. Instead of addressing him she commands -

"Computer, please seal the door on Holodeck 3." The computer chirped a polite acknowledgement.

"Might as well get this over with," she mumbles. "How much time do you have before you're needed for something else?"

[humandroid]

Data's brow contracts.

"I am scheduled to take the night watch. Presuming neither of us are contacted and you are not expected elsewhere in the near future, we could conceivably have time to discuss numerous topics in depth." In accordance with his standard conversational lengths since coming aboard the Enterprise, interruptions included. His tone is pondering, past that assessment.

"Have you been intending to initiate a discussion with me?"

Well, pondering and a touch hopeful would be more accurate. Additional social contact with his colleagues on this assignment rarely fails to provide a new and intriguing perspective on something.

[tasha_yar]

"Fantastic." Even he can tell that was either sarcasm with a touch of defeat, or defeat with a touch sarcasm.

Her arms are folded tightly, but she turns a little more toward him. "Yes," she says quietly.

"Damnit!" She turns to him. "How can I even start if I can't even figure out -" She cuts herself off and runs her fingers through her hair. "You're so good with questions, you know that? It makes everything easier to try to explain. I know where start and where to finish. This?" She looks back to the sky. "This isn't in my programming any more then it's in yours." Her voice threatens to break. "Maybe less so."

[humandroid]

For lack of a more accurate term, Data hesitates. He cannot be said to be particularly... adept, in these scenarios. And on the likely chance that her intended point of discussion is their sexual encounter, his metaphorical social maneuverability decreases further. In delicate situations, determining whether a human would find mutual inexperience more positive or negative is difficult. He brings his free hand back down to rest at his side, makes a single, measured step forward.

"If it offers any relief," he begins tentatively, "I cannot lose my patience or become disgruntled. If it does not, I have found that humans often begin attempting to resolve awkward moments with non-relevant conversation. Though I am afraid that common subjects- such as current weather conditions- are made irrelevant between the ship's atmospheric controls and the very nature of deep space."

[tasha_yar]

That did it. She starts to laugh. It's not a normal laugh. It starts as one of those fueled by too much tension breaking and begins settling into genuine warmth.

"Oh, Data," she blurts out between fits of laughter. "I've missed you!"

She holds up a hand. "Before you make some comment about 'I've been in your close proximity' however many times that's not what I mean." She sighs. "Hell, I don't know what I mean." She rolls her eyes. "Just skip the small talk. I'm worse at that than you are."

[humandroid]

That proves to be a preemptive measure well-picked, as Data was already opening his mouth to interrupt.

"Noted." One less popular social tactic to compromise. If they fail to foray into humor, this may yet go acceptably. Going from that, however, he's not entirely certain where to begin. New and interesting situations, indeed. A similar state of being to his first few years after being activated by Starfleet. "Your failed recording indicated a concern that you have 'scarred me for life'," is where he settles, after some processing.

He keeps a watch on her facial features as he speaks, wary as to whether or not this was the shift in discussion she'd been seeking.

[tasha_yar]

She sighs and nods a slow, small nod.

"There are...things..." she says slowly, swallowing hard in between sets of words. "That may come out here. Things no one knows. Not the Captain, not Deanna, not even the people who found me on Turkana IV." She takes a step forward and faces him, putting her hand on the holorecorder. It's the closest she's been to him since..."Please, Data," she searches his face. "Whatever we discuss here, it needs to stay private."

She squeezes her eyes shut. "And I trust you," she whispers. "I trust you to ask anything you ever wanted to ask about me. I trust you to help me try and put this mess in my head into words and to answer whatever I ask - and I know I asked too much before and I'm asking for even more now and it's not fair."

"Also, before I lose my nerve," she admits. "I think you're wonderful. Not just 'capable officer' wonderful, but as a friend." Her lips twitch and she flushes scarlet, but she stays linked to him via that shared touch on the device. "As a man."

[humandroid]

"You will find that the limits of what I consider acceptable to ask are extensive." He quickly glances down to where her hand rests on the holorecorder, then back up to meet her eyes. And it's there for a moment when her admission reaches 'as a friend': the crooked upward tug of his mouth, as expressive a smile as Data's ever managed on a typical day. As much of a reciprocation as he's ever managed, too.

"As your colleague and your friend, I will respect your request that this discussion not be shared with others. Keeping confidence is often considered one's duty within those relationships, is it not? And I am--" What would be the most accurate way to put it? "- familiar with a determination to keep certain facts from becoming common knowledge."

It contrasts his approach to the vast majority of any facts he's intrigued with, but for some things, exceptions must be made. Otherwise his Academy classmates probably would have shut him off to pose him next to a statue once or twice.

"I will help in whatever capacity I am able."

[tasha_yar]

That smile. It's mimicry, but it's also his, and it always make her smile. She nods, once, not breaking eye contact.

"I...Everything I told you was true, I mean with the Tsiolkovsky. It just wasn't everything, the whole truth. And that truth is that I didn't always avoid the gangs. I was caught - more than once. And sometimes..." Her whole body tightens with the memory.

"What you witnessed was a part of myself I've kept locked away for 12 years. A part that needed the attention of men in exchange for food or protection. It scares me it's still there - and I hate myself for bringing you into that world. Even for a moment."

"I remember seeing your file when Captain Picard was choosing officers." Tasha allows a grin back onto her face that doesn't reach her eyes. "Everything in your file was - 'can lift this,' and 'can take that kind of punishment.' And I remember getting to the videos and, instead of this unstoppable soulless being, I saw you. Goofy, curious, wonderful you." She avoided his gaze. "And a lot of footage of you being treated like a thing." She swallows. "I wasn't going to be ones of those people."

[humandroid]

"By broad definition, I am a 'thing'. It is only personal belief which creates any potential conflict. Your chosen belief is very similar to my own. I-- appreciate it."

It would be vocalized as a distracted secondhand thought from anyone else. And in a way, perhaps it still is. Data's clearly devoting a fair share of processing power to the first half of what Tasha had to say. New information to file, new implications. Clear violations of ethical and moral subroutine standard behavior.

Life forms who treat him similarly to any other sentient life form they encounter from their first interaction on- particularly Starfleet personnel who have had access to his file- are less common than those who approach him as a technological marvel. The latter approach is understandable, but the former is intriguing in its own right.

Whether his inability to express traditional sympathy will hinder him in this moment remains to be seen.

"Lieutenant Yar. Would it not be the next logical priority to ensure you were also not permanently damaged by our encounter?"

He cannot personally understand the purpose or motivation behind the actions she seems to be referencing, but the gravity has not escaped him since he first questioned them. Humans are, by broad definition, not things. They can be harmed in more ways than the physical. For all that he can hold his own physical strengths in check, navigating the other aspects without causing damage is an ongoing challenge.

He wonders, briefly, if the sharing of personal history might be considered a separate form of intimacy.

After "Datalore"

[tasha_yar]

"Data!" she calls out over the cargo bay's intercom. "Data, I know you're in there!"

It's not like him to cancel. Ever since they talked things over in the holodeck, Tasha Yar and Data have been meeting weekly for -

She tends to think of them as "adventures."

There hasn't been anything more "adult," about their interactions. If anything, the pair of them have been more than a little anti-adult. There's been an American Fourth of July celebration, blowing soap bubbles and catching fireflies on the camping program, sledding (which lead to a snowball fight, complete with forts), and today was one he'd been looking forward to, hide-and-seek and tag. He even agreed to make it fair by lowering the settings of some of his senses and speed settings.

Just days before, he had wondered if Lore, when assembled, would like to come along.

She should have seen everything so much sooner than she did, both as Security Chief of the Enterprise and -

"I volunteered to help you get the cataloging done."

He knows she hates cataloging.

[humandroid]

When seeking to make contact with an android who has cancelled his personal plans and is instead mid-cataloging, curiosity is likely the best method to employ. After the disruption that Lore's actions had created, the most logical course of action seemed to be placing the restoration of ship operation on a higher priority. There would be more optimal opportunities to return to his usual schedule. Particularly given that he no longer has to bear future plans in mind with any needs his brother may yet have.

Her last statement, if nothing else, is unusual enough to give Data pause where before he'd intended to finish a specific line of input first. It doesn't line up with his existing records of her preferences and behaviors, and therefore, it's not another seven seconds or so until he replies. His confusion marks itself as apparent as ever.

"You have often indicated your distaste for cataloging in the past. To volunteer for this duty directly contradicts that distaste."

[tasha_yar]

"Well, I'm here," she said, with an eyeroll that seemed to start at the waist and move itself up her torso and and out through the strands of her blonde hair. "The Omicron Theta artifacts are not going to sort themselves out, and it's either me or Assistant Engineer Logan."

She'd rather have that man overseeing the plumbing upgrades on Deck 12 for professional and personal reasons. Hell, she'd rather see that man off the ship. Argyle wasn't overly friendly, but he was a professional. Logan? Some instincts about who to trust never went away.

"So, open the damn door!"

[humandroid]

A fair point in her favor. Assistant Engineer Logan no doubt possesses the ability to treat artifacts with the appropriate levels of care, as otherwise he would likely not be serving in his station, but it is often the case that this ability is overridden by indifference, or distraction.

Cataloging is not an ideal application of Logan's skillset. Data considers this. Nods to himself.

"You do not need to shout, Lieutenant. Your signal is being carried through the intercom system adequately. I will release the locking mechanism."

Which he does, in fairness. Lieutenant Yar is many things: easily dissuaded is not among those qualities.

[tasha_yar]

He catches her mid-full body eyeroll again. "Thank you," she snaps. Then, she remembers who she's dealing with after brushing past him and turning around. She's exasperated, but she's favors him with a smile anyway.

Tasha looks around the room. Some of it goes back to the era of Captain Kirk. She has to marvel at the idea of Data being made and tested with anything so technologically primitive. "Shouting can be pretty useful in humans, you know. In many Terran martial arts, focused yelling is consider essential for several reasons."

[humandroid]

"Is it?" The idea piques his interest, for sure. Psychological? Focused around controlled oxygen intake? "Curious. I will have to access historical files for further research into any information that you are unable to supply. Would you say it is similar to meditative practices?"

He retrieves his PADD as he speaks, though it's only with a slightly abashed glance towards the equipment that he dedicates sufficient focus to calculating a work pace that is both efficient and highly accurate.

"I have separated the artifacts that have already been entered into the system."

[tasha_yar]

"Intimidation, breath control, pain management. I think it's better to say that it focuses you into a state where there's only one goal - one thought - and that is to get through whomever or whatever you're fighting."

She nods and asks some procedural questions before adding.

"You should try it. You've certainly earned it."

[humandroid]

"You are referring to controlled breathing exercises?" Given that the current artifacts at hand are not conducive to acting on that encouragement, he can only assume. It's... actually a human concept he hasn't considered dabbling in yet. For fair reason, to his line of thinking. Data is confused. This, of course, is hardly a new turn in events.

"I am not certain I understand your reasoning. Though the nature of such practices themselves bear an intriguing intention, my respiratory system does not impact my cognitive function. Has it appeared otherwise?"

[tasha_yar]

"No. I know you only need to breathe in order to speak, which, if you think about it, is another sign of your high regard for organic life." Mindless button pressing commences, and eye contact continues to be avoided. She then tacks on. "I was referring to the shouting part. There's only us in here. It's sound-proof, and you're not going to scare me. It's ideal practice conditions." She doesn't add how much of a champion she is at raising her voice when required (and occasionally when it's not). He's likely to have ample examples in his memory banks.

[humandroid]

"Ah." That does make more sense. And shouting does appear to be a fairly common human practice, for reasons not inherently related to issues of volume. Emotionally-driven reasons. He dabbled in volume variation for a time, but his understanding of appropriate timing for such variations... left something to be desired. Behavioral intricacies: continually fascinating. Data continues his input at pace, considering the proposal.

Lore certainly seemed to possess an understanding of both relevant timing and applied intimidation, of course. He had an applied understanding of many behavioral intricacies. That his ambition overshadowed his potential to highly regard organic life was unfortunate. Co-existing with another Soong-type android would have been an interesting experience.

"You are correct. Logically, these particular conditions would be ideal. If you are certain you would not object."

[tasha_yar]

She turns to face him, face forward, arms clasped together in front of her and bracing herself; offering her full phaser-like attention.

"Not at all."

[humandroid]

He nods once in acknowledgement, and tilts his head ten degrees to the left while he reviews any files that may help him to become adequately prepared.

A controlled shout should be an inhaled breath promptly expelled in one rough burst, with force, filtered through vocalization to create an impacting sound. In application, it seems to be well within his range of function. He is certainly capable of raising volume to be heard over noise interference.

What follows is, of course, perhaps the least expressive and most questioning shout yet known to man. Which may or may not come as a surprise, given Data's default programmed laughter. He stops, calculates, and attempts a second shout that turns out to be nearly identical to the first, pardoning some slight differences in pitch. And from there, inevitably turns his gaze to Tasha for input.