The Complication

The Storm

Author's Note: Thank you all for your kind words, kudos, favourites, reviews, and support.

This chapter features more Worf/Tasha friendship moments and some domestic fluff.

I had originally intended this to be the final segment of the Edo/Justice story arc but it wound up being much longer than I anticipated.

Instead of one long chapter, I decided to divide it into two chapters. While not split 50/50 this was sort of the space in which it made sense to break.

It's hard to believe we are 15 chapters in and yet we still have SO far to go on this story.

As always, this is a work of fan fiction for entertainment only!

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Tasha had woken up early and was pleased to see Data was still in his sleep mode. She tiptoed out of bed and made her way to the main room of her living quarters, shutting the door to the bedroom behind her.

She snagged a cup of mint tea from the replicator and sat down on the sofa in her room, curling her feet up underneath herself.

She didn't need to look any further to know that Commander Bruce Maddox was responsible for Data's trauma. She had already read everything Maddox had written about Data when she had first taken the role of Chief Security Officer.

Data hadn't specified the details of what had occurred, but Tasha had a fair idea about the circumstances.

Now knowing that the information regarding his specifications had come from such abuse, Tasha was mortified.

"Computer, current location of Commander Bruce Maddox, Starfleet Cybernetics," Tasha inquired.

"Commander Bruce Maddox, Starfleet Cyberneticist, is currently stationed on Starbase 173," the Computer reported.

Tasha filed that into her memory bank.

She returned her saucer to the replicator and stepped into the lavvy to turn on the tap. She grabbed her toothbrush and set to work on her teeth.

In the bedroom, Data was awake. He knew that it bothered Tasha when he would lie awake. He had tried to implement his sleep programme, but he had been far too excited about today. So, he had laid there, pretending to be asleep while he ran through his plans for the day.

He had heard her ask about Maddox. He felt conflicted about this. On one hand, he was nervous about discussing it with her. At the same he was touched that she cared.

A new thought settled in his neural net.

She wouldn't try to contact or harm Maddox, would she? Data did not wish to discuss the matter, but he felt he needed to address it.

Tasha heard the door open as she felt Data slip in next to her.

"Good morning," she said as his hands took over shampooing her hair.

"Morning," he replied, his fingers working the shampoo into a lather.

She turned and rinsed the suds down the drain. Wiping the excess water from her eyes, she noted the look of trepidation on his face.

"Data?" she prompted.

"At some point I will tell you the details of my time with Commander Maddox," he explained.

Tasha bit her lip, embarrassed that he had heard her request to the computer.

"Data I wasn't snooping. You didn't need to say anything. I knew it was him from the moment you told Deanna about the crate. Data, I read every file pertaining to your specifications," Tasha said as she looked down at her feet. "I had no idea that this information was obtained through, through-"