The Complication

Evermore

Author's N­ote: Thank you all for your kind words, DMs, kudos, and favourites! Forgive me, I couldn't resist the temptation to slip in a wee homage to a Glaswegian classic.

This chapter delves a bit more into Data's experience and trauma from the ordeal on Minos as well as dropping some hints re: the ancient Turkanan religion.

Majel Barrett: Last time on Star Trek: The Next Generation – The Complication...

Geordi La Forge and the team on the drive section are working to formulate a rescue plan. Doctor Crusher remains injured and trapped along with Captain Picard & an annoying hologram in an underground facility.

Meanwhile, Commander Riker and Tasha are racing through the jungle, following the sound of battle with desperate hope that it will lead them to Data – who has found himself trapped between two drones.

And now, the conclusion:

-X-

From his position under his ramshackle cover, Data could see that the drone had employed a similar three-legged stance as the devices he saw in the meadow.

Such a tripod design presented unique stability and allowed the drone to rotate 360 degrees to scan all areas at ground level.

What Data didn't know was if the drone had yet detected him or if it could determine his cover was made rather than naturally occurring.

It seemed the drone wasn't certain either as it scanned the area slowly before going over it again, analysing Data's makeshift cover of foliage and jungle palm fronds.

Data kept perfectly still, his hand hovering just above cannon's controls.

¬Without warning there was a large thump as something landed behind Data. The ground shook. Data carefully turned to look back over his shoulder.

There on the ground was another drone – just a hint of a shadow visible through one of the large leaves.

This is unfortunate. Data thought.

The drone stepped forward – missing the cannon but crushing Data's cover. He managed to roll out of the way just in time before the heavy tritanium tripod claw planted itself on the ground.

He was now exposed.

Both drones turned. Their large, singular eyes fixated on Data. On instinct, he rolled forward when they fired their phaser beams.

He was closer to the second drone. As they prepared to fire again, Data scrambled for cover under the nearest tritanium leg.

Balancing on two legs, the drone reached for Data with a third as it attempted to grasp at him with a claw-like vice.

The second drone fired another beam directly at Data. It hit the leg Data had been hiding behind and the first drone swayed. It destabilised and Data had less than a second to dive out of the way before it came crashing down.

But the first drone was far from defeated.

Opting to activate flight capabilities, it quickly pulled itself up and hovered opposite of the first drone.

Data flung himself onto the drone, grasping with hands for any sort of grip on the tritanium hull. His fingers closed in around one of the seams and he held on for dear life as the drone tried to shake him.

It wasn't one of his more brilliant ideas – but it was effective.

As the first drone whirled around, desperate to detach Data, the second drone fired upon the first. It seemed the need to eliminate the target outweighed the concern of friendly fire.