Chapter Text
Recent events had left Data’s inner circle rattled, to say the least. Lore had come back, killed Doctor Soong, stolen Data’s emotion chip, and fled… When the away team found Data, they knew that this would not be the last they saw of Lore. For Lieutenant Commander Sola, she had joined the away team, grateful for Captain Picard’s permission to join the others. Honestly, Picard had known she’d have transported down with or without permission, plenty aware of her unique relationship with the android commander. Commander Sola had become a welcome part of the Enterprise family, but what Picard found most fascinating was her ability to bond with Data. He initially attributed the skill to her species’ unusual relationship with technology, but now… he wasn’t so sure. Despite Data still insisting that he could not feel human emotions, Picard knew the gentle look of care and affection that he would catch in Data’s eyes. He was proud of Data for embarking on the journey to find emotions of his own, whether or not he emulated humans.
They were preparing to hand bridge control over to the night shift crew, some staying and others leaving. While Data himself would regularly take on double shifts, due to not needing sleep, he had other plans arranged for the evening. The incident with Lore and Doctor Soong had occurred three days prior, and from his observations, his romantic partner had not fully recovered from the distress brought on by Lore’s return.
“Lieutenant Commander Data to Lieutenant Commander Sola, please report to the bridge.” Data stated plainly after activating his combadge. He had not verbally confirmed his plans with her beforehand, but he was once again attempting to be spontaneous in order to evoke positive emotions in his girlfriend. Based on his knowledge of her routine, she would arrive approximately three minutes before the night shift took control, allowing him to ‘show off’ for a moment, as Commander Riker liked to say. While he was originally inclined to disagree with Riker’s observation, time passed and Data was… driven to the conclusion that, perhaps, he derived a sense of satisfaction from Lieutenant Commander Sola seeing him work. Will simply laughed and gave him a hearty pat on the back when Data voiced this development.
“Understood, Commander. See you soon.” Lieutenant Commander Sola replied, and based on her cadence, Data surmised that she was smiling. That fact brought his own lips to curl faintly, a hint of emotion within his logical processing. From where Will was sitting, he could just see enough of Data’s face to make himself smirk. Ah, nothing like an android in love… not that the android realized it. That’s why Will had a betting pool going on with Geordi, Deanna, and Beverly on when or if Data would take things further.
For Lieutenant Commander Sola’s own part, she’d heard some rumors about bets regarding her relationship with Data, but she’d stopped caring about rumors almost two years ago. It was strange, at first, being questioned from behind her back… but it was nothing like when she first arrived on the Enterprise. Strange species, strange arrival, strange… everything. Honestly, when she arrived there, the only person who made her feel a touch at home was Data. The android reminded her of her own people, a portion of the citizens being formed entirely by biotechnical cells they had evolved long ago. That’s part of why, since day one, she treated Data with the respect any person deserved. He may have lacked human emotional complexity or full understanding of life, but he was who he was. In that, he had personhood. Funnily enough, she ended up falling for the android, and in his own way, he for her. He did not believe he had the capacity for love, but he could still remember the exact moment when he first felt the strong impulse to remain at her side, desiring her companionship. He recalled the first time he noticed how her eyes sparkled when she looked at him, and a craving to see that sparkle again. He felt a collection of desires, urges, and even needs when it came to her. Data supposed that, in his own way, he had been meant to experience romantic attraction. It was not quite like the human experience, but it brought both himself and his girlfriend happiness, or Data’s approximation of said emotion.
The sound of the turbolift marked Lieutenant Commander Sola’s arrival, to which Data swiftly turned in his chair and greeted her. She smiled back and did the same, before gently waving to others on the bridge. She walked over to stand a few feet away from Data, their little ritual locked down. He’d invite her up, she’d watch until the shift ends, and then they head off onto their own plans. That said, she usually knew these plans beforehand, but if Data asked her to do something, she didn’t see a reason not to go along. Riker shared a knowing glance with Picard as they watched the unusual couple, before Picard stood up and announced he was handing control over to his first officer. Captain Picard moved over into his ready room, and letting out a soft breath, Commander Sola moved closer to Data. She still felt weary of showing unprofessionalism in front of their captain, but as she settled her hands on Data’s shoulders, she felt a warm joy inside her chest. Just touching him reminded her of how real this was. In kind, Data glanced up at her, giving her a small private smile, before he looked back at his terminal and wrapped up his tasks with excellent speed. An ensign arrived shortly to take over at the terminal, and Data handed it off to them with a polite swiftness. It wouldn’t be noticeable to anyone who didn’t know Data, but Riker had to suppress a chuckle. Of course, the immortal metal man wanted to hurry along to whatever little date he had planned.
“Commander Sola, we will now embark to Ten Forward.” Data explained plainly, before dragging her over to the turbolift. She followed gladly, letting out a soft giggle at Data’s eagerness. Whenever he got like this, she knew he was plotting something in that magnificent positronic brain of his. While it was Commander Sola who wore red of command, she saw pure gold whenever Commander Data took charge. He wasn’t defined by the signature yellow he wore, instead by his actions and substance as a person. He was the most remarkable person on the ship, as far as she was concerned, though Picard followed close. She held great respect for the crew, but none as much as Data.
As they traveled through the ship, some younger or newer crew members would do double-takes at the sight of the pair. Many had heard about Commander Data, but few would guess that he had a romantic partner. His relationship with Commander Sola wasn’t something written about or published in papers, but a part of life aboard the Enterprise. Those who had been around for years knew well that the two were a formidable pair. It had been around a year and a half since Data accepted Commander Sola’s proposal to begin a relationship, devoid of any romance subroutine. It was a very peculiar thing to him, initially, as it had been his understanding that his emotional capabilities would be considered subpar for a romantic partner. Though he had already felt a draw to the woman and desire to be close to her, it took him quite some time to understand her desire to be with him, as he was, without any changes to his programming. The more time they spent together, though, Data was able to come to his own understanding. If she truly did love him, it was him in his true state, and not a program that dictated romantic behavior.
Reaching Ten Forward, Data ensured he made eye contact with Guinan, who set about making Data’s special request drinks. They weren’t ones the replicator could craft, seeing as they had not been made before, but Data was determined to create an acceptable variant with Guinan’s help to check for taste. Guinan couldn’t help but chuckle to herself as she watched Data lead his partner over to a table next to one of the many windows. Even if Data wasn’t human, she couldn’t help but see the young love flourishing between those two. That said, Lieutenant Commander Sola wasn’t human, either. A scattered race, similar to Guinan, Sola was someone who had lost her world and much of what it had to offer. When Data came to Guinan wanting to attempt to remake a recipe from Commander Sola’s home planet, Guinan was delighted to agree. If they succeeded, she’d even register the recipe in the replicator. That said, as she mixed liquors and ingredients, the dark violet base of the drink reminded her that some drinks were just better when mixed by hand. After all, the replicator couldn’t beat Data’s Samarian sunset.
Guinan was proud of the two lovebirds. Being alone could be an incredibly crushing experience, and even if they weren’t truly alone, she knew that the two of them had found a special solace in one another. As she approached their table, she could see the smile that graced Data’s face each time he heard his girlfriend laugh. It might have seemed subtle, but to this wise listener, she could tell how much it meant to the android. To smile, for him, meant to understand a fundamental joy in life. This was not a smile meant for someone else, but brought on by something in his programming that received positive input based on his interactions with Lieutenant Commander Sola. Guinan still found it utterly amusing to address her in such a way… The surviving Sola-Gen, known locally as a humble Starfleet officer. Those who knew the reality of her were limited to high ranking Starfleet officials, companions aboard the Enterprise, and those who… had the pleasure, or displeasure, of finding out.
“Data, Lilah Sola. Always a pleasure to have you two in my little establishment.” Guinan greeted them warmly. She’d normally tease Lilah about her choice of surname, but now wasn’t the time. Data stared up at her intensely, his yellow eyes almost anxious, if Guinan had to guess, about how Lilah would receive this attempt at Solarian drinks. Placing the drinks down in front of the couple, Guinan carefully watched as Lilah’s eyes widened, recognizing the drink just as she and Data had hoped.
“Guinan… What is this?” Lilah Sola asked tentatively, lifting the glass to inspect more closely. The dark violet fluid hid faint red and gold shimmer, and while it lacked the properties of its original ingredients, Guinan had figured out which blend would still get them the same colors. Data watched Lilah unblinkingly, and Guinan could only guess that he was holding off on blinking until he knew how Lilah liked it. After all, a blink could miss an important moment during his attempt to impress.
“Why don’t you ask the genius across the table?” Guinan asked with a smirk, before heading back towards the bar. While Guinan handled taste and aided in the recipe recreation, she knew Data did the majority of the heavy lifting. Data had toiled over the entirety of the ship’s accessible documents on Solarian discoveries. The majority were irrelevant for this purpose, but he was able to combine studies on the language, his own dialogues with Lilah Sola, research gathered from other surviving Solari, as well as molecular structures of recovered artifacts. Guinan would argue that Data could call himself an expert on the Solari, but that said… he was dating one. If he didn’t know about Lilah Sola, Guinan would have slapped him for Lilah’s sake. Luckily, Data was unreasonably smart, and he took great care to understand what he could about his girlfriend.
“Data… if this is what I think this is…” Lilah muttered, eyeing her pearlescent boyfriend. He simply watched, waiting, unwavering in his resolve to see her reaction before responding. Lilah knew well how Data could get, and with a deep breath, decided to give the drink a sip. Eyes closed, focused solely on the taste, processing it and comparing it to a long-past moment. A moment… that took her back home. A tavern, bustling with Solari, relishing in joy after a freshly won battle in their system. A victory for the Solari fleet was a victory for all Solari, and as Sola-Gen, she took pride in sharing precious moments with her people. Loud music, roaring cheers, and the rich taste of salchak fruit mixed with powdered herbs and minerals. The drink in her hand may have lacked the finesse of the original drink, but that taste… Oh, she truly was brought home by it. What it lacked hardly mattered to her.
She lowered the cup from her lips, set it on the table, and rose from her seat. Data tilted his head as he kept his eyes trained on her, feeling an alarming mixture of concern and curiosity. As Lilah started to move around the table towards him, he opened his mouth to ask if he had upset her with this endeavor, but found himself stunned silent in the next moment. She reached him, placed her hands on his shoulders, and moved to straddle his lap. Data’s blinking subroutine kicked back into gear, due in part to his surprise. Again, he opened his mouth to voice concerns, but Lilah moved to kiss him deeply instead. She slid one hand to gently caress his cheek, and Data began to move his lips against hers, allowing his eyes to close and focus solely on the moment. No more questions needed at that time. Data had learned well that Lilah was inclined towards physical reactions over verbal, in particular when she struggled to explain what she was feeling.
Data always found himself marveling at the softness of her lips, the gentle touch of her hands, and the strength of her passion. Despite the differences between her species and humanity, she was undoubtedly human in her essence. The other Solari on board was much more stern and adversarial, but then again, Data had no interest in befriending -much less romancing- the older male Solari. Ambassador Losk was formidable, but could do little to intimidate Data. Though Solari were metamorphs, Losk rarely expressed this skill, and Lilah had simply used it to appear more human after joining the Enterprise. If Losk wanted to frighten Data, he’d have to use that ability in some sort of clever manner, Data guessed. As for Lilah, Data wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her closer as they continued their kisses. He gently felt her back, knowing that small ports existed along her spine, one of the few traits she did not want to hide from her natural state. This, in kind, gave her heightened sensitivity down her back, and Data made a mental note to tease her there when he was next able to remove her shirt.
“I… take that to mean you approve of the drink, correct?” Data confirmed once their lips parted. His bright yellow eyes gazed into the mixed blue and golden tones of Lilah’s, admiring the way her irises reminded him of the Earth sky during a sunny day. He could see her eyes wrinkle as she grinned, mirth sparkling in her vision.
“Yes, my dear Data, I do indeed approve.” Lilah mused, before pressing her lips against his once more. Data’s shoulders relaxed at her verbal confirmation, relieved that he was correct in his assumption. He was still learning to read body language and understand Lilah’s non-verbal habits, and while he was certain his guesses would be accurate to an 86.4% chance, the remaining percentage was sufficiently able to make him doubt himself. Doubt… it was so unusually human, yet something he’d been familiar with for some time. Small questions, if his capacity is sufficient for a job, or if he was miscalculating a human reaction based on facial reactionary movements. He often wondered about such things, and while he did not often perceive it as self-doubt, he had grown to recognize that it was still a form of the emotion.
Knowing, now, that he had accurately predicted an approval from the woman he cared for… That brought him satisfaction. Not nearly as much as he gained from the feeling of their mouths moving together. While he had experienced physical intimacy in the past, behaving on subroutines and commands had resulted in no emotional response. With Lilah, however, he was behaving based on his own inclinations and wants.
His hands moved to the curve of her waist, feeling how her body was shaped and the warmth she exuded. He tightened his grip, ensuring that she would feel the press of each finger against her body. They’d done this before in Ten Forward, and he was aware of how eyes would drift over to them. Questions, gossip, mutterings… He was little concerned about them, though he had grown to derive some sort of pleasure from the experience. He was already aware that some females, and males, found him to be attractive as a potential mate. It was an entirely different experience, however, to observe people attempt to flirt with and woo his romantic partner. It brought about a series of difficult feelings, but the knowledge that he had a desirable mate was… appealing, in a way he could only describe as ‘human’. When he had first asked Riker about this experience, Riker had an unstoppable grin and attempted to explain what Data was feeling. According to Riker, some men liked a ‘look but don’t touch’ element to relationships, knowing that other men had no chance in claiming what was already spoken for. Data was still unsure as to the entire meaning of this, but he did admit, he was pleased to know that he was the only being that Lilah was intimately engaged with.
Of course, such a relationship went both ways. He had spoken to Lilah privately about this description from Riker, and she had been quite pleased with the development. Both Data and Lilah had consented to that part of their romance, and the possessive inclinations that had been developing. This discussion had happened approximately eight months ago, and since then, the two of them had continued to progress with their romantic and intimate lives. Data may not have believed he was capable of human emotion, but he was nonetheless happy to have his own kind of feelings. Even if they were lacking in intensity and depth, they were his.
That fact was also enough for Lilah. She didn’t need human intensity to be happy. Her own kind were vibrant people, but she saw vibrancy in Data every day. Every smile, touch, and moment was something to be cherished. As long as Data was happy and they shared affection for one another, it was more than she could ask for.
Eventually, Lilah returned to her seat, and she ended up sharing stories of her home with Data as they drank. She told him about the taverns, about orchards of salchak trees, and how traditions varied across each habited region. Her free hand was animated and lively, and as Data watched her, her eyes seemed to shine with visions of the past. He admired her ability to appreciate memories with such intensity, and how her voice carried each story like poetry. The stories of the Solari people were so rarely told, but even more than that, these were the stories of her. Each experience shaped Lilah Sola into the person she was, and Data was thankful for that fact.
It was around 23:00 when Data and Lilah had finished in Ten Forward. It had been a lovely night of stories, moments, kisses, and whispers only meant for one another. Lilah kept her arms around one of Data’s as they moved through the halls and lifts, heading back to their shared quarters. While Data still had his smaller quarters for storage and necessity, he primarily resided in a larger unit along with Lilah and Spot. As they walked inside and set about their nightly routines, Data recalled how surprised Lilah had been when he first suggested living together. It made complete logical sense, including the fact that Lilah’s regular presence had already had a positive impact on Spot’s happiness. That said, he also derived happiness from living with his girlfriend. Sharing a bed with her, seeing her eyes light up each morning, hearing how softly she said his name when she was tired. There were countless details such as those, each one making Data so sure of this idea. In the end, he was right. Their shared home brought them both joy and peace.
Of course, it was a bit awkward if Geordi visited when Lilah was only dressed in a nightgown, but Geordi was respectful towards both her and Data. In truth, Data was relieved that Geordi was the only one to have arrived at those inopportune moments. He doubted he would respond as amicably if it were someone like Commander Riker or Lieutenant Worf, despite both being friends and trusted crewmates. He had no desire to fight or injure either man, but Data felt it was somehow… easier, to accept his best friend accidentally seeing Lilah in a private setting. Data attributed this to an emerging process, though he was unsure which one. He still had much to learn about his own emotions, even if they were lacking from his deeper desires.
Lilah had fed Spot sometime before visiting the bridge, so Data simply saw to the cat’s comfort, made an internal log regarding the day’s events, and sent a message to Geordi to inform him that, unless his presence was necessary, he would be unavailable until the next bridge rotation. Once those were taken care of, he turned to enter their bedroom. Data froze in his movements once his eyes landed on Lilah, laying in bed wearing a black silk slip. The fabric shone softly under the dim room lighting, the folds emphasizing the curves of her body, the way her breasts moved with her breathing, and each subtle movement of her body.
“Data, darling, come to bed…” Lilah cooed, voice sultry and low. Her pink lips curled in a teasing smile, watching Data struggle to break vision with her figure. After a few moments, however, he jerked his head forward, and moved to disrobe. He was swift and exact with his movements, leaving his uniform neatly folded on a countertop. Left in only black boxers, he walked around to join Lilah on the bed, movements slowing back down and easing into a gentleness.
He slipped under the covers, and settled into a familiar position with his girlfriend. He was laying on his back, with her against his side, his arm around her waist, her arm around his stomach, and her head laying against his chest. Data had found that this position conducted both comfort and affection, and after all their nights together, this was one of his favorites. Lilah gently nuzzled against his chest, before letting out a heavy contented sigh. Data was relieved to know she was relaxed and calm, as had been his goal with the evening. However, another reason he wanted to ease her was… he had discovered something that was rather unsavory. Something he had decided was important for her to know.
“Lilah… Before you begin to sleep, there is one matter of import to discuss.” Data muttered, not wanting to disturb the room with too much noise. He watched as Lilah tilted her head to look up at him, her eyes soft and doe-like as they sparkled with the dim lights around the pair. She waited patiently for him to continue, not feeling a need to verbalize her attentiveness. “As you recall, my brother had masqueraded as me in order to obtain the emotion chip our father developed. With that, he took my past uniform with him.” Data explained calmly.
“Yes, I recall… Why do you mention it, Data?” Lilah asked, voice soft, her breath dancing in the hushed tone. Data had grown to enjoy that sound, akin to how a human appreciates music, but he was not intending to dwell on such a thing.
“I am afraid that… my brother may now be aware of your presence in my life.” Data stated, watching as Lilah slowly lifted herself from his chest, staring down at him with confusion.
“Why is that? Lore… How would he know?” She urged, voice low but worried. While she did not have as many fears as a human, she understood the danger and threat posed by Lore. He was activated before she joined the Enterprise, and until the event mere days ago, she had hardly given him a second thought. She knew about Lore, but as he had been lost in space, he wasn’t an active concern. He had transported off the planet before she and the rest of the away team arrived to find Data, but… if he did know who she was, that fact was not something to be taken lightly.
“Four days, seventeen hours, and nine seconds after we celebrated our first anniversary, I decided to have the replicator produce a small hardcopy of your portrait. I had hidden it in the lining of my uniform, so that way I would have a visual guide, if I were to encounter a memory failure.” Data explained, and while Lilah felt her heart swell at the sweetness of Data’s actions, she had not forgotten the looming concern. “I believe that, if he has not already, Lore will discover the interior pocket holding the picture. I may not possess a human emotional capacity, but it is probable that my brother will surmise that you are a woman I consider highly important. I do not think he will understand our relationship from the picture, but it will still make you someone recognizable to him.” He finished, knowing that he had unwittingly put Lilah in greater risk. He could see how she was thinking about this, still and quiet as she looked down at him. He wondered, just for a moment, if she’d ever grow afraid of his face due to Lore. He hoped that she would never have to encounter his malicious brother.
“That’s… certainly a lot to process.” Lilah muttered, before sighing and settling back down against Data’s chest, curling up against him. “I’m just… not sure how to feel. It’s alarming, but… I doubt he’ll sneak his way onto the Enterprise, and I do know how to protect myself. We’re the same rank, after all, Data.” She pointed out, idly tracing shapes on the gold-dusted planes of his chest with one finger. “If Lore does reappear… We’ll just have to be careful. He’s an unpredictable man.”
Man. That word echoed in Data’s mind for a moment. It was… strange, still, hearing his romantic partner talk about his brother. To hear her talk about Lore in such a human way. Data knew she held deep respect and affection for himself, but to be a highly emotional being changed the context of your life. Lore had the context Data had desired for so long, but still seemed unobtainable. It was rare aboard the starship, but Data still heard people address him as a thing, rather than a person. Not everyone understood that he had personhood and a sense of self, but when it came to Lore… it was as if those were unquestioned. The two of them were outwardly identical, but when it came to behavior, Data was still othered by human perception.
Data’s silence and neutral face were enough for Lilah to realize he was deep in thought. When they were together, Data had an easier time showing hints of emotion, still learning to process what he was capable of. Their home was his safe space to explore himself, and Lilah was his anchor. She was an innately emotional being, but she respected and appreciated Data as he was. Her species’ relationship with technology was one of biotechnical advancement and symbiosis. She saw advanced technology in a way humans didn’t… Lilah held respect for each device and its complexity. Data had wondered, before her, if he may one day take a human partner. Now, when he thought about it, he wondered if he even could. His care for humans had not diminished, but recalling how human women treated him versus the Solari against his chest… He would consistently choose Lilah. He wondered how much of their relationship was built on her species’ differences to humans, but as he pondered that, he recalled the other encounters with Solari the Enterprise had experienced. Though few in numbers, from Data’s records, the common Solari attitude could be described as respectful but reserved towards alien technology.
Fascinating, Data thought to himself. Looking back down at Lilah, he gave her one of his signature faint smiles, before gently kissing her hair and settling back against the pillow. Data supposed that, while Lilah’s responses were based on her kind’s relationship with technology, her thoughts remained purely her own. She had treated him like a person since they first met, and their relationship grew into something increasingly precious to Data. He didn’t need a subroutine to tell him to be close to her. All he needed was the knowledge that she genuinely respected and cared for him, and in turn- she knew that his affection and care was from his innate programming, desires of his very own.
“We can discuss this further at a later time. Sleep well, Lilah…” Data muttered to her, while he used his free hand to fully turn off the room lights. He felt her shift slightly against his body, and her chest swelling with deep breaths. He knew one evening chat would hardly be enough to address the scope of Lore’s knowledge of her, but it was a start. Lilah deserved to know, and from Data’s experience, humanoids did not appreciate extended delays with information pertaining to them.
“I’ll try, Data, thank you…” Lilah whispered, eyes closed and focused on the rhythmic functions of Data’s body. His pulse, his breathing. Thank you, Doctor Soong, for making Data such a calming presence. Lilah would have enjoyed any traits of Data’s, but at times like this, the music of his design served as a much welcome distraction.
It was going to be a long night, but at the least, they had each other. Lore was lurking out there, somewhere, amongst the other threats and questions they were facing. Data made a mental note to bring this concern to Captain Picard and Ambassador Losk. For now, it was time to rest, as much as he could rest.