Ficlet - Home Worlds

[cornerofmadness]

Title -- Home Worlds
Author-- cornerofmadness
Fandom -- Star Trek: The Next Generation
Disclaimer -- Roddenberry owns them, not me
Rating -- teen
Characters/Pairing -- Tasha Yar & Data
Timeline/Spoilers -- first season
Word Count -- 287
Summary -- They can see their home worlds but do they want to?
Author’s Note -- written for 12_daysofficmas & fanfic_bakeoff for helliongoddess's 'Tasha & Data' prompt

XXX

Tasha had wondered if things would get sticky at work now that the effects of the watery virus had worn off and some people had found out she had done that with Data, but that was the nice thing about the Enterprise; people weren't gossipy or at least judgmental. What a change from the hell she had grown up in. That said, it still took her weeks before she was willing to be seen with Data in any setting other than work.

His vaguely blank face still seemed like a bright smile as she sat down with him in Ten Forward, synthahol in hand next to the huge viewing portal. Data was a male who had no expectations of her and she appreciated that. Tasha couldn't help staring out the window, even though she wasn't one for idle daydreaming.

"It is lovely, is it not?" he said, surprising her.

"Yeah, it is," she said, wondering why she felt less tough and hardened for admitting it.

"Guinan says that people always end up staring out the portal to look for their home-world." Data cocked his head. "I do not think you would do the same."

"Only to be sure I'm nowhere near the colony," she replied. Tasha sipped her synthahol. "What about you, Data? Do you look out there for your home-world?"

"I know precisely where the colony I was assembled within is." Data's eyes flicked toward the portal. "But I feel no special need to look for it."

"I guess we're both sort of orphans in that sense, with no home-world we care to look for," Tasha said.

Data seemed to mull that, then replied. "For now, the Enterprise is our home. We do not need to look further."

Tasha smiled. "You're right."