The (lovely) Lieutenant (Data/Fem!reader)

Chapter 1

All was calm in your quarters. Your lava lamp, eternally shaping and re-shaping blobs of goo, was the only thing with your attention now. Today had been rather uneventful other than Ensign Sito coming down with a case of the flu.

Calm soon turned into boredom. You had about 12 hours until your next shift. Twelve whole hours! You stared at the lava lamp, watching the blobs in it go from red to green to a teal of such intensity that it rivaled the color of your uniform. You never went on away missions or saw the Borg firsthand. In fact, the most unusual thing that happened was Q appearing, but he didn't stay for long.

The Enterprise was pure monotony compared to what you heard about it. Time felt like sludge here. Your eyes started closing, drifting you into a realm without feeling...

"Doctor Crusher to (L/N)." said your communicator.

You jolted awake. What was she doing, calling you during your spare time? Whatever she needs me for, you thought, it'll be better than being bored in here.

You tapped the pin on your chest. "(L/N) here."

"You're needed in the observation lounge."

"On my way."

Why do they need me? Am I being promoted? Will I finally go on an away mission? Your thoughts were going a mile a minute. You were just a lowly ensign. The turbolift ride seemed to take forever.

The sight of many senior officers in the observation lounge startled you, but you didn't let it show. LaForge, Troi, Riker, Worf, and Picard were there, people that you heard about but never met. Counselor Troi smiled at you. You shakily grinned back and took a seat next to the only familiar person in the room, Doctor Crusher.

"You're probably wondering why you were called here." Riker stated, breaking the silence.

"That's an understatement." you said politely. Don't mess up, stutter, or blink too much. Act natural.

"We believe that-" Captain Picard started. Right at that moment, Data walked into the room.

"I apologize for my timing, Captain. I was completing a routine diagnostic of my positronic systems."

He sat down at the last empty chair across from you. You paid no heed to him, however. You were focused on what the Captain was saying.

"We believe that you might be familiar with this person."

Doctor Crusher handed you a datapad. It displayed the Starfleet records of Selynis (L/N), your aunt. You stared at it, noting how much you looked like her. "She has my sister's eyes", your mother whispered, thinking you were asleep.

"She was arrested about a year and a half before I transferred to the Enterprise." you said, studying her profile. "What happened?"

"Selynis is gone."

"What?"

"She had been scanned for the prison's nightly security check. She wasn't in bed the next morning."

You tapped the datapad and opened up Selynis' disappearance report.

Starfleet Correctional Facility A-5-77: Incident report

(L/N), Selynis

Previous Starfleet Rank: Lieutenant Commander

Arrested for: Disobeying orders (court martial), disobeying orders at the cost of another crew member's life (felony), tampering with equipment (court martial), perjury to a Federation court (felony)

Incident: Reported missing approx. 1 week ago. Investigation pending.

"Is there any more to this report?" you asked.

"I'm afraid not. This is all we have." Doctor Crusher replied solemnly.

"Do you have anything you can share with us that might give us a lead in the upcoming investigation?" questioned Counselor Troi.

You thought back to when you were younger. "Don't hang out with my sister," your mother had warned. "She'll cause lots of unnecessary trouble."

"When I was young," you started, "my mother thought Selynis would be a bad influence on me. She warned me that she would mess things up and influence my career negatively. I had never questioned her, but when Aunt Selynis was arrested, Mom adopted an 'I-Told-You-So' attitude towards her."

"Your aunt's disappearance has Starfleet authorities worried that another incident like this could take place." informed Commander LaForge.

"I can see why." you said back.

"Starfleet believes that you should lead the investigation." remarked the Captain.

Shocked, your head jerked up. "Me!? Shouldn't my mother be the one leading the search?"

"Your mother is busy enough as it is. She's a Starfleet Captain, after all." replied Counselor Troi.

"And my father?"

"He refuses to have anything to do with Selynis." LaForge continued.

Thanks, Dad. Now I have to find my crazy aunt.

"I am assigning you and Commander Data to this investigation. With his skills and your prior knowledge, I believe that you are capable of tracking Selynis down. Dismissed." ordered Picard.

You all got up to leave. As you were exiting, Picard called your name.

"Yes, Captain?"

"Don't let Selynis stain your family's reputation."

"I won't, Sir."

With an inaudible sigh, you briskly hurried out the room. You had plans to arrange and a call to make.