The Experiment (Data x reader)

Data's Choice

You sat, numbly, on the bridge of the Enterprise; it was deserted except for you and Picard. The Enterprise had halted on its course amidst all the Q sightings, and everyone had turned their attention to ensuring he wouldn't do any harm. Navigators, therefore, weren't needed. The bridge served as a temporary private meeting room for you and the captain.

"Take me through this one more time," said Picard, leaning forward in the captain's chair was his brow furrowed. You bowed your head, resisting the urge to begin sobbing like the children that made Picard so uncomfortable. You didn't want to have to explain yourself again, didn't want to have to relive everything Worf and Geordi had told you, but you needed to if you wanted Picard to help. Fortunately, the captain saw your struggle; you were sitting in Data's usual chair, and he stood and walked over to you, placing a comforting hand on your shoulder. "In your own time," he said gently.

You collected yourself, breathing deeply, and wishing more than anything that you had your android nearby to calm you. "Data's system wasn't built to maintain emotions," you explained quietly. "The emotions he's been feeling are more akin to biology than technology, and it's wearing down his system. If we don't stop him from feeling, he only has a hundred years left; a little longer than the average life span of a human."

"Exactly." You knew without turning around who had intruded. Q had emerged from the turbolift, and there wasn't a spark of his usual mischief; it was drowned out by his obvious anger. He stalked, cat-like, over to you and your captain. Picard stepped in front of you, prepared to defend you.

"I don't suppose you'd listen to me if I told you to leave," said Picard wryly.

"Why should I, when you idiots never listen to me?" Q pointed, quite suddenly, at you. "You. Y/n y/l/n. I have a disdain for all humans, but especially for you. You'd take one of my own kind and reduce him to your level? Pathetic. Irredeemably pathetic. You humans don't deserve to have Data's technology. You don't deserve him at all, and this is how you treat him? Such a powerful life form, and he dies at the hands of an English teacher." These last two words were spat out in obvious scorn. Your heart pounded within your chest, and you were finding it difficult to breathe.

"Q," Picard began, jumping to your defense.

"And you." Q turned his attention to Picard, squinting narrowly at him. "You should have known better than anyone that I never say anything I don't mean."

"That's just not true," said Picard wearily.

"Why didn't you just tell us?" you asked, frustrated beyond belief. "If you knew what could happen, why didn't you just tell me? You could have saved us all this!"

"Well, that would be quite boring, wouldn't it?" Q looked offended. "Takes all the mystery out of it. Admit it, you've all had quite a jolly time running around trying to figure out what I was trying to do. I enjoyed the chaos, y/n, I must admit."

You had lost your temper at that point and were prepared to leap over Picard and tackle him, but before you could, Deanna did it for you. She came hurtling out of the turbolift, Riker close on her heels, and she pounced on him before Riker or Picard could stop her.

"I cannot believe you," she huffed at him as Riker was pulling her off him; she'd managed to tackle Q to the ground, but, infuriatingly, he wasn't hurt, simply amused, smirking calmly at her. "You knew this was going to happen! You knew how hurt y/n would be! Why do you have to be so damn cryptic when you can just be honest!"
You'd never seen her so enraged before, and you felt a wave of gratefulness towards her; Deanna, who would defend you through anything, Deanna, who you trusted above all else.