"But his programmers had not prepared him for a paradoxical relationship with an emotionally challenged woman who was as ill equipped to understand the true nature of love as he was."

What a statement. Perfect.

Thanks for this sophisticated and layered portrayal of Data.

That part where Data asks “what does it feel like” is heartbreaking.

Love it 3

I've read your story once before, and I know I wrote a review for the previous one, but didn't review this one. Now I'm re-reading it again, and starting to figure why I didn't review it then. I'll try to gather all my thoughts about your story now. But first of all, let me say that I love your style, I love the plot, the way you connect canon with the fic. I think you're very talented! And as an added-bonus, I also love the vocab in your stories, as a non-native speaker I learn a lot! :)

But back to this story, and this particular chapter. The thing is, that I have a story of my own, called Blind Chess (the 2nd part of a two-parter), where the female protagonist OC is to a certain extent similar to Tasha here. And I'm trying to figure out why I'm able to kind of "forgive" Emma when she fights with Data more there, than I can forgive Tasha here. In my story, the girl is older, and was traumatized in a bad marriage, also Data has emotions (set after First Contact).

When I'm reading here that Tasha is testing Data, that's something that hits close home. Emma is doing the same in my story, and well, most people who were in some way cheated in their trust somewhere in their lives do that. Not only because they are trying to see the yield strength of their bonds, but also because if the other fails a test, that would make them feel comfortable in their untrustable little world to which they're so used to. And my character does that too, Data realizes that too, so there's a certain parallel between the two stories.

The difference is that Emma is constantly trying, and I'm reluctant to say this, but Tasha isn't. Emma's trying to overcome her fears (and anger rooting in that fear), she's making herself trust him, realizes that she should stop pushing him away in exchange for his patience, and she's able to say sorry! Somehow these efforts are not made by Tasha. Okay, instinctually, she does some of these things, but never consciously, never because she'd say: okay, this guy is worth it to at least try! And before, you feel terrible, I'm still not talking about your writing skills. I think you're amazing, the story is amazing, and very VERY realistic. This is exactly why I feel the way I do about her!

Traumatized people, if they get proper therapy, finally tend to recognize their behaviour patterns and try to at least fight the ones that are not adaptive and yield no pay-off. Let's be frank, I wrote my story from my heart, and I can feel that you did too: you know something about therapy as do I. But somehow still, I feel Tasha is just trapped in her fears, among her demons and even though here, she makes an honest confession, it feels like it's just not enough. Not after what she did and told Data in the previous chapter. She really treats him like crap, and she never acknowledges that, never says sorry, takes it granted that okay, he feels nothing, so I can throw all the sh*t I'm drowning in onto him. Moreover, exactly because of this, she chose him and finished all her relationships with organics who could feel very early on! It's unfair on him, but it's no less unfair on herself, because without being told that hey, you're being unfair and abusive, she'd never even notice! (Although, if it was pointed out to her, she'd just break up...)

And I feel terrible for Data... Even though I can understand Tasha and the reasons behind her acting that way, I cannot empathize enough to forgive her this. And again! You're writing is absolutely great! It's not about how you depict her, it's about the fact that yes, there are people like her, who are not meant to be in a relationship. If Data had emotions, he'd only stay with her if he had a wish for self-destruction, or had very low self-esteem. We do know that neither would be true. He stays only because he cannot actually understand the depth of abuse she's putting him through. And with her isolating him almost completely from people who could actually point out, or notice that this whole is just not right, he'd never recognize it. Here's a very valid ethical point: if somebody doesn't feel anything, is it fair to abuse him? With the advance of AI in our time, I think we're not very far from having to answer that question.

But back to Tasha: would it be a wonder that somebody who was abused, would actually abuse somebody else even unintentionally? That is her language of love. The only form of love she'd ever known. But it would be so good, if somebody made her realize what she's doing, and she'd at least try to change her ways. If somebody stood up for Data. That's what I'm missing - yet again, your writing is accurate: from the ensemble cast, nobody would walk up to Tasha and tell her to be a bit less of a b*tch, because they're not like that! Throughout the series, this is one reason why Data was always one way or another abused to some extent.

Okay, I finish my dissection of Tasha and their relationship. I do think, you did a great job in depicting them, I just wish, Data could have at least one moment when he could believe he was really loved by her.

I also own Pulse of the Machine and I kinda regret having gotten hold of these just fairly recently. Writing is superb that one would almost want this to be canon. Cant help feeling that the story is unfairly abusive towards Data mostly. While much of Yar's (canon) may explain the seeming abuse, it does not justify the treatment since this only perpetuates the abuse albeit the recepient does not "feel" in the conventional sense.

Please write more stories about these two ever sense i first saw star trek the next generation and these two i fell in love and your stories are so extremly well written that I keep forgetting that this is a fanfiction and not the real script from the episodes! I love your stories!

Hah - I remember the silver speedos...
I really enjoyed how you nailed LaForge's character in the last couple - you're very good at detailing individuals.

Wonderful. I like the way you blend episodic canon with original content - it's interesting seeing a known episode from a different angle.

And frankly, I can't get enough of Data. More please! :-)

I love this story, please write more about Data and Tasha 33333333

Hi please please i am begging on my bare knees, well i have pants on the knees but i am on my knees in this moment begging you, pleaaaaaase, IF you have Time and well want to write i story about data and tasha getting Married. I know it is to much to ask for but you write so extremly good. I would buy these stories if they were in book form.
Well i also know that many people are strict to The story and does not to alter it but please just think about it, i could be a short story and it cancer be as long as you like, i would love it either Way

Por favor... Continua...por favor

Data is so cute lol

Great chapter, made me laugh

Wow *bows* I'm speechless

Wow

I love the data, he's such a great character!