Chapter Text
Distant white pinpoints of light slid down the glossy shuttlecraft windows like raindrops as Geordi leaned against Data in his chair. Geordi held a PADD in his hands, from which he was reading Shakespeare's Macbeth. Every odd minute he would swipe on the screen, with Data looking over his shoulder from time to time to see his progress. Geordi almost felt drowsy from the peace that blanketed the space; it was the kind of environment where you could only notice the little things that normally fade into obscurity on a busy ship.
The rolling sound of the engine sat quietly on the edge of Geordi’s consciousness as he listened to the rhythmic artificial breathing of his partner. In the background was Data’s selection of Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony, which seemed fitting for the spacefaring setting they were in. He had played it once before for Geordi in his quarters, Geordi recalled as he turned the page, and he followed the familiar strings and woodwinds and brass in his mind as they slid up and down together to coalesce in a rousing melody.
“Mm, I don’t get what Picard sees in this Shakespeare guy. These plays are way too melodramatic for my taste. It feels like I’m reading a soap opera. He’s got the same formula: one guy betrays another guy, two lovers break up, and then house rivalry and tragedy and death ensues,” Geordi cut through the ambience upon feeling Data shift to look at his PADD. “I get it’s a cultural touchstone and all, but let it be known I’m only reading Shakespeare so I can understand all of the Captain’s references and not look clueless in front of the rest of the senior staff.”
Data tilted his head slightly as he considered Geordi’s opinion. “I find Shakespeare’s works to be most stimulating. I have enjoyed recreating many such plays in the holodeck with Captain Picard.” He returned his gaze to the controls as he made a minute adjustment to their heading. “Besides, no one is forcing you to read Macbeth. You may stop at any time if you wish,” Data added.
Geordi chuckled at his last remark. “Yeah, I know that, but I’m not gonna let Mr. Shakespeare best me. I’m gonna get some meaning out of this one way or another,” he stated as though the play was a trial to be overcome. “But I think I’m gonna take a break for now, because, well… I’ve… been sitting in one place for too long.”
“Of course.”
Geordi adjusted his position to be upright and set his PADD on the console. “What’s going on in that head of yours? You’ve been staring ahead silently for a while.”
“I have been reflecting on our trip. Namely, the botanical gardens we visited. The flora were quite beautiful,” Data replied thoughtfully as he sorted through his memory files.
Geordi exhaled and slowly nodded. “Betazed was really something, huh? I’m not much for having the locals read my innermost thoughts, but that planet really is gorgeous. If I were Troi I’d have never left for Starfleet. All we get on the ship are the holodecks… it’s not really the same as the real thing, huh? Man, I’m gonna miss it when we get back to the Enterprise soon. I already am.”
Data turned in his chair towards Geordi and regarded the floor in thought. “I have noticed that many humanoid species have a certain fondness for real nature and do not derive the same satisfaction from holographic recreations.”
“I mean, I bet it's hardwired in our brains. Being trapped in a suffocating airship eleven months out of the year will do things to you. It's just not the same as the real thing.” Geordi stood up and exaggeratedly stretched his stiff arms and legs. “But I really am glad we went and took that time off, Data. I don’t think I realized how much I needed a break until you practically had to sell me the idea of a vacation to get me away from Engineering. I guess I can be a bit of a workaholic sometimes-- that golden boy Starfleet type.” Geordi grinned as he put his hands on Data’s shoulders and rested his head on Data’s. “Plus, you look great in civilian clothes. I haven’t seen you out of that uniform in god knows how long-- don’t get me wrong, it looks great, really matches your eyes, but it's so formal. But you really look great in anything.” Geordi admired Data’s choice of an apple red cable knit sweater and practical brown cargo pants.
Data turned around in his chair and looked at Geordi with a meaningful warmth in his golden eyes. “Thank you, Geordi. I have enjoyed seeing you out of uniform as well. You have an ‘eye for style.’ May I say you are quite handsome as well?”
Geordi grinned bashfully and looked down at his choice of clothing, a yellow long sleeve under a patterned cardigan rolled up to his forearms. “I guess that's why you’re wearing the same pants as me. Ah, wait, no, they’re in a different color. Still, I’ll take that compliment any day.”
Several years ago when the two had only just gotten to know each other, the subtleties of a conversation such as this would have been impossible between them. Now, they had spent so much time together that they knew each other's every mannerism, to the extent that they accidentally rubbed off on each other. Geordi was not exempt from the occasional quizzical head tilt, nor was Data from attempted crossed arms.
The tender moment was broken by an alarming flashing red symbol on the control panel Geordi noticed out of the corner of his eye. “Hey, Data, is that…” he trailed off as he sat down in front of the console, with Data turning around beside him.
“It appears to be an issue with the engines,” Data reported as his pale hands skillfully navigated the controls. “There is a foreign pollutant saturating the shuttle’s systems. It appears to be coming from the planet’s atmosphere which we are currently passing over.”
“Can we do anything to stop it-- can we shut off the engines?” Geordi asked with rising anxiety.
An alarm suddenly came on overhead. “Warning. Anti-matter collecting modules currently overloading. Warning. Critical malfunction in two minutes and six seconds.”
Data shook his head. “A chain reaction is occurring in the engines. We cannot stop it.”
Geordi ran his hands over his face as he muttered the beginnings of a question to himself. “I… what did… how did this happen in all of five seconds? What kind of planet are we flying over?”
“I am accessing Federation databanks on this planet.”
“What kind of oversight…” Geordi continued quietly, half to himself.
“The planet is known as Aeiligour and harbors a pre-warp civilization. The inhabitants burn a type of fossil fuel in large quantities for energy, saturating their atmosphere with pollutants incompatible with our engines. It appears the substances have leached into the surrounding space.”
“Warning. Anti-matter collecting modules currently overloading. Warning. Critical malfunction in one minute.”
“Okay, okay!” Geordi waved off the disembodied voice. “We gotta eject the engine or we’re gonna have way bigger problems.” He immediately stood up and grabbed the necessary tool before prying open an access panel with a metallic groan.
“I must warn you that the shuttle is being caught by the planet’s gravitational well. We will crash shortly,” Data called after him as he plotted the safest course out of many bad options.
Geordi tossed another metal cover aside and punched in the access code. “Crash? We’re gonna crash on a pre-warp planet? Oh, god...”
“There is a large region of forest that we will land in for some amount of cover. Do you need assistance?”
“Warning. Anti-matter collecting modules currently overloading. Warning. Critical malfunction in thirty seconds.”
“No, no, I’m almost there…” Geordi quickly switched the last of the isolinear chips and closed the hatch. “It’s done!”
“Engine ejection mechanisms firing… ejection sequence successful."
“Terrific, now we just need to survive a crash without any engines,” Geordi said grimly as he struggled to get back in his seat. The planet was now in full view, with large swathes of green and blue in front of them not unlike Earth slowly approaching as the shuttle began to tip downward.
Data manned the controls with lightning speed, his fingers almost a blur. “I am attempting to use manual thrusters to correct our orientation and generate enough atmospheric drag for a survivable landing. Please brace yourself, Geordi.”
Geordi immediately obliged as the ship began to vibrate violently as it accelerated through the atmosphere. The edges of the viewscreen began to burn white hot and the shuttle emitted a frightening groan as the metal structure swelled. Ahead, a green continent slowly came into view, and Geordi could make out a dense green forest ahead.
“Warning. Exterior temperature approaching critical levels. System failure imminent.”
“Data…?”
“We will reach the planet’s surface in twenty seconds. I will attempt to protect you from the force of the crash with my body,” Data said, calm as ever, but voice rising in volume over the noise.
“Hey, now, what do you mean, ‘protect with your body-’”
Before Geordi could object, Data immediately brought Geordi under the console and protectively wrapped his impossibly strong, metallic frame around his.
Geordi could hardly process what was happening. “Listen, Data, if we don't survive-”
“I love you, Geordi,” unexpectedly came Data’s gentle voice, the last thing Geordi heard as the shuttle suddenly hit the ground and the world exploded in light.