Geordi was just heading off of the Enterprise, for some down time. With many of the ship's computers and systems in needed of repair he hadn't had time for himself. As Chief Engineer seeing that the ship was running to its full capacity was his responsibility, added that on to the fact that he was now the ship's Second Officer and that too had given him a lot of other responsibilities to handle, he needed a break. In all honestly, as much as, he loved the Enterprise he needed to spend some time off of her.
It was because of that reason that Geordi now found himself off of the Enterprise making his way toward Starbase 3's cafeteria, though he knew the food on the Enterprise would be much better.
Starbase 3 was a small starbase that did not offer officers much to do besides work, talk with crew mates and eat at their small cafeteria. Despite its small size though Starbase 3 had all that it needed to fix almost any problem that happened with the operation of a starship. It was built close to the Neutral Zone as a place where starship could get the aid they need, particularly if hostilities between the Romulan Empire and the Federation ever increased.
Five years ago, peace had at last came between these two powers and that worry was no longer there. In fact, this starbase would be closing shortly. When peace came, both the Federation and the Romulan Empire placed starbases in the former Neutral Zone and the officers working here would be moving to a Federation starbase only a few hours away in the Neutral Zone.
As Geordi made his way to the cafeteria he could tell that most of the officers there were looking forward to the move. This was mostly because for the fact that that starbase was a great deal bigger than this one and had a lot more of officers to do in their free time.
Rhea had made it to Starbase 3 from that new starbase a few hours ago, and was sitting in the cafeteria looking for one of the Enterprise's senior officers. She was hoping that she would be able to catch Captain Picard. She looked up when she heard the automated doors to the cafeteria open. Geordi walked in and headed straight to the counter to order. It wasn't Picard, but it was the next best thing.
Geordi didn't noticed Rhea and when he got his food he found a sit on the other side of the cafeteria.
Rhea quickly got up and walked over to him.
Geordi looked down at the food on his tray and wondered if he should have just eaten in Ten Forward. He may be tired of being on the Enterprise but he just remembered how bad the food was at these starbase cafeterias were.
At that moment he noticed someone walking up to him. He looked up and smiled when he noticed it was Rhea. He hadn't seen her in years. In fact the last time he had seen her had been at Data's funeral.
"Rhea, it been a long time," Geordi said when she had made it up to the table.
"Hey, Geordi," Rhea greeted, "mind if I join you." Rhea may have had a smile on her face, but Geordi could easily tell something was up.
"Sure," Geordi said, a little confused. Rhea pulled out the chair directly in front of Geordi and sat down.
The smile disappeared from Rhea's face and her expression became that of someone who had something important to say. Geordi pushed his tray aside; the idea of trying the cafeteria's food was now the farthest thing from his mind.
Rhea took a deep breath and then looked Geordi in the eye.
"I needed your help."
These took Geordi by surprise. What did Rhea need his help for?
"Well, not your help exactly, but the Enterprise's," Rhea explained seeing the confused look on Geordi's face.
Without giving Geordi a chance to even take what she had just said in she added, "I think Data's alive."
If Geordi was surprised earlier, it was nothing compared to how surprised he was by that statement.
"How do you think Data's alive?" Geordi asked. "I saw him destroyed with my own eyes. There was no way he could have survived that. And even if he did, why do you need the Enterprise's help?"
Rhea kept herself from rolling her eyes, though it was a little hard. She knew that not even a week ago she believed the same thing herself.
"You saw the ship get destroyed, not Data," Rhea stated. She then leaned over the table.
"I saw Data's head at the crash site," Rhea continued, "and my shuttle's sensors picked up his positronic signal."
At this Geordi jaw dropped.
"You have Data's head with you," Geordi asked unable to hide the hope in his voice. He knew that if Data's head survived there was a good chance Data was alive. Geordi would always remember a time after the Enterprise had hit a quantum filament, he had found Data's head in Engineering without his body and nearly jumping out of his skin when Data talked to him, the rest of Data was in a Jeffires' tube. There was also the time when his brother B4 had been talking to him and the rest of the senior staff when B4 body had been laying in pieces.
"No," Rhea said looking away from Geordi, "that's why I need the Enterprise's help."
After Rhea explained to Geordi everything that happened from the moment her sensors picked up Data's positronic signal to when the Romulans had disabled her shuttle, Geordi took his untouched plate and disposed of it and then he and Rhea headed to meet with Captain Picard.
They were going to help Data.
When Rhea and Geordi made it back to the Enterprise, they head straight to Picard's ready room. Only a few seconds after they rang the bell to enter Picard told them to come in.
Picard was setting behind his desk with his tablet out go over some reports. Picard looked up when they entered and set his tablet down on his desk. He was surprised to see Rhea there.
"Lieutenant McAdams, to what do I owe the pleasure," Picard said.
"Captain," Rhea said politely.
Geordi stepped forward, hoping just as much as Rhea to start going to find Data.
"Captain, Rhea has reason to believe that Data is still alive and in need of our help." Geordi said.
Whatever Picard had been expecting this was not it and despite all his years of command experiences he could not keep his surprise from showing on his face.
"Are you sure?" was all that Picard could say; he looked directly at Rhea.
"Yes sir," Rhea said, "I had gone to the crash site and the sensors on my shuttle picked up positronic signals, which only come from androids. When I had taken my shuttle in to investigate I was able to see, with my own eyes, Data's head floating out there. So there is a good chance that Data's positronic brain is still working. Unfortunately a small Romulan ship had taken Data's head shortly after I had found it and before I could do anything they had fired at my shuttle disabling me from doing anything."
"Romulans had taken Data's head," Picard asked to see if he had heard right.
"That is correct, sir," Rhea answered.
"The Federation has been at peace with the Romulans for the last five years," Picard said, "I don't believe that the Romulans would want for hostilities to start up again so soon."
"I saw what I saw," Rhea said.
At that moment Geordi cut in, "If Rhea really saw a Romulan ship taking Data's head, we can't ignore that."
"Agreed," Picard answered.
"Geordi, I want you to contact Starfleet Command and then patch them though to my Ready Room," Picard continued and then he turned to Rhea.
"Rhea, I believe that it would be a good idea to set you up with quarters for the time being," Picard said, "I believe that you will be here for a while."
"Thank you, sir," Rhea answered.
It wasn't long after Geordi and Rhea had left Picard's Ready Room, when Picard had connect with Starfleet Command.
Picard quickly told Starfleet Command everything that Rhea had just informed him about. The Admiral from that sector sighed.
"Captain Picard, I hope that you are aware of the fact that you are on shaky grounds here. We have been fighting with the Romulans for many years and have only just obtained peace; also your source of information is only an account from one officer. That is not the most reliable source. Even with this being the case we cannot ignore the chance that a Starfleet officer may be being held prisoner," the Admiral said. "We will connect Romulan authorities, to let them know of the situation. I do not believe that the Romulan government has anything to do with this and I would like to keep hostilities from reforming. You may go to the crash site of the Scimitar and investigate from there, but do not go any farther until we give you the go ahead."
"Understood," Picard said and he turned off the screen. Picard knew that he had to find out if Data was really still out there. Over the fifteen years that Data had served under him, he had come to respect Data not only as an officer but also as a good friend. If Data was still alive and in trouble, he had gotten there because he had saved Picard's life. This only added to Picard's determination to find out if Data was still alive. He also knew that Starfleet was wise to worry about hostilities between the Federation and the Romulans reforming again. It had only been five years since these hostilities had ended and there were many people on both sides that still didn't trust people from the other side.
Picard believed that it was one of these people that had taken Data's head and fired on Rhea's shuttle. If that was the case he saw no reason that they would not be given permission to investigate farther once the Romulan government was informed of the situation.
It would take only a few more hours before all the repairs were done on the Enterprise. As soon as the Enterprise was given the go ahead to leave, Picard was taking them straight to the crash site. The Romulan ship that Rhea saw would be long gone by now, but the Enterprise should still be able to pick up some traces of that ship's warp drive and the tractor beam that was used to bring Data's head abroad. There could still find out some information from that sight as they waited for the go ahead to do more.
In a few short hours Picard and the Enterprise would be going back to the site where they had faced off against the Scimitar.