*Disclaimer: Star Trek the Next Generation is property of Paramount Pictures and all respective cast, crew, and employees. I am not making a profit off this. This is simply for fanfiction enjoyment.**

Summary: When parasites feed off the Enterprise, Data makes the ultimate sacrifice to save the entire crew and everyone on the Enterprise.

Ultimate Sacrifice

For a moment, everyone stared at Data who lay helpless on the biobed. The diagnostic console's alarm droned on, piercing the air with its sharp tone. Hastily, Dr. Crusher punched a button on the console, shutting the alarm off. She then pushed the combadge on her chest.

"Dr. Crusher to Captain Picard."

"Picard here,"

"Please come down to Sickbay immediately."

"On my way."

The doctor then took a deep breath and scanned Data with her tricorder. A part of her didn't want to believe it. No matter what the diagnostic console told her, she didn't want to believe that Data was….

Pushing the thought to the back of her mind, she concentrated on the readings of her tricorder. The numbers confirmed the console's readings.

"Come on, Data," Geordi said. He seemed to be fighting back tears, "don't do this."

Riker just stared at the android on the biobed. His lips were pressed into a thin line and his eyes remained transfixed on Data's motionless face.

When the captain entered Sickbay, Dr. Crusher detailed what had just happened. Geordi buried his face in his hands trying to block out Dr. Crusher's recollection of the past few moments. The image of Data's lifeless body convulsing would be forever imprinted in his mind.

"… right now we have to wait for the parasites to die. Then we'll but Data on the electronic stimulation system."

"Make it so."

Gerodi sighed. Normally, the captain would have become impatient when his senior officers began repeating the same plan over and over again. However this time, Geordi knew, the captain allowed the plan to be vocalized several times to comfort his fellow officers. It as if the more times they heard the plan, the more they believed that the electronic stimulation would work. In the least, it was a glimmer of hope in a seemingly endless sea of darkness.

Captain Picard looked around Sickbay. Geordi sat silently; his VISOR staring at Data. Riker couldn't take his eyes off the android. Dr. Crusher looked towards her patient on the biobed; her fingers interlocked and fumbled around nervously.

"Doctor," Captain Picard spoke up, "how long will it take for all the parasites to die?"

Dr. Crusher turned to the diagnostic console to her right, relived the captain provided her with a temporary distraction.

"Twenty six hours and forty three minutes," she reported after calculating the numbers.

"Then until then, I want all of you to go to your quarters and sleep," the captain said, carefully looking at each officer, "That is an order."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Geordi didn't realize how exhausted he was until he set his VISOR on his nightstand and crawled into bed. Though he saw nothing but blackness without his VISOR, he couldn't stop seeing the images of the last few hours. It was only when the weariness and fatigue caught up with him when Geordi finally fell asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Captain Picard sat in his Ready Room studying the configurations of the Neutral Zone, (or rather, staring at it while lost in thought). He finally tossed the padd on his blacktop desk and rose to leave. Having not slept in the last 36 hours, he looked forward to retiring in his quarters. A part of him wished there had been more action on the Enterprise during the last several hours. As a captain, his years of experience and superior ranking would allow him to push all thoughts out of his mind and focus on the task at hand. Now, the only thing that provided him a distraction was sleep.

The computer chirped, sounding the chime at the doors and Picard went back to his seat.

"Come."

Commander Worf stepped through, acknowledging the captain with a nod.

"Mr. Worf, what can I do for you?"

Worf made sure the doors were closed before answering. His gruff voice was a bit softer than its usual tone.

"Sir, I would like to know the condition of Lt. Commander Data."

Captain Picard paused and took a deep breath before answering.

"He has stopped…. functioning for now. But in fourteen hours, the parasites will all be dead. I will give you a status report then." Captain Picard nodded to Worf.

"Thank you, sir. I will begin night-watch as soon as you are ready."

"I am ready now, Mr. Worf." He rose and the two left the Ready Room.

"Mr. Worf, you have the Bridge."

Captain Picard proceeded to the turbolift and Worf turned towards the crewmembers on duty.

"Beginning night-watch," he said, his deep voice filling every crevice of the Bridge.

As the lights on the Bridge dimmed, Worf's face was as impassive as ever. His lips stayed in the same serious expression he almost always wore as he turned back toward the viewscreen. His back turned towards them, the ensigns that were stationed behind him didn't catch the slight twitch in his eye. He quickly corrected his face into the familiar unmoving visage. Worf hated this. It was not the night-watch that was the problem; in fact, he had volunteered for this shift. It was the fact that he was taking over for a fellow officer. Data, not needing sleep, normally commandeered night-watch. Though Worf would never admit this out loud, (at least, not to anyone but the senior officers), he worried for the android and hoped that he would not have to take over his friend's duties for long.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Dr. Crusher to Commander Riker."

"I'm on my way," Riker replied almost before Dr. Crusher finished her sentence. He strode out to the nearest turbolift, trying his best not to run. Since he had woken up, every minute seemed like an hour; every hour, an entire day. He practically interrogated the computer every two minutes for the time. Though he had programmed the computer to alert him when almost all the parasites would be out of Data's system, he still continued to check, anxious for the time to come.

When Riker reached Sickbay, he found the rest of the senior staff and Captain Picard standing around the biobed Data laid on. Dr. Crusher, Geordi, and Nurse Ogawa were bustling around Sickbay, grabbing necessary tools and monitors.

"The parasite count is down to 33," Geordi explained as he glanced at the First Officer.

Within a few minutes, the monitors and tools were laid out and prepped. All eyes turned towards the only activity in Sickbay: the population count of the parasites on the diagnostic console.

21…

10…

4…3…2…1

There are no parasites present.

Immediately, Dr. Crusher, Geordi and Nurse Ogawa sprung into action. Geordi placed a flat hatch over Data's body, locking it into place on the biobed. The hatch covered the biobed and Data's entire body, allowing the medical team to work on Data's inner circuitry. Dr. Crusher then pressed a series of buttons on the flat hatch, connecting Data to an electronic stimulation system. Nurse Ogawa stood ready at the monitors.

Taking a deep breath, Dr. Crusher nodded to the nurse, who turned on the life-support system with the flip of a switch. The entire Sickbay fell quiet as everyone held their breath, looking hopefully at the diagnostic console.

At first, nothing happened. However, a few seconds later, what had been the sound of a cold computer now was music to everyone's ears.

Positronic activity is rising.

4.52%...

5.23%....

7.23%...

10.23%...

Riker smiled as he watched the numbers climb. But his smile quickly disappeared.

Positronic activity has stopped increasing. Activity remains at 10.23%.

Riker looked nervously from one Starfleet officer to the other, his thoughts resounding in his head, "Why the hell did it stop working?!"

A few seconds passed… then an entire minute and still Data's positronic activity would not rise.

"Doctor!" Captain Picard spoke up, his tense voice cutting though the still air, "What's going on? Why isn't Data's positronic activity rising?!"

The doctor bit her lower lip and swallowed hard before answering.

"The electronic stimulation system can only do so much," she explained, "the rest Data has to do on his own. Right now, Data is in the equivalent of a coma. He has to regain consciousness on his own."

Captain Picard let out a deep breath through gritted teeth as the weight of Dr. Crusher's words settled on him. Worf stared at his comrade on the biobed; his eyes were narrowed and his mind lost in thought. Counselor Troi fought back tears and buried her face in Riker, who held her in his arms while keeping his eyes focused on Data. Geordi sat beside Data with one elbow propped on the biobed. He rested his forehead in his hand while rubbing his forehead with his fingers. All the while, his gaze never left Data.

"So there's nothing to do now… but wait?" Picard asked, looking straight into Dr. Crusher's eyes. Dr. Crusher replied with a reluctant nod.

"For how long?"

"… I don't know," Dr. Crusher confessed.

Slowly, reluctantly, each of the senior officers filed out of Sickbay. Captain Picard stared long and hard at the android on the biobed, studying each detail. Someone had put the new Starfleet uniform on the Lt. Commander.

"Geordi, no doubt," Picard thought.

Picard's gaze then turned towards the diagnostic console and then back on Data. Though Picard never shared this with anyone, one of his fears was right in front of him. He had the command of an entire Starship at his fingertips, yet he could do nothing to help the man who had saved his life more times than he could remember.

Sighing, he finally turned to leave. It wasn't until then when he noticed that Geordi was still sitting in the same position next to Data. Making his way around the biobed, Picard stopped behind the chief engineer and laid a gentle hand on his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze before proceeding to the doors.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Captain's Log Stardate: 46241.8. It has been eighty six days since Lt. Commander Data sacrificed himself for the Enterprise and he remains comatose in Sickbay. Commander Worf is temporarily overtaking his duties at Ops. We are responding to a distress call from the Nankins, whose ships are again being attacked by the Romulans."

"Ensign Michaels, set coordinates for the Nankin fleet," Captain Picard ordered, "warp 6."

"Aye, sir."

"Engage."

The Enterprise turned to the right and the blue lights that ran parallel to its body glowed to a bright sapphire before the ship tore through the starry space in a blur.

When the Enterprise reached the Nankin fleet, the Starfleet crew found five Romulan Warbirds firing upon several Nankin ships, whose size paled in comparison. Though the Nankin ships outnumbered the Warbirds, the Warbirds succeeded in incapacitating and even obliterating each Nankin ship with just a few shots.

"Quantum torpedoes."

Thick blue sparks shot out of the Enterprise 's hull and landed on one of the Warbirds; but they fizzled weakly as they landed on the green shield that protected the ship. The blue sparks were quickly followed by a red phaser that streamed out of the Enterprise 's saucer with a loud hiss. At the same time, relentless thick blue sparks shot from the hull in an attempt to weaken the Warbird's shields. Almost at once, the Warbird fired back, aiming its green weapons at the Enterprise . The Enterprise banked and swayed heavily as the impact of the shots hit its shields.

"Their shields are down to 70 percent," Chief Miles O'Brien announced, reading the numbers on his console. Stationed behind the captain on the arc that was in the center of the Bridge, O'Brien was taking over Worf's position for the duration of the mission.

"Our shields are withholding."

"Mr. La Forge," Picard asked over the communication system, "can we extend our shields to the Nankin ships?"

"Yes, sir," Geordi replied as he raced from console to console in Engineering, "but we need to use as much of the ship's power as possible. If everyone goes to their emergency stations, we can use the power from the empty decks to extend our shields."

"Why do we need so much power?"

"Sir, I suggest that we try to protect the entire Nankin fleet… all forty three ships and then beam them up all at once. If we try to save each ship one by one, the Romulans will catch onto our pattern and fire once we lower our shields to beam the next crew of Nankins up."

"Agreed. Make it so."

Already on Red Alert, the Enterprise went to the next level of security as all crewmen and citizens were herded to emergency sections of the ship at every other deck.

"Open a channel."

The computer bleeped as Picard opened communications systems to the entire Nankin fleet.

"This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the U.S.S Enterprise. We can save each of you, but on my mark, you need to group together as closely as possible at the following coordinates. We will extend our shields to your ships and beam you up at once." He punched the coordinates into the Ops console.

Once all five Romulan Warbirds were aware of the Enterprise's presence, three attacked the Enterprise while the other two continued to prey upon the Nankin ships.

"Shields are weakening! Down to 60%. Structural integrity's withholding."

The Enterprise dipped heavily to the right as the green lasers of the Romulan Warbirds bombarded the shields.

"Now! Group now!"

Quickly, all Nankin ships swerved to the coordinates set by Captain Picard. Beads of sweat poured down Geordi's face as he focused on controlling the ship's shields… but the shields would not extend. The Enterprise struggled to close the distance between it and the Nankin fleet, but a Warbird descended between them, facing directly at the ship.

"Mr. La Forge! Report!"

"Sir, we still need more power. The Enterprise's diagnostic controls must be damaged. It underestimated the amount of power we needed."

"Then get more power!!"

Again, green phaser blasts shot towards the Enterprise, forcing the crew to grasp onto everything they could.

"Sir, the only power left is life-support systems… and Sickbay. And we can't take power from Sickbay without compromising Data's condition!"

A chill ran through Picard's spine as Geordi's last words descended on him like a bombshell.

"Nankin fleet! Abort mission! Abort mission!"

The viewscreen showed the Nankin fleet spreading out, scattering everywhere in the starry black space. Quickly, the Enterprise turned sharply to the left away from the Warbird that hovered in its way.

"Sir! We are being hailed. It's the Nankin Captain."

"On screen."

The viewcreen switched to allow the Bridge crew insight into the Nankin ship, which was a scene of chaos. Consoles were exploding everywhere and sparks shot out in all directions. The Nankin Captain, Rowlansard, looked panicked. His purple eyes and crinkled face were tense.

"Captain Picard! What's going on?! What happened?!"

All the while, Captain Picard gripped onto his chair as the ship swerved and swayed.

"You said you could extend your shields!"

Picard chose his next words carefully, "We cannot do that without endangering my crew."

"Please find another way, sir! We don't have much time."

"Sir," a voice came from behind Captain Picard, "the Nankin fleet's lost three more ships."

"We will try to hold our ground. Rowlansard out."

The ship Rowlansard was on swerved left and right as a series of green sparks shot after the ship.

"Evasive maneuvers won't work for long," Picard thought dismally.

"We could fly by groups of Nankin ships," Riker spoke up, "we can pick them up a bunch at a time, but we'll have to pick up as many as possible. And we'll have to be in close range."

Picard met his first officer's blue eyes.

"Make it so."

"But sir," Worf protested, "they'll pick up the pattern and hit us when our shields are down."

"Then we better do this quickly," Picard said harshly.

Stealthily, the Enterprise flew over the nearest Nankin group almost touching the hulls of the Nankin ships. Timing was critical.

"Mr. La Forge," Captain Picard, "take control of the transporters from your station. On my mark, lower shields and beam them up."

"Aye, sir!"

Picard waited as a series of green phaser shots flew over the Enterprise's top hull.

"NOW!"

It took a split second for the Nankin crew to be beamed up. Enterprise crewmen stood ready in the transporter rooms to aide the injured. Dr. Crusher and her medical team had every biobed prepped for patients. She had carefully moved Data so that he was out of sight yet still connected to the electronic stimulation system. In a shimmer of blue sparking light, the Nankins appeared; terrified, but relieved they were alive.

Captain Picard and his crew succeeded in transporting four more groups of Nankins. By varying evasive maneuvers and transport, they were able to outsmart the Romulans… but not for long. Seconds after the fourth transport, all five Warbirds changed course in pursuit of the Enterprise. With several successive shots of quantum torpedoes and phaser blasts, the Starfleet crew obliterated one of the Warbirds, causing it to explode in a plume of orange flames. However, the Enterprise 's shields were weakening and structural integrity was falling.

"Sir! We can increase structural integrity if we use more power."

"From Sickbay?" Picard questioned the Klingon now stationed at Ops.

"… Aye sir," Worf replied somewhat reluctantly.

"How much power from Sickbay do we need?"

"65%. Some Nankin citizens would be there now, but Sickbay can run efficiently on 35% power."

"What about the life support systems for patients?"

"They require Sickbay to run at 90% power, sir. But sir, if we do not increase power, we may not be able to save any more Nankin ships… or ourselves."

Picard tried hard to concentrate with the stifled panic he could sense from every crewman on the Bridge. Each crewman replied to his orders while trying, though unsuccessfully, to keep their voices steady. Captain Picard hoped his crewmen couldn't see the worried look on his face.

Silence descended on the Bridge. The only sounds that could be heard were the computer's beeps and blips as the security team struggled to turn the mighty ship so that it evaded the relentless green shots.

"Sir?"

Picard then quickly replied, "Maintain course… prepare for another fly-by and transport of the next Nankin group."

"But sir-," Worf's deep voice rose, seeming to drown out even the sound of the phaser blasts.

"That is an order, Mr. Worf!"

"Aye, sir" came the grudging reply.

The Enterprise veered right and closed in on the nearest Nankin group. If they succeeded in transporting this group, there would only be five Nankin ships left; enough for one last fly-by.

As the Enterprise flew over the Nankin group, they lowered their shields for a split second, making sure the Romulan Warbirds were between shots, and beamed….

Suddenly, the half the consoles on the Bridge exploded in a spray of sparks and the ship dropped several feet. Starfleet officers were thrown like rag dolls and the captain and his first officer were tossed from their seats. The lights on the Enterprise failed, enveloping the entire ship in darkness. Worf managed to stay in his seat, gripping tightly onto the console in front of him.

"We've been hit!"

A voice Picard couldn't recognize among the chaos spoke up.

"Structural integrity is down to twenty two percent!"

"They've penetrated our shields!"

"Warbird decloaking!"

Off to the left, the viewscreen showed the starry black space waver. Slowly, a Warbird came into view. The green ship, having already incapacitated the Enterprise, no longer needed the cloak for surprise attacks.

"Beam them up!" Picard ordered.

But the Warbird fired again; this time, all four Warbirds attacked at once. The Enterprise was filled with the deafening scream of phaser shots crashing onto the hull.

Picard and Riker were pitched forward as the ship lurched, the front half dipping down several feet.

"Structural integrity is no longer withholding!"

In the body of the Enterprise, screams reverberated off the walls as emergency stations packed with citizens and Starfleet officers became scenes of madness. As the Enterprise was hit mercilessly by the Warbirds, all creatures, human and alien alike, held onto each other; bracing themselves for the next impact.

"Get us out of here!" Picard shouted, pushing himself off the floor.

As soon as the command left his mouth, the ensign that had managed to stay conscious punched the corresponding commands into the console. Before the Romulans could even blink, the Enterprise was gone in a blinding flash of light.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Several hours later, the Enterprise was stationed in a Federation Starship base undergoing extensive repairs. Federation officers swarmed around the Enterprise, welding torn structures and downloading mission logs.

Captain Picard remained onboard in the Observation Lounge, gazing out the window. The scene outside showed the interior of carnivorous Starship base. The Enterprise easily fit inside the base, where the ceiling was so high, it could not be seen from inside the ship. Occasionally, Federation officers would pass by, conversing with each other on the next structure to be repaired. As Picard watched the efficiency of the repair crew, a part of him panged, wishing the crew could do something else. More specifically, he wished they could do something for his injured second officer who still remained in Sickbay. The Enterprise was damaged, yet it would be good as new in a few hours time.

"If only it were that easy for them to repair Data," Picard thought.

"I thank you for saving our ships," Captain Rowlansard said.

Captain Picard quickly looked behind him, suddenly aware that the Nankin Captain was seated at the table. Then, Picard remembered that he had called Rowlansard to speak with him.

"We didn't do enough," Picard said, turning to sit at the head of the table, "our mission was to save your fleet. And we failed."

"We lost sixty three crewmen," Rowlansard clicked, the equivalent of a human sigh, "I wish I could have done more for them. But there really wasn't anything you or I could do. You were to the point of endangering your own crewmen."

"I called you to apologize," Picard said, meeting the Nankin Captain's eyes.

"There are no apologies needed," Rowlansard insisted, "in fact, I cannot thank you enough. You saved eighty four lives today, Captain Picard. Including my own. For that, I owe you my life."

Rowlansard then rose to leave, parting by shaking his seven fingered hand with Captain Picard's hand. The captain reciprocated with interlocking his fingers and extending his hands towards Captain Rowlansard, bidding the Nankin Captain farewell in his native gesture.

But long after Rowlansard had left, Captain Picard remained in the Observation Lounge, brooding.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Come back here, you mangy little furball!"

"MEEOOOOW!!!"

Geordi entered Data's quarters to find First Officer Riker on hands and knees looking under Data's bed.

"Commander?"

"Wha-?" startled by the sudden voice, Riker jerked his head upward, banging it against the bed frame.

"OW!"

Riker crawled out from under the bed rubbing his head.

"Sorry," Geordi said, trying to stifle a chuckle, "what're you doing?"

"I'm trying to feed Spot, but she refuses to get anywhere near me."

For the past several weeks, Riker had fed Spot and provided her with fresh water each day. Though he had an aversion to the feline, (mainly due to the scratches he'd suffered from past encounters), this time, he made an exception.

"Let's try to catch him together," Riker suggested, "you go on that side and I'll be on this side."

Geordi kneeled down on the right side of the bed while Riker blocked the left.

"I dunno if this is such a good idea," Geordi admonished as Riker extended his hand towards the orange tabby.

"RRRREEEOOWW!!!"

Spot backed up against the wall, curling up into a tight ball. The fur on her back stood on end and her tail went from thin to bushy. She hissed at the First Officer and leaped out at the tiny gap between the bottom of the bed and his head.

"YEEOOWWWCH!"

Riker emerged from the bed with a scratch across his cheek. Geordi winced as he looked at Riker's face. He then looked for Spot, who had sprinted to the other side of Data's quarters.

"Why are you trying to catch her anyway? Can't you just leave the food out?"

"That's what I've been doing," Riker replied, "but the past few days she hasn't been eating."

"What have you been giving her?"

Riker eyed Geordi suspiciously.

"Cat food, what else?"

For the first time in months, the chief engineer laughed.

"I mean, what kind of cat food? Which number supplement?"

"Supplement one. You mean there's more than one kind of cat food?"

Geordi nodded.

"The last time I sat for Spot was when Data was out on a mission for two and half weeks. He told me she gets bored of the same supplement after ten days."

He then proceeded to the replicator.

"Computer, how many supplements are there for Spot?"

There are forty seven feline supplements.

Riker looked at the computer incredulously.

"Give me," Geordi commanded, "feline supplement… twenty seven."

The replicator responded, dispensing a stream of blue sparkles that, within seconds, formed into cat food. Geordi then put the cat food down on the floor, but Spot refused to move.

"She doesn't particularly like me, either." Geordi confessed.

"You are one spoiled cat," Riker smiled, looking at the cat that sat, almost rooted to the spot, under the table.

"You know," he added, "I'll bet she misses her owner."

"She's not the only one," Geordi sighed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Tea, earl gray, hot," Captain Picard instructed.

The replicator responded obediently and a cup of hot tea formed from the blue shimmer that dispensed onto the serving tray. Picard carried the tea to his Ready Room desk and settled into his chair. He then picked up a padd and began to study it.

It had been a little over a week since the Enterprise's encounter with the Romulan Warbirds. The Nankins were now back at their home planet, protected at all times by Federation Starships. Data's condition, however, had not improved. Because Data had been in a coma for so long, it had become routine for Captain Picard to visit Sickbay before reporting to the Bridge. Every day, Dr. Crusher met his hopeful eyes with a sorrowful gaze… no change.

On the Bridge, there was an eerie silence as officers carried out their duties. Aside from the captain's commands and the officers' reports, no other conversation was carried out. Lighthearted jokes had long ceased. It was almost as if the Starfleet officers had become androids themselves; no feelings… no emotion. At least, none that were expressed on duty.

Suddenly, the computer chirped. A laptop that was hidden inside Picard's Ready Room desk rose automatically and unfolded so that the monitor faced the captain.

The monitor showed the Starfleet symbol with the words: Incoming Transmission underneath. With a push of a button, the sign turned to an image of a Starfleet Admiral Bruce Maddox.

"Good evening, Captain Picard," Admiral Maddox greeted.

"Good evening, Admiral," Picard addressed, trying his best to keep his face impassive. He had never been on good terms with Maddox since the admiral tried to disassemble Data for research.

"Captain," Maddox continued, getting right to the point, "I am here to report Starfleet's orders to you.

He looked at a padd he was holding and read the orders, "If Lt. Commander Data is still not conscious in thirty six days, you are ordered to take him off life support."

Captain Picard's moth dropped open and his head whipped to the center of the laptop screen, staring incredulously at the Admiral. He dropped the padd he was carrying, which fell, clattering on his desk. His eyes narrowed, staring hard into the screen.

"WHAT?"

"You are ordered to take Data off life support if he does not regain consciousness in thirty six days, Captain. These are Starfleet's orders." Admiral Maddox said matter-of-factly, "And they are legitimate orders, I might add."

"On what grounds?!" Picard was now leaning on the table, his eyes bearing into Maddox.

"Nine days ago, your crew was hailed to save a Nankin fleet from the Romulans. You could have saved the entire fleet in one transport, but you chose not to, because that required taking power from Sickbay, which would take Data off life support. Instead, you transported clusters of Nankin ships, knowing the Romulans would catch onto your pattern. Because of your decision, sixty three Nankins lost their lives!"

Captain Picard let out a slow, struggled breath through his teeth.

"Computer, main viewer," he muttered. The image on his laptop jumped to a larger screen mounted on the wall opposite his Ready Room desk. He faced the screen, elbows propped up on the surface of his desk, making sure to meet Maddox's eyes the next time he spoke.

"If I had taken power from Sickbay, Commander Data would have died."

"And instead, sixty three Nankins died, Captain Picard! You threw away sixty three lives for one!" Maddox's voice rose, ringing in Picard's ears.

Picard leaped up from his seat, his anger not allowing him to stay still.

"Lt. Commander Data is my second officer! It is my first priority to protect my crew!"

"For how long?" Maddox spat back.

"Excuse me?"

"For how long will you wait for Data to come out of his… coma? It's already been over four months since he lost consciousness. How much longer will you wait? Six months? A year? Two-"

"COMMANDER DATA SACRIFICED HIMSELF FOR THE SAKE OF EVERYONE ON THE ENTERPRISE!" Picard interrupted, yelling. He no longer cared that Maddox was his superior.

"I will wait TEN YEARS if it means he will regain consciousness after that. If it weren't for Data, everyone on the Enterprise would be dead! I would not be here standing before you! He has saved over a thousand lives. It is my duty to protect and preserve his life with as much dedication as he has done with the entire crew."

By now, Picard was standing barely a foot from the main viewer, his hands clenched at his sides. His glare never left Maddox's eyes, which looked as if he were merely annoyed.

"How do you know he's not already dead?" Maddox replied nonchalantly, "For a robot a second is a long time. What would he make of four months?"

"Commander Data is an android. An exemplary second officer with whom I trust my life with! YOU WILL REFER TO HIM WITH THE RESPECT HE DESERVES!"

"You have no right to give commands to an admiral, Captain! I should report you for insubordination!" Maddox finally rose out of his seat so that he faced Picard though the viewer.

Picard took a deep breath, trying his best to keep his temper from getting out of control. The captain inside of him struggled to take over.

"With all due respect admiral," Picard said after a moment's silence, "Neither you, nor I, nor Starfleet know how long is too long for an android to be unconscious."

"The electronic stimulator is the only thing keeping Commander Data alive!" Maddox cried, "How many more will have to die before you take Data off life support?"

Maddox continued, pressing Captain Picard on, "There is no question you will run into another situation when you will have to use power from Sickbay. What will you do then? Who will die next? The Acamarian? The Leyrons? Starfleet officers?"

Picard's gaze faltered a bit as Maddox's statement sank in. It was a few moments before either of them spoke.

"Would it change things if Data weren't an android?" Picard asked.

"What? Of course not," Maddox answered a little too quickly.

"Yes it would," Picard corrected, "If Data were human, Starfleet wouldn't dream of ordering a captain to actively terminate an officer's life!"

"Are you accusing Starfleet of discrimination?!"

"I am saying that if Data were human or an officer's son, Starfleet would never force a captain to take such actions!"

"Your preservation of Data's life cost lives-"

"And for that, Data deserves to die?"

"The longer you keep Data alive, the more dangerous you become to Starfleet. You won't even admit that Data is already dead! Your decisions are hindered by your emotional…. attachment to the android. Normally, I would relieve you of duty, but no doubt your First Officer would be just as attached to Data as you are-"

"Commander Data is a SENTIENT BEING," by now, Picard's voice rose so that the entire room reverberated, "He is not an object! He is my second officer and friend! Why do I feel as if I am fighting for his rights of sentience all over again?! DATA PUT HIS LIFE IN DANGER FOR THE SAKE OF OTHERS! Starfleet has no right to-"

"Starfleet has EVERY right on it's orders!" Maddox cried, "In thirty six days, I will beam aboard your ship to supervise your taking Data off the electronic stimulation system. Until then, the Enterprise is relived of any mission. I will expect your full cooperation when I beam aboard, Picard. If you don't take Data off life support, I will! Maddox out."

With that, the main viewer went blank.

Every muscle in Picard's body was taught as he continued to stare at the blank screen, "The hell you won't!"

To be continued...