Chapter 11
One Hour later…
Riker paced back and forth in Data's quarters. Data had just finished explaining what had occurred earlier in his lab, and now sat carefully repairing the inside of his wrist with a tiny tool. Riker could not believe what he had heard, much less seen in the last few hours. Doctor Crusher and Lt. Commander Data both reporting a mysterious injury on Picard's neck and back which had now by all accounts disappeared now that the small stone-like artifact was back in his possession. Data had shown him his damaged wrist, which Data said the Captain had caused.
Doctor Crusher was at least attempting to examine Captain Picard in his ready room, and was due to report back to Riker any minute now. Had he known what had happened to Data before now, Riker would not have allowed Crusher to go in there alone. But he hoped that given the relationship between Crusher and Picard, she would be safe. Captain Picard was still on the bridge, and for now, Riker was glad for it. He needed to figure out what to do next without causing a scene.
He turned as Doctor Crusher entered Data's quarters. She looked tired and perplexed. "Why all the secrecy?" she asked.
Riker nodded to Data. "Show her."
Data stood up and held out his wrist. "Captain Picard damaged the servo motors in my left wrist."
Beverly laughed at the ridiculousness of the statement even coming from Data. "How? Why?" she demanded.
"He used his physical strength, squeezing my wrist in his right hand."
She laughed again, but began to feel frightened. "That's crazy, Data! No one on this ship—not even Worf is strong enough to inflict that kind of damage on you."
Data tilted his head slightly and regarded her seriously. "Nevertheless, I am telling the truth, Doctor," Data insisted calmly. "I believe that he wanted nothing more than for me to give him the artifact. I also observed the same occurrence you reported to Commander Riker—that Captain Picard was at one point seriously injured, and only a short time later, was completely healed. It was only after he regained possession of the artifact that his demeanor returned to normal, and his wound healed. I also noted that he did not seem to recall what he had done, including his violence toward me."
Beverly pressed her lips together. She ran a hand through her hair and sat down tiredly. She didn't know what to think. Aside from her own son, there was no one she trusted more than Jean-Luc, and yet she was now put in a difficult position.
Riker seemed to sense her distress. "Doctor, I'm not suggesting that you declare him unfit for duty. But I do think we need Deanna's input before things get worse. With so much at stake with the mission to Kronos, Admiral Nechayev is going to be completely against removing the Captain from the command unless faced with proof that he's unfit."
"And we don't know that he is," Beverly sounding a little more defensively than she intended.
Riker folded his arms over his chest. "Did he allow you to examine him?"
She tapped her tricorder in her open palm. "Yes…reluctantly. But he seemed to want to prove to me that he had been healed." She shrugged, still confused. "And he was right. It was gone."
"And so at least physically he is alright—even exhibiting superhuman strength, at least when he wanted that artifact back from Data."
"Which begs the question, what did your tests reveal, Data?" Crusher asked.
"The object is not a Turellian Agate, as Captain Picard believed when he dug it up on Risa," said Data.
"Did you tell him that?" Crusher asked.
"No. Captain Picard seemed more focused on obtaining the artifact, rather than the specifics of my conclusions."
"So what is it?" Crusher and Riker asked nearly at the same time.
Data paused. "My tests were unfortunately inconclusive. The composition of the object appears natural—that is to say it does not appear to have been constructed by artificial means."
"That's it?" Riker asked sounding disappointed.
"No," replied Data. "I did find traces of something highly unusual; dark matter."