Chapter 4
Data was shocked by the arrogance of Alex, but he pretended to remain calm during the speech with the Captain. He knew perfectly the fear that the human beings had of the androids, because they were more strong and speedy than them. He knew that his only hope to have justice was to rely on Starfleet's protocols. He knew that he should seem cold and logical. Beverly insisted to remain to help him and Cindy before the Captain.
-"Good morning, Captain."- he said. – "Good morning, Data. Why are you here with your wife and with the Doctor?"- Picard replied. – "Yesterday happened a terrible accident to my wife, sir."- he answered, pretending to remain rational. –"Oh, really, Data? But how could it happen? And why didn't you remain in the sickbay?"- Picard said skeptical.
Beverly thought that it was better that she would continue the report: –"Data is here with my permission, Captain. He isn't a menace for anybody, sir. He was right. The Ambassador is an instable person. He has violated Cindy."- Picard seemed astonished. –"How could it happen? A rape in my ship? Why didn't Cindy call the security?"- Cindy answered: -"I tried, Captain, but I couldn't, because Alex destroyed my communicator before I could activated it."- The situation was very painful. The man accused of such an offence was a diplomatic one. If they couldn't accuse him with an objective proof, it was the word of Cindy against that of an alien Ambassador. Picard thought that it was better to communicate this incident to the Admiral Janeway. She had a large experience with alien species…and with the Starfleet's protocols. He promised to find an acceptable solution which couldn't stop the relationship between the Federation and the Ilosians. Beverly said that she could confirm that Cindy was violated by a man and with her permission she could determine perhaps which species was. But they should hurry, because the time would cancel all the objective proofs on the body of the victim. She would write a detailed medical report with all the analysis. Picard accepted this proposal and dismissed the officers in order to speak privately with Janeway.
Data escorted his wife and Beverly to the sickbay and insisted to remain with them to assist to write a complete report on the accident. Cindy was very embarrassed, because she felt herself so "weak" … It was very difficult for her to admit that Data was right and that the stranger was arrogant since the arrival to the Enterprise. The idea that her husband should control the proofs on her body was terribly humiliating…
Data was very meticulous and professional, he promised to not activate his emotion chip during the medical tests. They gave him the desired proofs. The sperm in the body of Cindy was in fact an alien sperm, more precisely an Ilosian one. Now they should control the sperm of Alex and then they could accuse objectively him in a process. Beverly wrote a detailed report and went to the Captain's office.
-"Sorry, Captain, could I disturb you for a moment?"- she said. –"Sure, Beverly, please, enter."- he answered coolly. –"I have finished the report…"- she began. –"And?"- he questioned. –"And it is all true, the sperm belongs to an Ilosian. We need only a test on Alex's sperm and the we could…"- -"Make what?"- he interrupted abruptly. –"Follow the Starfleet's directives, for example. Report the accident to the Ilosian authority and then begin a process against him. He could pass 10 or 15 years in jail, if he is lucky."- she concluded.
Picard seemed very annoyed by all this supposition. He said: - "I know, Beverly, it was a terrible experience. But the Ambassador is a diplomatic member of the High Council of the Ilosians. I spoke with Janeway today. We are in a delicate position. If we proceed against him, we could lose any contact with his planet. It is in a strategic position for the Federation. It is important for its great mines of dylitium, you know. If we can persuade this people to entry in the federation, we could save a lot of money by travelling across the Sector 23. Janeway ordered that we must before conclude the treatment and then open the private process against Alex."- Beverly was astonished. She couldn't believe that even the old friend of Cindy could abandon her in such an event. But at the end she realized that Picard was right. The politics are no very kind, but they have in mind only the profit of their nations. So in their century. She had now the hard duty to communicate this news to Cindy and to try to calm Data…