"Disaster," Riker muttered under his breath.
Picard pointedly ignored the fact that Geordi had fled the courtroom. "The defense calls Lieutenant Commander Data."
Justine hiccupped frantically. Riker had a sudden premonition it was going to get worse…
Data rose and went to sit in the witness' stand. Picard cleared his throat. "Lieutenant Data, you have the ability to record your daily experiences, do you not?"
"Yes. Video and audio recording is one of my functions."
Picard turned to the judge. "I have submitted to you four separate rulings which state that Data's video and audio testimony is irrefutable and also admissible as evidence."
"No!" Justine launched herself out of her chair. All heads snapped around towards her. She stared at the Captain, tears in her eyes, her hands clenching the edge of the table. "Please," she whispered into the silent courtroom.
"The defendant will sit," the judge barked. Justine collapsed back into her seat. "I will allow Lieutenant Data's testimony," the judge said, nodding slightly at Picard. Justine buried her face in her hands.
Data opened one of his fingers and plugged it into the projection system outlet.
"Lieutenant Data, please play file 093465773."
"A blank slate is so intimidating."
At the sound of her own voice, tinny and thin over the video player, Justine sunk her head into her arms.
"I initiate a random processing sequence to suggest topics for my art."
"Would you suggest a topic for me?" Justine asked.
"Why would you need my programming, when you have your own faculties at your disposal?"
"Er. I dunno. Just don't laugh, ok?"
"I will not laugh."
The video fast-forwarded, Justine's painting taking rapid shape on her canvas.
"Can you tell what it is?"
"It is a crude likeness of the warp engine."
"Yeah. It's… not very good."
"No."
Justine laughed. "You don't pull any punches, do you, Data?"
"I would never hit you, Ensign Riley. My programming expressly forbids it."
Justine laughed, then cried.
"Why are you crying, Ensign?"
"I don't know. I've been crying so much I can't even remember why I'm crying anymore."
The film ended. "Lieutenant Data, please play file 093474526."
Data played clip after clip, showed Justine stabbing her own brown-mess painting, Justine red-eyed from crying, Justine dropping her glass and Justine throwing her tricorder and refusing to dance. And then, the tone changed. Picard asked for different files, and these brought up Justine laughing at her own painting, Justine applauding at the wedding, Justine smearing white paint under her eyes and calling it "the Android look," Justine pausing in the hallway to say hello to a colleague's young daughter, Justine trying to explain the premise of a knock knock joke to Data. There were even moments that Justine couldn't remember – or didn't know that Data was watching. In any other setting it would have been a touching montage of a young Ensign's daily life. As it was, Justine wanted to stuff her fingers in her ears from embarrassment.
"Lieutenant Data, please play file 093475699."
Justine stole a glance at the video screen. When she saw herself wearing that blue dress, she felt her stomach drop to the floor.
"Does Miranda frighten you?" Data's voice asked, softly.
The Justine on the film took a shuddering breath. "Yes."
The film ended there, the screen went blank. Justine swallowed, sat back in her chair, and closed her eyes, jaw clenched tight. Riker stole a glance at her sideways, wondering just how much the ensign and the android had to hide.
Fortunately, Miranda was scrambling, frantically flipping through her notes. "I object, you cannot allow this – this man-computer to make statements as to the – the sentience of my creation!"
"I am making no statements," replied Data. "I am displaying real events exactly as they happened."
"Scripted!"
Picard spoke up. "Ensign Riley had no knowledge of being recorded. Lieutenant Data was under express orders, from me, to remain silent about his recordings, and he is unable to disobey a direct order."
Judge Marq slammed her gavel once. "I have already admitted the testimony, there will be no further arguments as to its veracity. The prosecution may cross examine the witness."
"It's a damn computer!" Miranda said in exasperation, gesturing palm up at Data. "I might as well ask a wall questions about quantum physics."
"I know significantly more about quantum physics than inanimate – "
"Silence!" The gavel banged out again. "The prosecution will limit itself to questions."
"None. No questions."
Data stood from the witness' stand, and made his way back towards the audience. As he approached the defense table, Justine looked up at him, a world of anger in her eyes. She fussed with her wrist, undoing the clasp that held her frequency converter. She leaned over Riker and slammed the converter on the edge of the table, just as Data passed.
Few people knew it, but inside the converter was a small portion of one of Data's processing centers, engineered to protect Justine from seizures caused by Romulan sub-space transmissions. Data paused, looking at the converter.
Discrepancy: Justine needed the converter to remain safe from Romulan transmissions, but she has removed the converter from her wrist. Possible conclusion: Justine no longer feels threatened by the Romulans. Further discrepancy: Romulan warships still prevalent within the sector. Possible conclusion rejected.
Possible conclusion: the converter is no longer comfortable on her wrist. Discrepancy: the converter is perfectly tailored to her measurements. Possible conclusion rejected.
Possible conclusion:
Possible conclusion:
Possible conclusion: the converter is no longer comfortable on her wrist because she associates the converter with me. Subset: Testimony has revealed Captain Picard's orders, videorecordings. Subset: Ensign Riley objects to my actions.
Discrepancy potentially resolved.
Data gently lifted the frequency converter from the table. He looked calmly at Justine, searching for additional datasets to confirm his conclusion. She would not look at him.
Conclusion confirmed. Data wrapped his fingers tighter around the converter and continued past her.