Chapter 3
Picard was drinking his tea in his room. He was fixing the photo of Data which was on his table and he was thinking about many adventures which he lived with him. He felt his absence, although he didn't admit it publicly.
B 4 ringed at the door and Picard said simply: - " You are welcome."- The android entered into the room as if he felt that the Captain wanted to know something by him.
-"Hello, Captain. How are you?"- B 4 said with a mechanical tone of voice.
Picard sighed. –"Very well, B 4. What do you want?"-
B 4 hesitated before speaking. –" I do not know it exactly, Captain. I thought that you were searching me for something. If I am wrong, please, excuse me."-
Picard seemed surprised. What did happen? It was the first time that B 4 had a similar sensation. Perhaps his chips with the memory of Data were beginning to function…
-"I suggest to you to go to engineering in order to search the help of Mr. La Forge. It could be a good sign for you…"- Picard said calmly. He didn't want to scare the poor android. -"If you want, I could accompany you, obviously."-
-"Yes, it is a good idea, Captain. I think that your company will help me in the engineering." - B 4 answered.
La Forge made a lot of tests on B 4 and at the end found out that a red microchip was lightening in the head of the android. He imagined that it could be a sign of danger, therefore he switched off B 4 and then he removed the microchip to explore it more accurately.
-"Damn! It's a distress call, Captain! It's sent by … Data!"- La forge cried at the end of the experiment.
Picard didn't believe to his ears. Data… still alive? But he sacrificed himself on Scimitar… It could be a trick of the Romulans or of the Remans… they should investigate, but furtively. He decided to inform the Admiral Janeway secretly and then to go in search for more information.