"Assembly Line"
A Star Trek: The Next Generation Story
By Lal Soong
"Yes, Admiral," Picard said as an elderly man appeared on the small viewer inside the Captain's Ready Room.
"Picard, we have a tricky situation here," Admiral Roberts said in a raspy voice. Well past his hundredth birthday, he had thinning hair and a double chin, and looked in poor health. Picard could only speculate as to why Roberts had not yet retired. "There's a classified piece of equipment Starfleet needs to retrieve. It's on the surface of Beta Zhin Three, where an archeological team explored a few weeks ago. When the team cleared the area, they inadvertently left this equipment behind. Two problems stand in our way: The planet has developed a high-radiation level and a fluctuating magnetic field has recently formed around the planet's atmosphere. No one can beam directly down, because of the magnetic field, and I'd rather not chance losing lives depending on radiation suits."
Picard mused over this information for a moment, thinking back to how he'd dealt with magnetic fields in the past. "That's why you contacted the Enterprise," Picard said in realization. "We have the only android officer."
"That is correct. I'm transmitting a file to you now that will give you the coordinates and everything else you need to know about the equipment."
Probably very little, Picard thought, but dutifully nodded.
William T. Riker, sitting in the commander's chair, glanced at the ready-room door for the umpteenth time. He disliked it when the captain received a Priority One message, not just because it meant something urgent was going on, but because Riker had to wait to hear the details. Whatever details were being released.
"Will," Counselor Troi, the dark-haired woman who was sitting beside him said, "if it'll make you feel any better, I don't sense any anxiety from the captain."
"Can you sense what they're saying?" Riker snapped. Deanna's concerned expression quickly changed to shock. "I'm sorry," the first officer said hastily. "That was uncalled for. It's just-"
Deanna relaxed, nodding her understanding of Will's feelings. "You hate being left out on anything."
Riker started to agree when the captain exited his Ready Room. The first officer stood, hoping the captain would beckon him aside to discuss the situation.
Instead, Picard took one glance at his number one officer and then took the command chair. Sitting down beside the captain in his own chair, Riker waited, albeit impatiently, for the captain to speak.
"Mylanos," the captain said, "set a course for the Algerian system, warp five."
"Aye, sir," the ensign replied and a moment later, "Course laid in. Approximate time of arrival six days, three hours."
"Mr. Data, I have a mission for you."
The yellow-eyed android swiveled around in his chair and said, "Sir?"
"There is a piece of archeological equipment Starfleet needs you to retrieve." He turned toward his first officer, knowing that Riker always questioned any away mission he was not going to lead. "There is a high radiation level on this planet, Number One. To complicate matters, a magnetic field has developed around the planet's atmosphere. We can't risk lives unnecessarily, Will."
"Understood." Still, Riker silently envied the android for his indestructibility.
The Enterprise arrived in the Algerian system with little incident. Data reported to Shuttle Bay Three, where he prepared Shuttlecraft Five for departure.
Data stepped inside the shuttlecraft and sat at the control. Hitting his commbadge, he said, "Shuttlecraft is ready for launch."
"Acknowledged," Picard said from the Bridge. "Proceed, Mr. Data."
Data engaged the engines, saying, "Launching shuttlecraft." Then a moment later, he announced that he had cleared the bay, heading toward the planet.
From the Bridge, the other senior officers watched Data's shuttlecraft enter the atmosphere. Suddenly, a blue streak like lightning struck the shuttlecraft just before the craft went out of their sight range.
"Go to red alert!" Riker bellowed, standing. Behind him, Worf hit the button that turned on the flashing red alarm lights and red alert klaxons throughout the ship.
Picard tapped his commlink. "Picard to Data. What is your status? Are you all right?" When he received no answer, he paged again. "Bridge to transporter room."
"Ensign Taylor here, sir," came the reply.
"Lock onto Commander Data and beam him back aboard the Enterprise."
The captain glanced at Riker while waiting for the ensign to carry out his order. He could see by his first officer's expression that Will, too, suspected that their android officer had met with trouble.
"Sir," came Taylor, "Commander Data's shuttlecraft is too far into the planet's atmosphere. There's too much inter-wait a minute, Captain. The magnetic field is wavering! I'm not picking up Commander Data's signal, though. There's still too much interference."
"Keep trying!"
"I'm picking up nothing, sir. . .nothing at all."
Picard stood and approached Lieutenant Berlitz at the ops console. "Lieutenant, how long could one wearing a radiation suit survive on the planet's surface?"
After inputting some calculations, she replied, "Two hours, twelve minutes, sir." Berlitz looked over her shoulder at the captain. "Sir, the magnetic field's completely dissipated. All atmospheric readings have shifted to well within Class-M range."
"How long was the magnetic field active?"
The lieutenant punched up the information on her tiny screen. "Exact length unknown. It was first reported by U.S.S. Valiant on Stardate 48112.5 when its crew was initially assigned to retrieve the equipment."
"Eight days ago," Picard commented. "Lieutenant, continue to monitor the atmosphere. Scan for any evidence that an outside source might have been responsible. Alert me at the slightest fluctuation." Hesitating only briefly, he turned back toward Riker.
His first officer asked, "You think someone deliberately produced a magnetic field to keep us out?"
"It's merely a possibility, Will, but a theory I'm willing to test."
"Sir," Berlitz interrupted, swiveling in her chair. "I'm picking up several life-forms!" Turning back to her console, she added, "Their race is unknown, but they are humanoid."
"Bridge to transporter room," the captain said, and without waiting for a reply asked, "have you found Commander Data's coordinates?"
"No, sir," Ensign Taylor replied, "but sensors are detecting a strong magnetic shield inside a mountain about three kilometers from Commander Data's landing site."
"Understood." Turning toward Riker, he said, "Assemble a minimal away team in radiation suits. We must assume that the reading outside of the mountain is accurate. If my intuition is correct, the magnetic field will not reoccur. Retrieve the equipment, search for Commander Data, but with or without Data, you must return in the shuttlecraft after two hours."
"Aye, sir," Riker replied.
As he approached the aft turbolift, Riker called, "La Forge, Worf."
Commander Geordi La Forge left the engineering alcove and followed Riker onto the turbolift. Allowing an ensign to take his place at tactical, Lieutenant Worf joined them.
Fully suited in radiation gear, Riker, Geordi, and Worf stood on the transporter platform. Riker nodded at the transporter technician. "Energizing," Taylor said as he punched in the sequence that sent the away team to the surface.
The away team beamed down only meters from Data's shuttlecraft. They examined its interior, finding no sign of their fellow officer. They tried paging their missing friend several times with no response. Either his commbadge was malfunctioning or he was no longer wearing it. Data would not voluntarily remove it.
They managed to locate the archeological equipment only meters from the shuttlecraft , a cylindrical object weighing about fifty kilograms.
Geordi scanned the area with his tricorder as well as his visor. "I'm not picking up anything unusual," he said. "No signs of radiation poisoning in the area!"
"How is that possible?" Worf growled. "Radiation poisoning does not dissipate into thin air in a matter of hours!" "Look around us Worf. The plant life appears to be thriving. I'll take an educated guess and assume that the radiation readings were as false as the magnetic field." Geordi turned his tricorder toward the equipment. "This object appears to be some type of tracking device, though not one I've ever seen the schematics for." Geordi grabbed a hold of the device and rolled it onto its side, so he could get at its panel. "It contains massive amounts of data! At least seven trillion terabytes. No wonder Starfleet is eager to have this beauty returned."
"All right," Riker said, silently wondering if the information was worth losing Data over. "We'll have to examine its data onboard the Enterprise. Worf, get three pattern enhancers from the shuttlecraft." Earlier attempts to beam up the equipment had been unsuccessful, so Riker assumed, false readings or not, that the enhancers would be needed to successfully beam the equipment up to the Enterprise. After the Klingon disappeared inside the small craft, Riker said to Geordi, This is one report I can't wait to read."
Worf returned a moment later and handed a pattern enhancer to Riker and Geordi. They each then placed one around the equipment in a triangular formation.
The first officer tapped his commbadge. "Riker to Enterprise."
"Yes, Number One," came the captain.
"We've located the equipment and have placed three pattern enhancers around the object. You should be able to get a lock on it."
"Understood." Picard gave the order for the transporter room chief to attempt the beam out. The tracking device shimmered away from the site almost flawlessly.
"Captain, our tricorder indicates no traces of radiation. In fact, the plant life down here seems to be thriving. Could the ship's sensors be malfunctioning?"
"Unlikely, given that the Valiant's sensors also indicated a high level of radiation. All the same. . .Berlitz, scan the planet again," Picard ordered.
"Sensors now indicate no radiation poisoning," Berlitz answered, sounding puzzled.
"What the blazes is going on? Will, any sign of Data?"
He's not answering our pages.
He pointed ahead of them. "The mountains are about three kilometers north-west of here. I'm picking up molybdenum-cobalt alloy, tricyanate, and tripolymer composites in that direction-but not in the same location." The android's composition contained considerable amounts of all three compounds.
"I'm not sure, sir. We're heading for the mountains now. Our tricorder is picking up readings of the main compounds found in Commander Data. Only problem, they're not all in the same exact location. We'll head that way and get back with you. Riker out."
Although sensors still indicated no radiation poisoning, Riker was in no hurry to remove his protective suit. Apparently, neither were Geordi nor Worf. Neither wanted to chance a recurrence of the still unexplained radiation.
The Klingon officer led the way, phaser pointed outward. Within half an hour, they reached the mountains and entered a cave where the tricorder reading was strongest.
Several yards into the cave, they found the first piece of Data.
Geordi knelt to pick up the hand and forearm. "Data," he said mournfully.
Worf waved his phaser slowly around, ready to stun anyone who jumped out at him.
"Riker to Enterprise," the first officer said.
"Yes, Number One," came the captain.
"Someone down here has taken the liberty of disassembling Commander Data."
A moment passed before the captain replied. "Have you found all his parts?"
"We're working on it," Geordi said as he picked up Data's head several kilometers from where he'd found the forearm. Worf walked over to the chief engineer with other parts of the android. Meticulously, Geordi examined the parts, making sure they had found them all. "Permission to beam up with. . . Data, Captain."
"Granted."
Several minutes later, Riker returned to the Bridge and was discussing with the captain whether they should leave the planet immediately or not.
"There's really no choice here, Will," Picard said to his first officer. "Geordi recovered all of Data's parts. We are obligated to return that equipment to Starfleet."
"Understood," Riker replied, although he didn't like the thought of aliens destroying whatever they wanted and getting away with it. He only hoped that Commander Data wasn't truly destroyed and that Geordi would perform another engineering miracle while reassembling their friend. Standing, he ordered, "Ensign Mylanos, plot a course for Starbase 78."
"Aye, sir," Mylanos replied. "Setting course at three-two-four mark seven-one."
Picard hesitated for a moment, looking indignantly at Beta Zhin Three, wondering who was responsible for disassembling one of his finest officers. Part of him, the part that was Data's friend, wanted to stay, but the commander in him knew he had orders to carry out. Hoping to return later to solve this mystery, he gave the order, "Engage."
Hours later, Geordi had his friend back in one piece and was ready to reactivate the android.
"Any luck?" Will asked as he stepped into Geordi's office.
"You're just in time," Geordi replied as he lifted Data slightly to touch the spot on his back that activated him. Nothing happened. "I don't understand. I better run a Level-1 diagnostic on him. This could take a while."
"I intend to personally request that a full investigation be conducted in this matter. We'll find whoever's responsible for harming Data and more importantly, how to fix him."
"Thanks, Commander."
Geordi began hooking electrodes to the android's positronic brain. Eventually, the chief engineer discovered what was wrong with Data.
"La Forge to Bridge."
"Picard here."
"Captain, I've discovered the problem with reactivating Data. Someone has stolen the chip that provides the memory necessary for regulating the connection between his neural pathways and his positronic net. I'd like permission to return to the planet to search for the chip."
If the tiny chip were laying somewhere in the cavern, they would probably never find it. Geordi only hoped that it had been deliberately removed and that the thief had a purpose for it. That scenario presented their best odds of retrieving the chip.
"We don't know who we're dealing with, Geordi. However, once we have returned the archeological equipment to Starfleet, we'll request permission to conduct a full investigation into the matter. We cannot tread blindly."
"Understood," Geordi said reluctantly. He glanced down at Data and closed the android's eyes. The loss seemed so final now. He knew that there were no guarantees, that even after conducting a full investigation, Data's missing chip might never be recovered. If he wasn't on duty, if he wasn't the chief engineer. . . Well, he was, and he wasn't about to give up on his mechanical friend.
With the equipment returned, the Enterprise, having received permission to return to Beta Zhin Three, did a full turn around and warped back to the planet.
This time, the away team, again Riker, Geordi, and Worf, beamed down directly in the cavern. They were not wearing protective suits, since by this point it was obvious that there had never been any radiation poisoning. Someone wanted them to think there had been, and they planned to find out who and why.
Phasers out, they scanned the cavern, slowly stepping toward the first pathway.
Suddenly, rocks came raining down across the cave opening. Once the downpour stopped, they stepped outside to investigate.
They looked up to see a humanoid-his face spoon-shaped, his features smooth, almost to the point of having no nose-grinning down at them. He had salt- and pepper-colored hair that almost matched his dingy lab coat. He held a small device, quite similar in appearance to their tricorders, but Riker could not discount the possibility of its being a weapon.
"I'm Commander William Riker from the U.S.S. Enterprise, representing the United Federation of Planets. Who are you?"
Beside the first officer, Geordi scanned the man with his tricorder.
The man laughed, a harsh irritating bray. "Stop scanning me!" He waved the device around and the members of the away team instinctively backed up. "My name's Shangaliese Mer'herdock. You may call me Shangal." Noticing their wariness, he added, "This is not a weapon." He aimed the device between Riker and Geordi and pressed one of the buttons. A red beam shot out that expanded into a broad energy field. "Perhaps a defensive device, nothing more."
Riker wanted to wipe the smug look off Shangaliese' face.
"Commander," Geordi said quietly so the alien could not hear, "this energy field is not solid. It's made up of tightly criss-crossing lasers. If this guy decides to place us inside such a field, I think we might be able to deactivate it with our phasers."
Riker nodded, indicating that he could hear through the forcefield. Geordi glanced at the Klingon, and Worf also nodded that he had heard.
A moment later, the field dissolved.
"Are you responsible for disassembling our android officer?" Riker asked Shangal.
Again the same harsh laugh. "Your android had something I needed."
"Do you always take whatever you want?" Worf growled.
"Only if I want it badly enough, and the opportunity presents itself. If I really want something, I make the opportunity."
Oh God, he sounds like a Ferengi, Riker thought. Just what we need, another race of greedy Capitalists.
"You were responsible for the radiation reading?" he asked.
"You creatures are so easy to fool."
"The android is our friend," Geordi said. "We want his chip returned to us unharmed."
"We demand that you hand it over to us!" Worf bellowed, raising his phaser several inches to emphasize his words.
"Come up and search me," the creature said, smirking.
"If you don't come down voluntarily," Riker said, "I will have my security officer fire on you. Now, Mister Worf's phaser is set on light stun, so the blast won't cause any permanent injuries. But I can't make any promises about the fall."
Shangal scowled. "I'll come down, but you won't find the chip!" He pressed a couple buttons on his device, then set it down on the rock face. An energy field quickly engulfed a large area. Riker wondered what Shangal had up there that required shielding.
Carefully, Shangal scaled the incline, inching his way down as he found hand- and footholds. Worf grabbed him just as he stepped on the ground.
A thorough search by the Klingon resulted in no chip.
The first officer stepped away from the alien, so Shangel could no longer hear him. "Riker to Enterprise," he said as he tapped his commbadge.
"Yes, Number One," Picard replied.
"It seems we've found our culprit, but unfortunately he's not carrying the chip."
"And who is this culprit?"
"Calls himself Shangaliese Mer'herdock. He's obnoxious, but doesn't appear to present any danger to us."
"Appearances can be deceiving, Will."
"Understood. We'll try to find out what he did with Data's chip. One way or another, we're not letting this man out of our sight."
"Keep me apprised of your situation. Picard out."
He returned to the others. "Now, are you going to show us where you put that chip?" he said to Shangal. "If you don't, I promise you that you won't like the consequences."
"What might those consequences be?"
"I'm sure we can find a cozy little spot in the brig for you."
Shangal issued a laugh that irritated the commander. Why did this alien find this situation so damn amusing? "Oh, I'll show you what I did with the chip," he volunteered. "And then you'll understand why I took it." He stepped into the cave, and Worf followed closely behind, not letting more than a couple of meters get between them.
Shangal led them deep into the cavern. Eventually, they reached a spot that opened up into an area about one hundred meters long and fifty meters deep. Many of Shangal's race buzzed around the area, working with one piece of equipment or another. On the far end, a group had formed an assembly line and were constructing robots.
"We have replicated your chip," Shangal informed them as he pointed to a female who was busy replicating more chips. "I see no reason why you can't have the original back. We now have a sufficient quantity to build our army."
"And what do you plan to do with this army?"
Again that irritating laugh. "Defend ourselves, of course."
"From whom?" Riker asked. "This is a fairly isolated sector of the galaxy. No other Class-M planets for several light years."
Shangal only shrugged, not offering any further explanation.
"I'm afraid we cannot allow you to steal our technology. Quite frankly, I don't trust you, and we have rules against sharing our technology with potential enemies. How can you convince me that you wouldn't use this technology to overthrow other civilizations?"
Shangal shrugged again, offering an unnerving grin. "Try to stop us, Commander Riker. Oh, I'd just like to see you try."
"Mister Worf," Riker said, "I'd like you to get everyone's attention."
Understanding Riker's implied order, Worf raised his phaser and fired at an unmanned piece of machinery. The noise level inside the cave fell to near silence as the startled aliens switched their attention to their uninvited guests.
"My fellow workers," Shangal said, stepping directly in front of Riker, "it seems these gentlemen are requesting the return of their chip. I've granted them their request, but they don't believe that is good enough. They wish to destroy all the replicas."
This news drew laughter from many of the aliens. "Just try to destroy our 'droids," one of them yelled.
Shangal approached the woman at the replicator. He whispered something in her ear, then she handed him a small object. Returning to the away team members, he held up the missing chip.
"This is all you need," he said, "and this is all you'll get."
Riker took the chip. "You're sadly mistaken, because we're not leaving until you hand over every single replicated chip as well."
"Oh, really?" Shangal said smugly. Quickly, he reached into his pocket and before either member of the away team realized what he was doing, he activated a force field around the cave, placing the away team on the outside. "Let's see you try to take our chips!"
The away team took several steps away from the forcefield, so they could talk without being overheard. "You think we can weaken it with our phasers?" Riker asked.
"I would like to try," Worf said. "It would give me great pleasure to wipe the smug look off Shangaliese's face."
"Let's give it our best shot," Geordi offered resolutely.
They aimed their phasers at the same location, and fired at the forcefield, using the highest setting. The field held firm. Shangal laughed at them, then turned away, diverting his attention to work being done on the assembly line.
"Any better ideas?" Riker asked.
"I could try narrowing the beams of our phasers," Geordi said. "If the beams could penetrate the field between the lasers, it just might cause the field to disintegrate."
"Make it so," Riker said in the parlance of their captain.
The task took Geordi a half an hour to complete. During that time, Shangaliese and his people ignored them, confident that their forcefield would hold.
"I think they'll work now," Geordi said, handing Riker and Worf's phasers back to them. "We should each concentrate on a different location this time."
Stepping toward the forcefield, they again fired. At first the field seemed to hold, then the energy began to fluctuate. The aliens stopped their work, looking toward the strangers with fear and amazement. The forcefield dissolved and the away team stepped into the cave.
"I believe you have something we want," Riker said.
Shangel, obviously realizing he could not outmatch three phasers, stepped aside and allowed the three officers to gather the replicated chips.
Riker stepped into the Captain's Ready Room. "The replicated chips have been destroyed, sir," he informed Picard.
The captain switched off his computer. "You know, Will, there may come a time when Shangal's people design their own version of the memory chip. One can only speculate what they plan to do with that knowledge."
"I for one am glad they were unable to activate their robots. I have a feeling they wanted to use them for something other than defense."
"Agreed." The captain stood and went to his replicator to order, "Tea, Earl Grey, hot." He turned toward Will again. "And well done, Number one."
"How's it coming?" Riker asked as he stepped into Geordi's office.
"Almost got it," Geordi replied, making one last adjustment inside Data's head before returning the plastic plate. "There." He pressed Data's "on" switch.
The android snapped up like a springboard. Studying his surroundings quizzically, he then turned to Geordi and Riker and asked, "Was I not successful?"
"Oh, we were successful, Data," Geordi replied. "We were."
The End