"We do?" Jean Luc posits incredulously.
"Well," Wesley smiles taciturnly. "I do."
"Go on," Jean Luc encourages. "How are we going to contact Data without anyone knowing?"
"We can use Data's processing chip. A few years ago, I was looking at his schematics." He talks with his hands, imagining the exact layout of the chip and how it's embedded. "You see, the chip was designed to be able to send and receive very specific signals."
Jean Luc shakes his head, "No, no Wesley that can't be right. If that had been the case, the Enterprise's sensors would have picked up those signals as interference on routine scans."
"No," Wesley smiles and shakes his head. "They're so small and inconsequential that they aren't picked up on by regular sensors. I presume that Dr. Soong designed the processor to be able to receive small, tiny pico-bytes of information that would guide Data's initial development." As Wesley's postulations go on, I can't help but admire him. Jack was right about one thing; he is truly remarkable.
He continues, getting more and more excited. "From what I can tell, the processor is able to pick up what are essentially AM radio waves."
"AM radio waves?" Jean Luc is astonished. "No one uses AM radio frequency anymore, Wes… Or FM for that matter!"
Wesley smiles, "Exactly. Ships don't even scan for them because they're so inconsequential." He turns his eyes down, indicating minor discouragement. "The only problem is that AM waves are extremely weak. If we intend to use them, we're going to have to strengthen the signal with something else."
"What did you have in mind?" Jean Luc asks, clearly impressed, but still cautious.
He winks: "Microwaves."
"Microwaves?" They allow the idea to percolate before Jean Luc catches on. "Wes, that's brilliant. We can superimpose the two signals, together making a much stronger current. Ships like the Enterprise routinely-"
"Exclude cosmic microwave background radiation! That's it!" He laughs, "No one is going to pick up on the signal except for Data! And the best part is that it doesn't matter how far away Data is – well unless he's in the Delta or Gamma Qaudrants…"
Jean Luc's initial jubilance is, in a moment, overcome with trepidation. "But, now how are we going to make sure that Data specifically gets it? What I'm saying is, how do we assure that there's no signal bounce back?"
"We use his barcode. Dr. Soong gave both Lore and Data specific barcodes to distinguish between their programming."
Jean Luc sits us more in the couch and leans into Wes, "Barcode? Wesley, we don't have Data's barcode!"
Wesley just gives him a knowing smile. "Yes we do. I memorized it."
The smile that was hidden by disquiet reemerges on my husband's tired features, "Wesley," he pulls him close to him. "You truly are exceptional."