Geordi had been working on Data's arm for over an hour before he dared ask anything apart from technical stuff. As his friend stepped over the threshold of Engineering, and he looked into his haunted eyes, it was plain that the android was not in the mood for a chit-chat. So Geordi simply had his friend take off his torn and burned jacket and under-shirt, and set out to examine the damage on his upper body. After an hour, he had a pretty long list of what needed to be repaired.

"This servo got damaged quite badly. I might need to replace it." he spoke up holding the tiny gadget in his hand "But I'd like to save as many of the original parts as possible." Data simply nodded. He sat there silent for most of the time with a blank expression - and Geordi was getting the impression that he should've started with examining his emotion-chip first. He didn't even look at Geordi when he tried to make a conversation, and this made the Chief Engineer's heart sink. He sighed and slouched searching the gaze of his friend. "Data." It took a while for the android to take notice of him, but he waited patiently. When Data turned his head to him, and they locked gazes, Geordi went on on a soft voice "What happened in that mine? How did you end up injured this badly?"

Data turned his head away and stared ahead again "We encountered Romulans. The damage in my arm was done by a Romulan disruptor."

Geordi whistled in grim appreciation "A disruptor... In the light of THAT, kudos to Doctor Soong that you got away with this little. A human would have died in your place instantly." He stood and went to put the damaged servo under a microscope to look at it more closely.

"I'm aware of that fact." Data replied flatly "However, I am not a human."

"Luckily, you aren't." It wasn't Geordi who answered. They both turned in union as the new-comer stepped into the room, and Geordi gaped with a deep frown seeing Doctor Maddox standing there.

"Mr. La Forge. Data." the Doctor gave them a nod of greeting "I heard what happened. I was thinking you might use a hand."

Geordi snorted "That was one lousy pun, if I ever have heard one." he stepped up to Maddox and glared at him challengingly "The task here is to put the pieces together, not to disassemble them. THAT wouldn't hold a lot of pleasure for you, now would it. So thanks for your offer, but we're just fine here."

Before Maddox could reply to the insult, it was Data who spoke up "Geordi." and as his friend turned to him, he looked at him with a slight frown "Three of the main servos in my arm are badly damaged, not to mention the optical cabling connecting them, and two of my subprocessors controlling them. For one person, this is over four hours of work. You also are on duty, so you might be called away any time. I do not wish to sit here idling for hours, keeping you from your work." he turned back in his chair and stared ahead again "It is also very frustrating to be crippled AND to be stared at by my colleagues." he tilted his head back to Geordi again "So please, Geordi. Let him help."

Geordi let out a weary breath - Data was right. But still! This man just made his blood boil! He grimaced bemusedly "Fine." he pointed to the servo he had just been looking at under the microscope. "There's a servo there, waiting only for your attention, Doctor."

In little more than an hour's time, they'd already been soldering the bioplast to Data's endoskeleton. Everything in his right arm was back in its place, functioning the same as before. Geordi stepped to him holding the phase refractor in his hand as Maddox finished the last touches on the raw bioplast on his shoulder.

"Are you planning on returning to Epsilon Four? Do you want to color it into a human skin color?"

Data shook his head "If anyone of us is to return to the planet, it would certainly not be me. Disguising myself would be pointless. Therefore, I'd like to return to my original color."

"Okay." Geordi nodded and somehow he couldn't find the guts to ask why he thought he couldn't return to Epsilon to be part of an away-team.

Data then suddenly seemed to be struck by an idea and looked at Maddox with a strange determination in his eyes. Maddox felt his gaze and looked at him questioningly.

"What is it, Data?"

"I was wondering how you are advancing with the design of the removal procedure of my emotion-chip." he asked and both scientists stopped in whatever they'd been doing.

Maddox looked at him hit by the question and no less by his bluntness, and Geordi gaped at both of them bewildered. The Doctor then looked at the android rather uncomfortably.

"Well... I was thinking that... considering Ms. Jones' condition... this would be the worst time to discuss the matter." he told both of them cautiously.

Data shook his head "This is exactly the best of times."

Maddox frowned confused but then answered the android's question "I... I have almost finished designing the removal procedure... We can go forward with it any time it's convenient for you. The only thing left is to prepare your lab."

Data glanced away considering then gave him a firm nod "Please, do all the preparations you need. I'll be available any time, you are ready, Doctor."

Maddox nodded thoughtfully and still a little confused by Data's directness. He turned up his palms "Since I'm not needed here any more, I'll go and prepare. I'll let you know."

Data nodded "Thank you, Doctor." and Maddox left with a still perplexed backward glance at the android.

The moment he was gone, Geordi glared at his friend in helpless frustration "Data! What are you doing?! Are you eager to get dissected as soon as possible or what?!"

"No, Geordi, but this has to be done."

"Oh, come on! You and I both know that this is all wrong! Even Maddox seems reluctant about it! And you push him to do it? Has that Romulan disruptor vaporised your mind?!"

Data glared at him silently and then put a newly replicated uniform jacket on "Thank you for making the repairs." he told him and was about to leave.

"Don't you dare walk out on me!" Geordi shouted and turned him back forcefully by the arm he'd just fixed.

Data looked at him with a slight resentment on his face "I sense that it's not possible to reason with you, right at the moment. And I do not wish to argue with you, and I do not wish to listen to your shouting at me either. So the only reasonable option is to walk out on you."

"No, it's not! You could also talk to me!" Geordi told him now pleading then bowed his head seemingly more calm "Listen. I'm sorry, I shouted at you. I didn't mean to... I understand that you're upset because of Emma, but..." he looked straight into his eyes and shook his head "Discarding all your emotions won't solve anything." he told him on a soft, caring voice.

"No, it won't. And I'm not discarding them, Geordi. Still, I have to do this. Exactly because of her. Exactly because of what happened to her during the mission." Data stated on a silent but still very determined voice.

Geordi frowned confused "She got hurt in a quake. It was not your fault!"

"I'm aware of that." Data nodded "Premier Jones'd fired the gun that started the quake that injured Emma, and I also know that I cannot make it right either. Still, this has to be done!"

"Why?! Why are you so hell-bent on it?" Geordi pleaded on still not seeing his point.

Data then turned to him fully, desperate for his friend to finally understand "Geordi, please just think about it for one second rationally! If my processing units hadn't been preoccupied by threads coming from my emotion-chip, I could have reacted to the rock slide that buried her several milliseconds faster! When we encountered the Romulans, I could have come up with better strategies to out-manoeuvre them even if they'd outnumbered us. But half of my processing capacity was occupied by the emotion-chip! Occupied by worry for Emma and my mother. Captain Picard warned me that taking two of my loved ones into a mission is difficult even for a human experienced with emotions. And do you know what my first reaction was? My pride was hurt, Geordi! Even if I knew that he might be right, I did not consider failing in protecting them, I did not consider turning the leadership over to the Captain. Now, Emma has to pay the price for my ego." he shook his head with bitter determination "Never in my life do I want to be in a situation again, where I fail my loved ones just because I love them! ...The decision of the court-martial was right. And I'm determined to submit myself to it. The soonest possible."

Geordi watched his friend speaking, and he felt his heart break under his words. Rationally, Data's reasoning was crystal clear and reasonable. But Geordi felt Data was unjust even to his own self. Probably, out of guilt. He wished he could somehow convince him that he was too strict with himself! That he was expecting inhuman capabilities of himself! But he knew if he tried to refute his arguments, he wouldn't stand a chance, and Data would just end up facing this procedure alone. So he had no choice but to give in and just try to be there for his friend.

"Look. When Maddox is ready, let me know about it. I don't want you to do this alone. I'll be there and watch over his hands, alright?"

Data felt a measure of relief. He really couldn't find the strength to argue with his best friend any longer, and now Geordi seemed to have conceded. "I am grateful, Geordi, but it is not necessary."

"Of course, it's necessary, I'm your friend, for god's sake! My place is at your side at difficult times!" Geordi pleaded once again.

Data shook his head "I know how you feel about this procedure. I know it would have a devastating impact on you to watch something that you judge to be the mutilation of your best friend. I do not wish to put you through such an ordeal."

"Data... Just consider it, okay? Whenever you need me, I want to be there. No matter how I feel about this. I want to be there for you. That's what friendship is about. Okay?"

Data let out a small breath, and a tiny smile ran through his features "I will consider your offer. Thank you, Geordi."


Deanna turned her head feeling a sudden rush of irritation coming from the direction where Captain Picard had been lying on a biobed. She saw he was just about to get up - and Doctor Selar tried to make him lie back.

"Captain, you need to rest at least one more hour after..."

"I'm fine, Doctor! I need to go to the Bridge. It's impossible that I've been healed two hours ago, and you make me lie here, doing nothing!"

The Vulcan doctor crossed her arms stubbornly "Captain! You have had a severe concussion! Any patient receiving cortical stimulation treatment would be required to lie still in the next three hours to make sure, there's no further damage. This is standard procedure."

"Doctor, I appreciate your kind concern, but as you might be aware, I'm the captain of this vessel! I need to at least contact the Bridge to see our status."

Deanna walked up to them and smiled at Doctor Selar kindly "Let me." she told her on a low voice. The Vulcan doctor nodded and though her features didn't betray any emotion, Deanna could feel that she was relieved.

"Captain, I've just checked in with the Bridge, and please, rest assured, that there's nothing out of the ordinary. Commander Riker is on duty, and he would notify you, had your presence been absolutely necessary on the Bridge, Sir." Deanna told him and felt the Captain giving in to her reasoning with a bemused grimace.

"Fine... I admit, I... just want to get out of here." he told her motioning around Sickbay with his hands. He then looked around cautiously and beckoned her closer with a hand. As Deanna leaned above him, he went on on a hushed voice "Checking in with Riker was one of the priorities, but checking in with Data would be an even more compelling reason to get out of Sickbay already. Have you seen him since he got back from Epsilon Four?"

Deanna nodded "I've seen him on the Bridge a few hours ago. He had us check the sector for a Romulan ship." she looked at him surprised as she went on "Haven't you talked to him since you've been back on board, Sir?"

"No. I haven't seen him ever since we separated on the planet. And I've been nailed to this goddamn bed ever since we were beamed back! All I know is that the mine collapsed on them, and Lieutenant Jones got hurt... A Romulan ship. So the rumours proved to be true..." Picard concluded with a grim expression.

Deanna shook her head "We found nothing. All our sensor sweeps were negative, let it be long or short ranged."

Picard grimaced again bemused. He needed the whole story. Data wouldn't go on a wildgoose chase after a Romulan ship without a good enough reason. "Counsellor, please, contact Data and tell him, I want to see him here. I have no combadge with me."

"As you wish, Sir." Deanna nodded but suddenly, that thought frightened her.

She'd been feeling worried about what Data had told her in the turbolift earlier, about how he was scared of coming to Sickbay and seeing Emma's husband. However, as far as she knew, the man had been sitting in the waiting area of the operating rooms in the last couple of hours. She hadn't even met him yet, though she'd been in Sickbay throughout. There was every chance that they would simply miss each other. Nevertheless, she needed to talk to Data about his feelings toward Jones, the sooner the better. She pressed her combadge and did as her Captain requested.

She went out and met Data in front of Sickbay. He eyed the entrance rather cautiously, and she walked up to him with a small smile.

"Data. It's good to see you recovered." she lightly touched his repaired arm.

He turned to her a little startled "Counsellor. Thank you." he nodded politely then his features straightened "Do you happen to know anything about Lieutenant Jones?" he asked on his most formal voice as if only asking about a subordinate, and Deanna understood, this was his way to protect himself.

She shook her head regretfully "All I know is that Doctor Crusher and Doctor Powell are still operating on her."

He nodded with a cloudy expression, but nothing more was visible on his face. He took a deep breath seemingly gathering his courage and started for the door. However, before he could enter, Deanna put a hand on his arm.

"Data. Let's talk a little before going in." when he looked at her surprised, she added "About what you told me. Earlier."

He turned to her fully again "Counsellor. I will do my best to restrain my anger towards Premier Jones. Please, do not worry. I am a Starfleet officer, after all." he added on a small voice.

Deanna didn't reply, just pulled him to a bench in a quiet corner serving as a waiting area near Sickbay. He sat there rigid with his back straight, and she leaned forward and a little sideways towards him with her elbows on her knees entwining the fingers of her hands.

"Data. You ARE a Starfleet officer. But you're also a man in love, anguished for his lady... And exactly because of that... I'm sorry, but I have to ask you something... Are you sure Premier Jones really has as much responsibility in Emma's present condition as you described before? I don't want to question your sincerity, Data! It's just that I know you three are in a very delicate situation. And you have to be aware of the fact that I'm not going to be the last or only person to ask you this question. I want you to be prepared for more complications."

Data felt suddenly angry, but then seeing the Counsellor's intentions, he made himself inspect his emotions toward Jones and the judgement he'd made based on the events - might it be that the latter was biased by the former? "He did fire the gun. Though he mustn't have known that he could start a quake with it. He also threatened Emma and Mr. Mils lethally. Then he shot me... Albeit it was by accident - he wanted to shoot Mr. Mils." he turned his head to her "I do hold a grudge against him, but it's certainly not without a reason! Although, I do admit." he shook his head with a grim expression "I can never be unbiased in my opinion of him! He tortured Emma throughout their marriage, and it's plain to see he is jealous now that she is happy... with somebody else."

With me, Deanna heard almost as clearly as if she could actually read his thoughts. She looked into his eyes "He knows that someone is you." it wasn't a question. "And he holds a grudge against you too." she concluded.

He nodded and turned his head away "He wants nothing but to possess her." he whispered "If he had managed to take her with him from the mines as he'd intended, I doubt we would ever have seen her again... She knew her life would be in grave danger, and yet... instead of leaving with him to safety, she jumped out of the lift right in the way of the collapsing ceiling." he shook his head now visibly desperate, and Deanna listened to him sharing his growing distress "It's horrible to say this, but... I'm sure she'd rather died under a rock slide than giving him the possibility to take her with him. And this is not simple resentment toward an ex-lover. I know her... She always tries to seem strong but... she is terrified of him." he shook his head "And I was unable to protect her." he closed his eyes for a long moment, letting his tears roll down his cheeks.

Deanna on impulse, put an arm around his broad shoulders and pulled him into a tight embrace. Data at first didn't return it, but after a long moment, he finally buried his face into her shoulder. The hug didn't last more than a brief moment, and Deanna got the impression that Data didn't want to be comforted. Almost as if he wanted to suffer to atone... When he pulled away, she let him. She knew she couldn't push him, he needed to take his time to accept comfort.

They sat there in silence for a good few minutes. She was just about to tell him to go to the Captain, when he started to talk on a hushed voice.

"Did you know that... the clock rate of my main processing unit can be adjusted manually? It also sets the clock rate of the rest of the subprocessors, including the emotion-chip. ...For a while now... when I was around her, I've used the rate of Emma's heart beat as the basis to adjust my clock rate and processing speed. I... I had a processing thread running that had no other task but to listen only to her heart beat. I took the value and multiplied it to get a frequency usable for the processors. Still the basis of that value was her heart beat, and it gave me... a certain harmony with her, I've never before experienced with anybody else. When she was calm, my processing capacity decreased, calming my thought processes down in a sense. When she was angry or excited... I felt those emotions the way no human can perceive them..." he shook his head "I never told anyone about this, it was such a private sensation... In the mines... when I felt her heart beat fade and then disappear under my fingertips... and my main processor had to fall back on the original, automatic settings... I felt a hollowness I don't even know how to describe, Counsellor." he looked at her with a haunted expression "What if I never have the chance to experience that harmony with her again, Counsellor?"

She was so moved by what he'd just told her, that she needed a moment to be able to speak. She wiped an escaped tear off her face and then gently took one of his hands in both of hers. He could feel the wetness of her tear on her fingertips, and suddenly, he felt grateful for her being so sympathetic. Deanna looked at him with determination "You must not think about that, Data!" she told him on a hushed voice "As long as there is the smallest of chance, Beverly will fight for her and save her life. Please, try to believe in that!"

Data gazed away with a grim expression and answered after a moment of consideration "Emma's condition will change or remain unchanged regardless of what I believe in, Counsellor. But I understand that you wish to console me. Thank you for that! I will attempt to follow your advice and believe in Doctor Crusher's expertise... and even more so in Emma's will to survive."

Deanna nodded with a small smile. Then squeezed his hand in hers "Data. There's one other thing. As important as believing in Emma's recovery!" he looked at her, and she went on as they locked gazes "Please never forget that you're not alone in this. You do not have to take on Premier Jones all alone. You don't need to stand against him by yourself. We are here to help you. Believe me, if he's as guilty as you just described, he will make a mistake and expose his own crimes. And, I promise you, I WILL help you find all the proof there is against him!"

And for the first time in long hours, Data felt the tight fist in his chest loosen on his heart a little. He was NOT alone! He had his family to help him, and Jones would pay for all he did in the most legal form they could find!

"Thank you, Counsellor." he told her gratefully.

Suddenly, they heard loud voices coming from Sickbay. They exchanged startled glances, then stood and walked in.

Beverly was walking out of the operating area toward the entrance and was closely followed by Premier Jones.

"Haven't you heard me?! I have a right to see my wife!" Jones declared on a hard voice and for greater emphasis, took her by the arm forcefully "Beverly! Answer me, when I ask you a question!"

She looked at him in disbelief at the violence he displayed, and the next moment, found Picard next to them with his most carved-in-stone expression she'd ever seen him wearing. He looked deep into Jones' eyes:

"If I were you, I'd take my hand away." he growled on a dangerously low voice.

Jones glanced around to measure his chances - life stopped in Sickbay, everybody was looking at them shocked - and he let her arm go "Alright... I'm sorry..." he held up his hand in defence "But I do have a right to see my wife! Nobody can deny me that!"

Beverly turned to him fully and glared at him with blazing eyes "I'm the CMO on this ship. If I have a medically grounded reason to, I can even order the Captain to do as I said! This is not your colony! This is a Federation Starship, Edmond! You have no word here, no matter that you have a piece of paper stating that Emma is still chained to you legally! So resign yourself to the thought that you won't see her as long as she is here, because as long as I lead this medical facility, I won't allow you to get anywhere near her! Now, get the hell out of my Sickbay!"

Jones took a moment before he replied and then an arrogant smirk appeared on his face "Very well, Beverly. Do as you need to do. And I'll do as I need to do in order to get back what's mine! We'll see what the Admiral has to add to your little dictatorship in this part of the ship, my dear."

Beverly just went on glaring at him "Just try and find out."

Jones then walked toward the exit, then seeing Data standing a few meters from it, he stopped and locked gazes with the android. He moved his eyes from his rival's head to toe and back again, and a satisfied grin appeared on his face "Well, well, well... my little wife fell for a plastic doll. I'm sure she had great fun dressing you up and combing your hair. But it's time for her to return to a real man. To whom she really belongs."

Data felt Deanna take him by the lower arm gently, and he knew it was to once again reassure him that he was not alone.

"Come on, Data." she whispered and started to push him into the direction of Doctor Crusher and the Captain. As they turned away from Jones, he started to walk toward the exit. But something in her made her feel an insurmountable urge to look back at the man, and then her eyes met Jones' as he turned back to her too from the door.

She froze. She let Data's arm go and could only stare into the Premier's dark eyes. It was as if her gaze was glued to his... and she was falling into a deep, cold chasm.

It was only a moment, and Jones walked out of Sickbay leaving them finally alone. But a wave of dizziness and nausea washed over Deanna when their eye-contact broke, and she suddenly felt, her legs gave way underneath her.

Data caught her and helped her remain standing. "Counsellor!"

Doctor Crusher and the Captain hurried up to them with concerned gazes "Deanna, are you alright?" she asked worried.

Deanna swallowed and tried to take a deep breath "I think so." she touched her temple feeling confused "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me." she whispered on a faint voice.

"Let me check you." Beverly offered, but Deanna shook her head now with a small smile.

"No, no, I'm fine... It's nothing physical... It was rather..." she frowned feeling helplessly unable to put her sensation into words.

"It's alright. We've all had a very long day behind us, Counsellor." the Captain put his hand on her arm, and she nodded absently, finding it easier to let them think it was fatigue than anything else - anything else that she herself had no idea how to describe.

Data looked at Beverly finally not bearing it any longer "Doctor Crusher..." all his distress, and anguish was now plainly written all over his features.

Beverly looked up at him and suddenly felt she had no idea how to break the news to him. She took a deep breath hoping that maybe somehow, he could sense from her being so upset, that she didn't have good news - but knowing Data, she knew it was a hopeless effort. "Data... I wish I could tell you something positive... The good news is that she's alive. She survived the operation. But..." she shook her head. She was too tired to beat around the bush any longer, she had to simply tell him the truth. "She's in a coma."

Deanna bowed her head, the Captain watched Beverly with his unreadable expression and Data tried to comprehend what he had just heard as Beverly went on. Her voice was silent and distressed.

"She lost a huge amount of blood. She was in effect dead for over twenty minutes. We were very lucky that we could bring her back at all. Without the basic first aid you performed on her, it wouldn't have been possible. But even so... it seems her brain was oxygen-deprived for too long and..." she bowed her head looking for words which seemed to have lost her.

It was the Captain who finally spoke up and asked "What are the chances of her coming to? Fifty-fifty?"

Beverly raised her head to look into his eyes "More like thirty-seventy - or even less than that." she replied on a soft voice. She took a moment before she went on "Scientific literature does describe cases where after such a trauma, the patient woke up after a little while. The first three days are the most crucial. In most of the described cases, the patient would wake up in the first three days... If there's no change during that time, then..." she shook her head, and a determined expression appeared on her face "I'll do all that's medically possible. She receives brain stimulation drugs at present as well as cortical stimulation treatment, and I have a few other things I can try, if the standard procedures don't bring us the desired results. But... we have to keep in mind that... there're no guarantees."

After a long silent moment, Data nodded "I understand." he locked gazes with Beverly "May I see her, Doctor Crusher?" he asked on a soft voice.

She looked at him regretfully "I'm sorry, Data. But if I let you see her, I will have no basis to send Edmond away, when he wants to see her. And I want to avoid that at all cost. Please, understand. As long as he's on the Enterprise, I can let no one near her."

Data gave her a tiny nod and then simply turned and walked out. Deanna was about to go after him, when the Captain stopped her "There's nothing you can do for him at the moment, Counsellor. Let him take his time."

Deanna wrapped her arms around herself as a chill run through her body and hung her head wistfully.