Three days later...
Deanna sat at science station 2 on the Bridge, with her elbow propped up on the console, and she stared at the screen with her forehead in her palm. The letters started to run into one another, and she tried to blink the sleepiness away, when she felt her head nod...
"That's gonna be a sloppy search query with your nose stuck in the keyboard." she heard from behind and jumped startled at the sound. She looked up to see who gave her the scare annoyed, but when she saw that Will Riker was standing above her with a worried expression, she rather remained silent. "Deanna, you're exhausted. Try to sleep, at least a little. You cannot do gamma shift with your eyes closing!"
She sighed and stretched in her seat "I'm fine, it's just... I need to do this. This man needs to be stopped, he..." she shook her head frustrated "He's just..." she didn't think she could find the words to describe how she felt about Jones.
Will sat next to her and grimaced "You look how I feel. You know... I used to call Ms. Jones a shrew for being so anti-social. But now that I know her husband... I wonder how she could have remained as civilized as she had." he told her with a bemused wince.
Deanna turned her palm up raising her eyebrows "See? NOW you DO understand! This is exactly why I need to do this!"
Will tried to reason with her patiently "I know. But there's no way you can find anything out, if you're so tired. You do need sleep!"
She shook her head frustrated "I know that! But no matter what I try, I cannot sleep! I only have nightmares! Indescribable, blood-chilling nightmares! I'm scared even of the thought of sleeping!" she shrugged lost "If I don't find anything against Jones, who knows what he'll get the Admiral to do next? I need to know how he holds him in his hands. Bribing or blackmail or..." she sighed not daring to go on with the possibilities.
Will put a soothing hand on her lower arm "Why don't you let me help?"
"I don't think you could!" she told him shrugging "Apart from the fact that Jones was born in a different place than what is stated in his birth certificate, I barely found anything suspicious." she pressed a few buttons and several documents appeared "I've found that he might be suffering from some sort of an illness, because during his university years, I found that he was regularly checked into a hospital." she looked at him "I talked to Beverly about him, because I remembered her saying that they'd met before he met Emma. She told me, she met him at a hospital on Delos Four, over a decade ago, one or two years prior to the colonization of Epsilon Four. So he might still have some condition."
"Does she remember why he was treated?"
"No. It was over a decade ago, and she wasn't his physician personally. I tried to get hold of these records, but conveniently enough for Mr. Jones, the hospital burned to the ground eight years ago. And the records are just..." she spread her arms frustrated "they're all gone, of course." she shrugged helpless "I don't know whether this leads anywhere... but I've found nothing else that would at least be suspicious or just simply raise my interest. Only this hospitalization lead."
"We should check the Epsilon Four records. There might be something more interesting. Some juicy classified stuff."
"Sure! I COULD just do that, if the one person who could break into such an old computer system would not be sitting in the brig!"
Will sighed rubbing the back of his neck "And Geordi?" he asked finally.
Deanna shook her head "He has no idea. It's too old, he's never seen anything of the kind." she sighed "I'm bumping into dead-ends wherever I look."
Will gave her his most reassuring smile "What if we beam over the wall of that dead-end?"
"How do you mean?" she asked a little impatiently.
"I think I'll now go to take some fresh air - I heard the conditioning is extraordinary around the brig today, so I might start there..." he told her standing and stretching out his long limbs.
She stood bewildered "Will, you know, the Admiral forbade everyone to visit Data! You could get into serious trouble if you try to. You know the Captain got another reprimand for trying it two days ago!"
He leaned close to her ear and whispered "And since when did such a threat stop me?" he shrugged "Anyway, if I'm caught and punished innocently, I'll be the hero of the day! And if that title is not appealing enough for you to break out in hero-worship, I'd try to get you to comfort me for being a martyr of the noble cause!"
She had to give him a flirtatious smile at this "You know what, Mr. Sacrificial Lamb? You've got yourself a companion on the slab!"
Will grinned "That's the spirit!"
Data was sitting on the berth in the brig and stared ahead with a blank expression. With all the data and information within his positronic brain, he never imagined that he would experience what it was like to be bored within a stimulus-poor environment. However, he was locked up in a cell for the last three days, and apart from the Captain, who stole in once two days ago, he barely met a living creature. He heard his mother's voice once after the meeting three days ago, but she was not let through by the guards, and he didn't even see her from his cell. Then Doctor Maddox paid him a quick visit to take a full backup of his brain, but he never returned since. Well, if he wanted to analyse all the backed up data, that would last a few human lifetimes, he thought dryly. Though if the Captain was right, that they were looking for 'glitches' in his safety mechanisms only... that might not take that long to find what they'd been looking for... And after that... who knew what would become of him? A pile of scrap or the cybernetic equivalent of a guinea pig in the Daystrom Institute?
But worse than the feeling of being left to oblivion and worse than the uncertainty of his own fate was the uncertainty about how Emma was... Ever since he'd been confined, he had no access to any information on her condition, and he hadn't seen her for over four days! Not to mention the fact that the last time he touched her, she was virtually dead... He felt his chest clenched by fear, and a tremor ran through his body, if he thought about the sensation. He sighed hoping that Doctor Crusher would somehow let him know about it, if... there was a change.
Oh, if Emma got better, he wouldn't give a damn about his own desperate situation! He could be taken apart at the Daystrom Institute by Maddox or the Admiral to their liking! IF he knew that Emma was awake. Because if she was awake, she had a chance to defend herself from her husband - but lying there unconscious... he feared Jones would find a means to get to her sooner or later.
He stood up determined! He could NOT allow that! He looked to his side and once again eyed a maintenance panel tightly sealed, the way he'd done countless times in the last days. He walked up to it purposefully and felt the sides of the lid with his fingertips. It would take only a moment for him to break it off and tapping into the safety systems of the brig, he could easily deactivate the forcefield of his cell. But then in the corner of his eye, he could see the guard frowning toward him from the front of the brig, where his desk was, and to conceal his sudden intentions, Data turned away from the panel and started to pace the small cell. The guard turned back to his monitor.
Data sighed as he mused on creating a plan. Of course, he'd have to figure out how to get off the Enterprise. Once he'd break out of the brig, it was plain he couldn't stay aboard. He reached the wall of the cell and turned back. No. It was not yet time for such plans. He had to wait. He had to trust his friends that they were able to protect her! She needed the medical attention of Doctor Crusher now more than anything - he hoped that Jones knew that too, and wouldn't want to deprive his wife from it.
His brooding was broken by the opening door at the far end of the corridor. He cocked his head curious of who entered, and a small smile appeared on his lips seeing the Captain, then the expression was followed by a concerned one. What was he doing here after the reprimand he'd received?! He watched his Captain whispering with the guard, and when the young man finally let him through, Picard walked up to his cell. The guard left them alone.
"Captain!" Data greeted him stepping up to where the Captain stopped at the forcefield.
Picard held his gaze for a long moment before he returned the greeting "Good to see you, Data." he told the android with a heavy heart and a small smile.
Data then looked at him very worried "The pleasure is mine, Sir, however... if the Admiral finds you here, the consequences will be-"
Picard cut in "I know, Data, but don't worry, he's having a negotiation session with Premier Jones. He's not paying attention for the moment. And I'll take only a few minutes. But I needed to see you to reassure you."
The android looked at him expectantly - did he have news about Emma?! "Indeed, Sir?" he asked cocking his head.
Picard nodded "Yes. I've managed to finally find Captain Louvois. She is on holiday at a secluded ski-resort in the Pyrenees, on Earth, so this is why she couldn't be contacted before. I spoke to her, and she promised to give a legal statement that WILL resolve your present situation. It shouldn't take long to get you out of here." he smiled encouragingly at his friend.
But Data didn't seem to be relieved. On the contrary, he just slouched disillusioned "Captain... I'm eternally grateful for what you're trying to do for me. However... I believe my legal status will be irrelevant in the light of what Doctor Maddox will find in his examinations."
Picard frowned confused "What do you mean?"
Data turned his palms up consciously "What the Admiral suspected before. That my safety mechanisms are overridden... That is actually true. I've done it several years ago on board the Jovis..." he glanced away as he retrieved the memory files of his captivity by Kivas Fajo. Then he raised his head to look into the Captain's eyes again "Doctor Maddox will soon find out what I've done, I believe." he said on a silent voice as if he was deeply ashamed of himself.
Picard frowned trying to remember what Data'd been talking about, but even though the name sounded creepily familiar, he couldn't recall where he'd heard it "The Jovis..." he shook his head tentatively after a few moments "You'll have to jog my memory, Data." he admitted finally.
The android didn't take offence that one of his closest friend didn't remember such a remarkable experience of his life, he simply started to explain. "The Jovis was the ship of Kivas Fajo, the Zimbalian merchant, who collected rare objects..." at this he could clearly see that the Captain now could very well recall which incident they were talking about! He went on "When I was Fajo's captive, I knew that you thought that I was dead, and I knew I had to find a way out myself. I also knew that I might find myself in a controversial situation, where I'd have to ...to kill Fajo. Understand, Captain, he was a ruthless monster! He didn't simply hold me captive, he tortured his people, who were used like slaves. I couldn't permit that to continue!"
Picard nodded grimly "So you overrode your programming to be able to use deadly force even if you were not in lethal danger."
Data nodded with a regretful expression on his face "I'm really sorry, that I didn't tell you... I-I just couldn't! There was always the chance that you would react just as the Admiral reacted three days ago. I... I didn't want to risk that and... get sent away, or... be stripped down to my wires just as the Admiral wants now." he finished bowing his head.
Picard sighed slightly impatiently "Data, I suspected it. If not sooner, but when you killed the Borg Queen."
Data snapped his head up gaping shocked, and Picard went on on a firm voice.
"Understand, Data. We, Doctor Crusher, Geordi, Counsellor Troi, Commander Riker, me, all of us, have the ability to take away the life of another. This is not a unique android ability! The means might be different, of course, but also irrelevant. There's but one thing that matters: the responsibility! And that responsibility is with US! With the person who has the ability and the opportunity to hurt others. It is there legally, AND morally too. This responsibility comes from being a sentient entity! This is why I'm saying that the question here is a legal and not a scientific one! No matter what Doctor Maddox would find, it will not be different from what could be found, if our brains could be backed up and analysed the same way yours can be. You are sentient. You are a person. And with that comes responsibility of your actions. This is why I believe that whatever you did during the mission has to be judged using the same scale as would be used, if the actions of an organic being were in question: and I've already told you during the briefing, that as a Starfleet officer, you've committed no crime, no mistake. It doesn't matter whether your actions imply that you're a friendly AI or an unfriendly one, if you're considered a person legally and morally. This is why I want Captain Louvois to affirm this with a legal document, and this is why I want to get you out of here as soon as possible. Please, start to wrap your mind around this, because it's now high time you do so!"
Data stood there dumbfounded at hearing this, and seeing him so perplexed and stunned, Picard felt a silent distress. It was really amazing that after years of living in an open, accepting community, Data still was shocked, if he was actually considered a person and not simply a machine.
He took a small step toward the forcefield "I'll let you know as soon as I hear back from Louvois. Till then, use the time and opportunity to digest the food for thought I've just given you. When you're finally allowed out of here, I want you to leave as a person, and not simply as an android. Is that clear, Commander?"
"Yes, Sir." Data breathed nodding.
The Captain gave him one last small smile, and turned to leave. But just a few steps from Data's cell, he stopped short as the door of the brig opened again. His lips tightened and his features hardened as he prepared himself for facing the Admiral. But to his utmost surprise, instead of their superior, Deanna and Will walked through the door leaving the guard outside.
"Number One! Counsellor!" Picard greeted the new-comers with the same surprise they were displaying. The couple stopped opposite him, a few steps from Data's cell as the Captain went on "I thought the order of the Admiral was clear! Why do you need to risk a reprimand?" he asked with a strict frown.
Will didn't waver a bit "We could ask you the same question, Sir!" he cleared his throat "With all due respect, of course."
The Captain's strict expression suddenly softened as an unexpected chuckle rippled through his lips. He waved a hand "You mean an additional one besides the two that I've already received from our kind Admiral McKinnley? For you, Number One, there's really nothing to worry about: by the time the Admiral finishes his work on the Enterprise, I wouldn't be surprised, if I'd be relieved of duty - which means that the big chair would go to you! Well, of course, if you don't blow it with unnecessary recklessness."
Will and Deanna chuckled albeit wryly, and Data looked from his cell from one of them to the other with a worried expression "I surmise, you are only joking, Sir." he deadpaned.
They turned to him and walked up to the forcefield as Picard shrugged slightly "Well, Data, for now, yes. But the Counsellor can confirm that Freud said once: no such thing as a joke. So frankly speaking, I'm not sure we're far from the reality of that joke."
"But Sir!" Data started alarmed, to which Picard raised a soothing hand.
"Don't worry, Commander, I've already contacted Starfleet Command. I called in some favours and hopefully, in a few hours we'll be more knowledgeable about why Admiral McKinnley is so desperately adamant about signing a treaty of alliance with somebody as deeply incriminated as Premier Jones is. So much so that he is willing to abuse his authority as a commanding officer. There has to be some reason behind the fact that he is in such a firm denial of the obvious, and I intend to find that out. Meanwhile, Counsellor Troi can go on with her investigation on the other side of the equation: Premier Jones."
"Speaking of which." Will declared and without further ado reached out to the panel next to the forcefield of the cell, and deactivated it. Picard raised his eyebrows but didn't say a word. Data on the other hand seemed shocked by their recklessness.
"Commander!" he started, but Riker cut in.
"Shh! We don't have time for gibbering just now."
"We need your help Data." Deanna explained simply stepping up to the android.
Data shook his head reluctantly "I'd gladly, Counsellor, but how could I be of any use with all my access-codes and clearances withdrawn?"
"You don't need clearances, where you'll need to be tinkering, Data, here!" Riker handed a padd to him "We need you to break into the computer system of Epsilon Four." At the android's confused frown, he went on "We're trying to find something against Jones, but this security system is so old-fashioned that Geordi says, he's never seen anything remotely similar to it. He can't break into it."
Data nodded "I see." he finally conceded and obeyed without further questions. He started tapping the padd in silence.
"How did you get through the guard, Number One? I thought the Admiral forbade all visitors in the brig." Picard asked frowning.
"The Ensign on duty is the son of an old Academy friend." Will explained "And you, Sir? If I may ask, that is, of course."
Picard chuckled "Well, I'm still the Captain of this crew, and it seems for some, it still means something."
Will grinned, but then it quickly disappeared. Silence descended on them as they all felt a weight setting on their shoulders by this thought. Deanna could feel it well, so she quickly tried to think of something to talk about. The most obvious was what she was interested in anyways:
"How are you, Data?" she asked the working android concerned, knowing that he had unique abilities for multi-tasking.
Data kept his eyes on the running screen of the padd as he answered "I am fine, Counsellor. Only a little bored - and very worried for Emma. Do you happen to know anything about her?"
The humans exchanged glances before she answered on a low voice "She's the same, Data."
At this, he raised his gaze to meet hers "But... Doctor Crusher said that the first three days are the most crucial. Isn't there even a slight sign of improvement?" he asked on a small, almost childlike voice.
Deanna shook her head "In all honesty, Data, I don't know any details, but... I'm sure Doctor Crusher would tell you, if there was any change."
Will watched his friend's face as his usual emotionless expression slowly turned into a desperate one, and he knew he had to distract him "Data!" when the android's absent gaze met his, he nodded to the padd "Speed up, we don't have much time." he urged him on a silent voice.
Data shook his head blinking as if he was waking from a dream "Yes, of course." he mumbled and started tapping again.
In a matter of minutes, Data managed to break in and handed the padd to Deanna "Here you are, Counsellor."
"Oh, great, thank you!" she took the padd excited and started to look into the data displayed "How did you do it?" she asked absently.
"With the help of an age-old technique called brute-force. The only thing you need for that is calculating capacity. At around the middle of the 21st century, after the Third World War, computers with high capacity processors were scarce, so protection against such a simple hack was barely in use. I used this security liability to our advantage."
Riker was just about to tell him that they needed to leave, before he got caught up in a technical explanation, which might seem manically intriguing to him, but they wouldn't understand even a word out of it, when they were startled by a new voice:
"May I join the party?" Beverly asked looking at them wide-eyed. Seeing her, all four of them let out a relieved breath.
"Beverly..." Picard began, but Data cut in.
"Doctor Crusher! Do you have any news?" he asked stepping up to her, and Beverly immediately understood that he thought she came here to update him about Emma.
She winced apologetically "I'm sorry, Data, but no. I still have some ideas I can try out, so please, don't worry." she told him silently, putting a comforting hand on his arm.
Deanna looked at Beverly surprised sensing that she was not completely honest. Though she was not outrightly lying either.
But the doctor didn't notice her expression, she only looked at Picard "Actually, I was looking for you. But when I checked where you were, I didn't expect to find a senior staff meeting in the brig! To which I was not invited!" she told them crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"It was rather an ad-hoc idea." he told her apologetically, shrugging slightly "But what can I do for you?" he asked with an attentive, small smile.
She let out a frustrated breath as she let her arms down "Get Jones out of my sickbay!" she said, and they all looked at her taken aback as she explained "He's spending all his time there, he doesn't give me a moment of break! He wants to get to Emma, and I'm getting fed up by the distraction he's causing! I cannot do my job with him breathing in my neck, Jean-Luc!" she told the Captain stepping up to him, and she really seemed infuriated.
Picard gave her a tiny smile to sooth her "I understand, Beverly, but please be patient for a little while more. We're trying all that we can." he motioned toward Deanna still deeply wrapped up in the data she saw on the display of the padd "The Counsellor is at present looking into Epsilon Four files to investigate Jones."
"Ah." Beverly nodded bemused that she couldn't get the Captain do at least the civilized equivalent of throwing Jones out through the nearest airlock. She looked at Deanna squinting "How is it coming? Have you found anything useful?" she asked a little doubtful.
Deanna looked up from the padd once again, feeling all these negative emotions from her that was very unlike Beverly. She was impatient, frustrated and very angry. And it made Deanna very worried for her friend. However, the feeling was mutual. As they locked gazes, Beverly was shocked to see the circles under Deanna's tired eyes, as she gave them a small shrug "Well... It might be only some more dead-ends, nothing more..." she replied finally.
"Dead-ends?" the Captain frowned.
She nodded "Ever since I've started to investigate Premier Jones, I feel, I'm running into dead-ends whenever I try to get any relevant information. This is no different. In the Epsilon Four database, all classified files of government officials seem to be missing."
"Missing?" Will asked as Data stepped next to Deanna to look at the padd.
Deanna showed the displayed list of files to him "See? There are the filenames, but if you want to open them, it says: -"
"-File missing. Code 312" Data finished what they read.
"Code 312." Picard frowned "What might that signify?"
"Can it be some kind of an encryption code or pass code that's required?" Will asked Data who was tapping the padd again.
After a moment, the android shook his head "No. In actuality, the files are not there. They do not exist. This database seems at least in part, like some sort of an index. Some files are physically there, but some are just represented by an annotation."
"Are there any other such codes?" Beverly asked curious.
Data looked at the files once again for a long moment "Well, I found one other such instance: Code 350. But no explanation. No legend next to it..."
They looked at each other suddenly very discouraged.
"This is a big, fat dead-end alright." Will grumbled wincing.
"So much for my part of the investigation..." Deanna bowed her head, sighing disappointed.
Data looked at their troubled, frustrated faces and suddenly frowned determined "No. I refuse to simply let this go." he declared and started tapping the padd to link the database with the ship's computer "If these files are this much protected, there has to be a reason for it!" They looked at him expectantly as he raised his head to go on data-mining using the computer "Computer, find correlations for the annotation Code 312."
The computer chirped "Voice recognition: Lieutenant Commander Data. You are currently not authorized to query Federation information. Alpha-two clearance withdrawn by Admiral Seth McKinnley on Stardate 51147.50."
Data grimaced - his clearances, of course... Not that he didn't know how to remedy this small technicality, but then it might have not been such a good idea to reveal so many secrets he kept so tightly locked in one single day in front of the Captain. In a fraction of a second, he deducted that, if it helped getting rid of Jones, everything was worth it, so he set his chin determined, and just as the Captain was about to offer his assistance, he started to talk on Picard's voice, getting everybody very much off-guard "Computer, recognize Picard, Jean-Luc. Alpha-one clearance."
And the computer chirped obediently "Alpha-one clearance recognized. Please, proceed."
The others only gaped at each other speechless as Data went on on the Captain's voice "Computer, find correlations for the annotation Code 312. Does it come up in any other file indices? File names or any place else in connection to classified information?"
Will pointed a thumb towards him looking at the Captain "So this is how he took over the ship seven years ago to travel back to his father?"
"I believe so, Number One." Picard grumbled bewildered "My problem is, that after the incident, the technicians assured me, that the new and improved security of the voice recognition protocols excluded the possibility of getting a clearance by faking anyone's voice. And yet..."
Data turned his head to him for a moment and spoke on his own voice "That was on the Enterprise-D, Sir. It seems they forgot to implement the same additional security protocols to the Enterprise-E... Sir..." he winced suddenly noticing that everybody was looking at him as if he had two heads "I am sorry, Sir. I should have reported this security hole earlier."
Picard only looked at Riker and nodded "Yes, Commander, I believe you should have..."
Will, on the other hand, had a hard time fighting off the grin that started to creep on his features. It was rare to see Data committing any disobedience, and it was oddly funny to witness it. He was saved by the chirping computer.
"Annotation Code 312 found in several records in various geo-redundant databanks, belonging to the Epsilon Four government. Results found only in file indices. No results in filenames, file contents or directories."
Data went on and this time only the Captain looked very uncomfortable hearing his own voice coming out of his second officer's mouth. The others didn't bat an eyelash. "Can you find any explanation, any legend that could suggest a meaning for Code 312?"
"There is no explanatory material on file-annotations existing within the Epsilon Four records."
"Are there any other such annotations?"
"Affirmative. Code 350 is also found in the Epsilon Four data-banks."
"Can you find a correlation by analysing the file names in connection to these annotations in the indices?"
"Negative. There is no direct correlation-"
"However indirect or improbable correlation would also suffice, Computer!" this time it was Picard himself who butted in, now getting really curious - and quite annoyed by having to listen to his own voice out of Data.
"Affirmative. Most but not exclusively all files with the annotation Code 312 suggest medical and sensitive personal content, information belonging mainly to government officials. Code 350 suggest various topics mostly connected to the Epsilon Four media-industry."
"Back where we started." Will winced again "We need the Code 312 files, but we're still no closer to their contents as before."
"If only we knew where those files actually are!" Deanna told them regretfully "We could go there and check for ourselves."
"This is it, Counsellor!" Data declared on his own voice looking as if he found the philosopher's stone "It's so simple! It was right before our eyes!" he went on on Picard's voice "Computer, what is the full name of the two colonies belonging to Epsilon Four?"
"Epsilon Luna is the lunar colony on the second moon in orbit of Epsilon Four. Epsilon Twelve is the farthest planet in the Epsilon system."
"Are there any highly secure, geo-redundant data centers on these colonies?"
"Affirmative."
Will raised his eyebrows and exchanged glances with Deanna, while Beverly and the Captain still looked somewhat perplexed at Data.
The android smiled at them with the excitement of a child "The Roman number equivalent for 50 is L. While the number three inverted gives the Greek letter Epsilon. Therefore the two codes stand for the data-centers on the two colonies: Epsilon Luna and Epsilon Twelve." he looked at Deanna "The files you are looking for, Counsellor, are on Epsilon Twelve."
"Can you not break in there, Data?" Deanna asked.
The android looked at the padd again and started tapping it.
"I never knew they had colonies." Will admitted.
Beverly shook her head "I wouldn't call them colonies. More like small stations or outposts. The one on the moon is certainly just that. As far as I know, it's used to invent the warp-drive - without alien influence on the science used."
"You're kidding me..." Will gaped.
"I wish I was, Will." Beverly sighed.
"What about the other colony?" Deanna asked curious.
Data answered that for her - though he was still tapping "It's a resort, a luxury recreational facility for the richest people of Epsilon Four. Emma said that when she was a celebrated actress, they often used the luxury surroundings as background sets for her films. She visited the place to shoot films." the padd chirped, and he let out a frustrated breath "These records seem to be kept on a computer not connected to any network. I broke into the system, but cannot find the files mentioned in the indices. It's not possible to get the information remotely..."
Deanna looked at Will excited "We have to go there!"
Picard spoke up for the first time in minutes on a thoughtful voice. "Counsellor, I appreciate your enthusiasm, however I'm still not sure if these records lead anywhere. As Data has said, these are personal information and medical records only. Do you think it's worth it to risk a diplomatic scandal, if Starfleet officers are caught spying within non-federational territory? Not to mention the fact that it might play to the hands of Jones, who could use such an incident to feed his propaganda."
Deanna sighed grimly "I don't know, Sir, I just know one thing! I need to get to the bottom of this! There is something very, VERY wrong with this man! And I don't just mean what we all can see, that he is manipulating the Admiral with means that we have not yet been able to determine. I mean, something is out of place with him, as a person. As a... being." she shook her head frustrated "I cannot phrase it any better, Sir. I just know, that I have to grab at all and every opportunity to learn what it is!"
Picard could see that she was almost desperate to get to the bottom of this, and he knew better than to simply dismiss her hunches or intuition. He nodded "Very well, Counsellor." he looked at Will "Take a shuttlecraft, Number One, and I want you to return before the gamma shift, so the Admiral - and Jones - wouldn't suspect that we are snooping around once again. And DON'T get caught!"
"Aye, Sir!" Will nodded with a vigorous smile, and he and Deanna left in a hurry.
Data looked at the Captain suddenly worried "Captain, you and Doctor Crusher should leave as well. I really don't want you to get into trouble because of visiting me."
Picard nodded "Alright, Data. Just be a little more patient, I'll let you know when I hear back from Louvois."
"Thank you, Captain."
Beverly and Picard stepped through the threshold of the cell, and the Captain activated the forcefield with the side-panel. They locked gazes for one last moment, then just as Picard and Beverly turned to go, Data stepped up to the forcefield.
"Doctor Crusher!"
"Yes, Data?" Beverly asked as they turned back. She could tell he was anxious, and it made her heart lurch for him.
"Please, take very good care of her while I cannot!" he asked on a silent, childlike tone.
She felt her throat closing and just couldn't reply. She simply gave him a firm nod before they turned again and left him alone.
Data sighed with a new sensation in his neural net: he felt his heart in his chest weighted more than it should - much more. He tried to dismiss the unsettling sensation on the grounds that he rationally knew it was not possible. He walked back to his berth to sit back into that slouching position he'd been in before this unexpected, unscheduled and unauthorized staff-meeting.
