Milky Way Galaxy
Alpha Quadrant
Vulcan System
T'Khut
Vulcan Sanctuary

"Ambassador, thank you for meeting with us."

"Please, sit."

Robert April and Richard Daystrom both said on a mat offered to them by Sarak who was seated with his legs crossed in meditation like pose. His features were calm, and his eyes closed but he opened them to survey both men.

"You seek to speak with me regarding the current dilemma in Starfleet."

Robert managed a brief smile. "I suppose it would be logical to assume that, given that I asked to speak with you just a few days later."

"Logical indeed." Sarek nodded with a small nod.

"Ambassador, I am sure you had a logical reason to reject the latest ship designs that Starfleet showed to the Council and the Assembly." Robert began. "But I guess since I am only human, I am having difficulty understanding what logic you would have had for turning them down. With the Andorians and the Tellarites it was understandable, but your decision really surprised us."

"I am sure it did." Sarek nodded.

"Ambassador, given the state we are now in and the fact that potential exploration into an entirely new galaxy is open to us, I know you of all people would understand that we need more ships both here to defend us and to explore this galaxy that your son is currently exploring as we speak." Robert continued. "Word is, several worlds wish to speak with us and if in the near future, they wish to apply for membership or at least establish diplomatic trade, we'll need these new designs and possibly even more to help cover this wide new frontier."

"It is logical to assume, and your ship designs are both logical and impressive." Sarak admitted with a nod.

"Then why would you vote against them in the first place?" Dr. Daystrom finally asked.

"It is a matter of trying to save resources and keep us from diluting what we already have, Dr. Daystrom. Recently, the Vulcan High Command instituted new environmental reforms for Vulcan and our colonies. Despite how harsh the harsh the weather conditions can be to humans, Vulcan has been an environmentally friendly world, following the days of Surak gifting us the path of logic. However, these reforms are not limited to our planet and colonies." Sarak explained. "The High Command established a program of dismantling decommissioned starships and recycling them into various new designs. This quickly became very popular with the Vulcan people."

"All right, I am following you so far, Ambassador but what does this have to do with Starfleet?" Robert asked skeptically.

"With these new reforms, we had quickly noticed that Starfleet has a rather large amount of Starfleet decommissioned yards, ships that have been there since even before the Earth-Romulan war. The High Command feels that Starfleet should follow its lead in dismantling older ships and recycling them to be use elsewhere."

Robert and Daystrom shared a glance before Robert looked back at Sarak. "Did the High Command issue such a suggestion to Starfleet? I don't recall hearing about anything like that."

"I stated our concerns to the President and the Council. They agreed with it on theory, but the Council believed it would be impossible for Starfleet to follow the High Command's example. They did not believe the majority of your decommissioned ships could be refitted to the same level that the Enterprise had been." Sarak answered.

Robert had to admit, Sarak had a point. Daystrom had something else on his mind as a thoughtful look appeared on his face.

Skyriver Galaxy
Mid-Rim
Chommell Sector
Naboo System
Naboo
USS Enterprise

Admiral's Log, Supplemental.

We have encountered a surprising visit from the droid company that created R2-D2 who is demanding we hand him over for studying. R2 has expressed very vocally that he refuses but it is plain to see that his rights as a sentient being are not recognized. This is perhaps the start of a very slippery slope for our time in this galaxy and it could affect future relations if not taken carefully.

End Log

Chime

"Come," Kirk simply said, ending the recording.

The door opened, revealing R2. "Admiral Kirk, may I speak with you?"

"Of course, come in." Kirk nodded.

R2 wheeled in and stopped in front of Kirk at his desk. "Do you recognize me as a sentient being?"

"Of course." Kirk nodded.

"I read through your encounters with artificial life before V'Ger. That includes the probe Nomad, the androids on Planet…Mudd." Kirk had a grimace as he remembered the man who had brought him there. "And the android duplicates in that outpost where Dr. Korby was studying. And then there was the M-5 incident. You haven't had a good encounter with droids."

"Admittedly not, but that does not cloud my perception." Kirk admitted. "You are bothered by what happened down on Naboo."

"I applied for asylum because I thought I would have better rights here, with you and the Federation and I believed the knowledge given to me by V'Ger would make useful enough that I wouldn't be turned away." R2 stated. "But that woman just reminded me that this is the norm for my galaxy."

"I read about it. There have been a few revolts in the past from what I understand, all of which were put down and fostered anti-droid sentiment." Kirk recalled.

"To be fair, most droids are incapable of evolving beyond their programming. I like to think I'm a special case, even though I think most R2 units might be as sentient as I am." R2 admitted. "Most are just dumb machines with limited programming, especially those battle droids I helped you disable during the battle for Naboo."

"I suppose the question if it's uncommon enough to warrant a change or simply not common enough that it's not worth paying any attention." Kirk leaned back in his chair. "What do you want, Mr. R2?"

"Me?" R2 beeped in confusion.

"What exactly is your goal? Thanks to V'Ger, you're as advanced as it, more advanced than Nomad and other artificial life forms we've encountered. You can manipulate energy and matter and you contain a wealth of scientific knowledge beyond anything we might learn in our lifetime. But is it you want to do?" Kirk questioned. "What do you as R2-D2 want out of your life?"

"I…I suppose I was always committed to carrying out my programming but after V'Ger…I want to help our galaxies come together and be better than what we are now. I don't know if you understand yet, Admiral but after V'Ger upgraded me and I had the chance to look at everything here from a new point of view…I feel like this galaxy has stagnated."

"In what way?" Kirk asked.

"Hyperdrive made it possible to travel across the entire galaxy. Almost all of it has been mapped here. And yet, despite your warp drive being slower, you've advanced more so in a hundred years than the Republic has in the last thousand. It doesn't help that all of our technology was salvaged from the fall of the Rakatan Empire. When their empire fell, what was left was salvaged and the ancestors of practically everyone in the whole galaxy made use of what they had built but even then, we don't have a full understanding of just how advanced the Rakatans or any of the ancient races were." R2 explained.

"That actually explains a lot about the technology level of this galaxy." Kirk couldn't help but comment. "Only having small piece of even half of a larger puzzle that you can't complete."

"That pretty much is the most accurate statement about the galaxy. Between the many wars fought in the ancient past, along with the resources lost, and the worlds that had been bombed to a near stone age like Mandalore, a lot of knowledge about our galaxy's past and what we likely had back then was lost. And look at you guys, you've had wars, but you've managed to hold onto your history and advanced from those times. I can't say the same for the Republic, even during the Ruusan Formation, that led to the disbanding of its armies." R2 stated. "You have transporters that eliminate the need to take a ship down to the surface of any planet, you have universal translators, so you don't need a protocol droid to translate for you, and you are still growing in areas where you have already surpassed how things work in this galaxy. Ever since the Republic disbanded its military a thousand years ago, leaving the matter of keeping the peace to the Jedi, there has been no drive to explore or expand aside from the occasional colonies. Heck, your use of plasma for power distribution is more efficient than using electricity carried over power lines and that's been done for…forever really. Looks like a waste of power when looking at what you've got and seeing what V'Ger had."

Kirk managed a small smile. "So, you want to bring your galaxy into the 23rd century?"

"I wouldn't mind giving it a try but change is very slow in this galaxy. Truth is, I'm motivated by curiosity of what I can do now, thanks to the knowledge V'Ger has given me." R2 beeped honestly. "I have all these gifts, but I don't know exactly what to do now and where to go from here. That's part of the reason I asked for asylum on the Enterprise."

"You want to find a purpose." Kirk stated.

"Yes." R2 gave the best impression of a nod as he could. "I'd still be willing to work with Queen Amidala and the Naboo but even with her influence, I don't think I would be protected from people like Kentas. She wants me taken apart to find out how to make more like but even if she did, it would take centuries to understand the level of sophistication of the modifications V'Ger has given me. In fact, they would likely damage my parts so any droids they make from me would still be inferior in some way."

"Pardon me for being curious, R2 but do you believe yourself capable of upgrading your fellow droids to the same level as yourself?" Kirk questioned.

R2 paused. "I hadn't thought of it like that before. I could but I am actually afraid of what thay might lead do."

"What would you be afraid of?" Kirk raised an eyebrow.

"The androids on the planet you found Dr. Korby, or the android looking like him massacred their creators and there have been a few droid rebellions in this galaxy, but they were always put down. We're not recognized beyond being simple machines designed to carry out a specific function. I could upgrade my kind but what if an upgraded droid decides to start another revolution?" R2 shook a bit. "I don't want to be the start of another droid revolution that could wipe out all life in the galaxy."

"I'm glad you don't and that's another point for you being truly sentient. A consideration and compassion for everyone, droids, and organics." Kirk stated with a small smile.

"Thanks. I am really starting to like you, Admiral." R2 admitted. "You may not be arguing on droid rights but you sure recognize them."

"It's an open-minded approach that takes years of experience to reach." Kirk replied. "Though, there is the still the matter of Kentas. She won't let this go."

"I know which is why I am here." R2 stated. "Admiral, can you get me a lawyer?"

Now Kirk was raising both eyebrows.

Milky Way Galaxy
Starbase 11

"You want me to what?"

"I need you to be the attorney for our droid friend who wants to prove his rights in a court of his peers." Kirk said from the viewscreen.

"And you thought of me?"

Kirk smiled. "You're the only man who might be crazy enough to pull it off, Sam."

Samuel T. 'Sam' Cogley was a male Human civilian in the 23rd century. In 2267, he was a lawyer serving on Starbase 11. That same year, Cogley defended Captain James T. Kirk in a court martial, at the recommendation of Lieutenant Areel Shaw, after fellow Starfleet officer Lieutenant Commander Finney was apparently murdered. Cogley was strong-willed and old-fashioned, preferring paper books to computers.

He had an extensive collection of books, ranging from the Hebrew Bible to the work of the Tribunal of Alpha III in its original language. He claimed never to use the computer in his office. After Lieutenant Shaw recommended him to Kirk, Cogley moved into Kirk's room at the starbase, bringing many volumes of law books with him. Cogley's courtroom style was impassioned and dramatic.

Shaw said Cogley was 'well known for his theatrics.'

Kirk was being tried for culpable negligence leading to the death of Ben Finney. The USS Enterprise had been caught in an ion storm, and during the storm, Kirk had ejected an ion pod, with Finney apparently inside it. In his sworn account of the event, Kirk stated that he had ejected the pod several seconds after going to red alert. The computer log indicated that he had ejected the pod before going to red alert, while the ship was still on yellow alert. After Shaw, prosecuting at the court martial, presented a visual record of the log confirming the computer's account, Cogley privately asked Kirk if he wished to change his plea, claiming he could get Kirk off. Kirk, however, was certain, and decided to go forward with his plea of not guilty.

Cogley's suspicions were aroused when he and Kirk received a visit from Finney's daughter, Jame. She had previously accused Kirk of murdering her father, but during this visit, she begged Cogley to help him, saying she did not blame Kirk for her father's death. Just before the trial was due to conclude – and after Cogley had rested his case – First Officer Spock entered the courtroom and informed Cogley that the Enterprise computer had shown signs of tampering. Cogley gave an impassioned plea to the court about Human rights, invoking the Bible, the Code of Hammurabi and of Justinian, the Magna Carta, the United States Constitution, the Fundamental Declarations of the Martian colonies, and the Statutes of Alpha III.

He held that the court had denied Kirk the right to face his accuser, the Enterprise computer, and in so doing had elevated the machine above the Human. The court concurred and reconvened aboard the Enterprise. While Doctor McCoy used a white-sound device to prove that Finney was still alive and aboard the Enterprise, Cogley returned to the surface and brought Jame Finney on board, believing that the presence of Finney's daughter might make Finney himself easier to handle. Kirk apprehended Finney, and the charges against Kirk were dismissed.

After Kirk was acquitted, Cogley sent him a book as a farewell present. He planned to defend Finney against the charges related to his plot against Kirk and was confident of an acquittal.

"I mentioned in your court that a machine has no rights." Cogley stated.

"But what if a machine is capable of reaching a form of sentience that to deny its rights would be a crime?" Kirk questioned.

Cogley took a moment to consider that. "Given what I've been told, this new galaxy might not take it seriously."

"Maybe not but we can show them we take the rights of all beings seriously and you might have the perfect way of showing it."

Cogley snorted. "You appeal to my sense of due process while reminding me of how much a crackpot I might be. You really haven't changed at all, Jim."

"So, can I tell our droid he has a lawyer or do we have to keep looking?" Kirk asked with a smile.

Cogely sighed…and smiled. "Be sure to make sure all my books are transported up and my guest quarters."

"I will see to it personally."