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Blind Chess	By : madradena Category: Star Trek > The Next Generation Views: 1334 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Disclaimer: I do not own ST:TNG, nor the characters. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 9
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"When we first arrived on Epsilon, the buildings of the two largest cities were already there." Emma started recalling the story of the colony, seated once again at the table of the observation lounge. The others listened to her intently. "The people were not told how these premises could be there on a previously unoccupied planet, but it was quite plain that some 24th century technology must have been used. But the colonists were too busy with settling in, nobody asked anything. Later on, Ed told me that the planet was the inheritance of Premier Hague who had an almost pervert fascination for the 21st century. His family was very rich, they were trading with a lot of different races, and somehow they got this planet, maybe as a payment for something. Maybe the buildings were there because of the same reason, I don't know. The biggest city is Ethel, it was named after Premier Hague's late wife. The residence of the Premier is in the western part of it. All the high ranking officials live in the same premise, so we practically lived together with the family of the Premier."
"That means you lived in fairly wealthy surroundings. Why did you decide to give that up?" the Admiral asked suspiciously.
Emma looked daggers at him "My good conscience took the better of me." she growled sarcastically.
The Admiral snorted "Don't be ridiculous. For years, your conscience never said anything, and then all of a sudden...?"
Emma shrugged "You want the truth? Fine. We were rich, we did live in luxury. Well, of course, by 21st century standard that is. I was a celebrated star for years. I was one of the most popular actresses on the colony. The Premier loved 21st century movies and made a huge investment in the film and theatre industry. Of course, it all had a secondary use of creating the propaganda that kept the people thinking in the specific way he wanted them to think. I left because my marriage deteriorated to the extent that it was impossible to be around each other. We fought all the time. About everything. I couldn't put up with it any longer."
"You joined the Resistance, if I understand correctly." the Admiral questioned her on.
"Yes, I did."
"Who is the leader of the Resistance? Where are they located?"
Emma turned her head to him sharply at this "I don't know! What do you need this information for?" she asked with a suspicious frown.
"I'm the one who is asking the questions, Lieutenant. I have told you, we need all information that could pose as tactical value."
Emma looked at Picard who sat next to the Admiral stone-faced. His expression remained unreadable, and Emma felt, she again remained alone. She took a deep breath and shook her head "I have no idea of any of these things." Deanna turned her head sharply to her at this which Emma didn't notice, but the Captain did. However, they let Emma go on "I worked at a hospital, which made use of illegal medicine and treatments. It was raided not long before I left the colony. All the people I knew from the Resistance were captured. That's all I can say."
Riker spoke up "You mentioned that the Resistance is treated as a terrorist organization. What does that mean? Do they commit acts of violence?"
Emma turned her head away disgusted even by remembering it "Sometimes. There are radicals amongst them too, but most of them just want to live a normal life or simply want to save their families."
The Admiral snorted again "But they're not averse from killing people to reach that goal."
Emma took a breath to calm herself "I've told you. Not all of them are like that. Sometimes the government itself has bombs planted, so they can keep up the fear and blame the Resistance for the violence."
"But you were not part of this radical faction, were you? Because being radical is just so far away from your very nature." the Admiral seemed to taunt her.
She took a long breath to calm herself - and failed. "Have I planted bombs, Uncle Seth? Is that what you're asking me?" she replied on a shaky voice.
He held her gaze with his cold one "You're saying you became a small screw in the structure of the Resistance, and that the Resistance never made use of the wife of a high ranking official? That's fairly unbelievable, Ms. Jones." the Admiral grimaced staring right into Emma's eyes.
"You may believe whatever you wish." Emma hissed - it was plain that her temper hang on a thin thread, and Picard didn't want it to snap.
He leaned forward and caught her gaze with his "Ms. Jones, let me ask you this. When we beam down there, what can we expect? What is the general morale like on the planet? If these people shun modern technology and alien cultures, how are they going to react to the presence of Starfleet officers?"
Emma shook her head "Forget about going there as Starfleet officers. Forget about your uniforms. Within the residence of the Premier, you may wear it, but if you want to go outside, you'll just have to wear casual clothes."
Deanna spoke up on her soft voice "What about non-human officers like me or Commander Data? Are they so hostile against aliens that they would threaten us only because we are not humans?"
Emma thought for a moment before answering "Well... you would pass as a human, Deanna. I don't think anybody would suspect that you're not fully human. However, I still advice against your going down." she finished on a low voice.
"Why?" Deanna asked sensing that here was again a memory Emma was reluctant to recall.
Emma took a long breath again and spoke on a very low voice: "Three or four years ago, there was a new wave of propaganda. It stated that there are shape-shifter aliens who might pose as humans. And that these aliens already lived on the colony among the people. It had a hysterical effect on the population. Neighbours, even family members started to report each other to the police. The paranoia reached a height when even lynchings took place. I have seen some of the victims, some of them died in my hospital... If by any chance, it would somehow turn out that you're not a human..." she shook her head "Let's not risk that, Deanna." Emma told her on a silent voice, and Deanna could feel the distress and the concern that Emma felt for her. It made her heart lurch.
Emma turned to Data and looked at him for the first time they had come back to the observation lounge with Picard "You on the other hand... I don't think anybody would possess the means to hurt you in any way down there. But you will not be able to blend in. The color of your skin and eyes would sell that you're not a human right away." she told him softly.
"It's possible to alter that." Beverly replied "On a mission to Romulus a few years ago, the Captain and Data posed as Romulans, and it worked pretty well! Nobody suspected anything." she turned to Data with a small smile "It won't be a problem to turn you into a human this time."
"Thank you, Doctor." he said on his usual silent tone though felt a little uneasy about the idea.
The conversation turning strangely silent was suddenly broken by the raspy voice of the Admiral "It is irrelevant to talk about Mr. Data joining the away team before the necessary modifications prescribed by Starfleet are done on his system. So it is a moot point to discuss this matter."
A confused silence descended on the room broken only by Data's obedient "Yes, Sir."
Finally, Geordi was the one who broke the stunned silence "What modifications are you referring to, if I may ask, Sir?" he asked puzzled.
"The ones that were ruled necessary by the court martial of course, Mr. La Forge." the Admiral shrugged nonchalantly as if this was the most well-known piece of information on the ship - while the others were looking at each other and Data completely bewildered. He went on "It is to improve Mr. Data's abilities during duty hours, which gradually degraded in the last two years with the implementation of his so called emotion-chip. Which you all might have noticed. After the last occasion, when these effects could have had grave consequences, it was decided that he may not use the chip on duty, especially not on away missions. As long as the modifications are not done, he may not go to away missions."
Geordi looked at his friend wide-eyed - Data just sat there with his deadpan expression - and tried to think of something to say, but Emma was quicker and spoke up on a hard voice "Then I'm not going either!"
"What?!" the Admiral retorted.
"This was our agreement with the Captain." she explained "I assist you in everything you wish me to, but Data will be assigned next to me. He's the only person that I feel safe with. I trust no one else!"
Geordi tried to offer some help, though he felt as if he was to assist in dissecting his own friend: "If it's necessary... I can fix the chip's turn off switch, which is still fused. I suppose I can do it in a few hours if..."
"I'm afraid it will not suffice, Mr. La Forge." the Admiral cut in "It was decided that the chip has to be altered in a way that it is possible to remove it. So on duty he would not be able to utilize it."
Emma felt a catch in her throat as she stared at his boyfriend shocked - could this day get any worse than this?! She tried to catch Data's gaze, but he just stared ahead with as a neutral expression as ever. She looked to her side at Juliana. The elder woman sat there seemingly shaken to her core. Emma suddenly wished she could just take her hand and tell her that she was not alone in how she felt...
Geordi went on sticking to the technological aspect of the question - because any other aspects were just too hard to face "But it's impossible! The chip is infused irreversibly to Data's positronic neural net! It's not possible to remove it!"
"It is possible, Geordi." Data told him silently "Based on the schematics, though it's a very difficult task, it is possible to be carried out."
"It would require like a million of bypassing circuits!" Geordi told them now on a really agitated voice as he wasn't able to conceal his complete shock anymore.
The Admiral cut in impatiently "Let's put this very interesting discussion off to another time. Right now our priority is the mission to Epsilon Four."
Data just glanced at Geordi but then kept his gaze lowered "I will tell you everything later on." he whispered. Geordi looked around and judging by the expressions of the others, it seemed except for Riker and the Captain, nobody, not even Emma knew about this! Data! What the hell was going on here?!
The Admiral went on "We have plenty of qualified officers to choose from on the Enterprise to put together an away team. I suppose there won't be any problems in putting together the team without Commander Data."
"Except that I'm not going without Commander Data." they suddenly heard Emma's voice again, repeating her previous statement. All eyes were on her again, and she looked around now with a frighteningly calm, determined gaze. She eventually rested her gaze on Data "If you want me to go down to Epsilon, you'll let Data go with me."
The Admiral's temper snapped just the way when Emma walked out on them an hour ago "What difference does it make who goes with you?! Who do you think you are to dictate here, Lieutenant?!" his voice thundered through the room.
"That is my condition!"
"Outrageous! You're not in the position to..."
"I'm EXACTLY in the position. Sir. You want me down on that planet? Fine! But Data will be there with me every moment of every minute I spend down there! As Captain Picard promised."
The Admiral glared at the Captain, and it was quite plain that he would have a few words with him for making this promise to Emma.
"Admiral McKinnley." the Captain looked at the elder man with calm eyes "I take personal responsibility for Mr. Data, I would trust him with my life, and I sincerely believe that Ms. Jones does also. You have the authority to suspend the ruling of the court martial. I'd suppose it would make our situation a lot easier, if you used that authority."
The Admiral snorted and looked at Emma "You do think that you're still the little girl of an Admiral who can get whatever she wishes, don't you? Well, if you're so adamant about it Ms. Jones, let it be. But he cannot officially accompany the away team, only as your personal bodyguard. I hope this does not put you off Mr. Data." he looked into the android's golden eyes with a challenging smirk.
Data held his gaze, his expression remained neutral as he nodded "Not at all, Sir."
"Of course as soon as Doctor Maddox arrives, you will be required to undergo the procedure."
"Understood, Sir."
Emma looked around the table - everybody was looking at each other wide-eyed and with a shocked expression.
"Maddox. If I never heard that name again in my life, that would have been too soon." Riker remarked on a bitter voice - alien to Emma's ears.
Data answered to him "I understand your aversion, Commander, however, Doctor Maddox is the most knowledgeable cyberneticist with regards to the Soong-type design. As this would be a more complex procedure, I felt it necessary to involve him."
Juliana and Emma exchanged confused glances, and both of them realized that neither of them had any idea of who this Maddox could be, but it was plain that the others became really worried by even the mention of the name.
The Admiral broke her trail of thought "This is all very interesting, Mr. Data, but lets continue at another time. Ms. Jones." he turned back to Emma "Is there anything else that we need to know about before beaming down there?"
Emma stared into his eyes contemplating whether she should send him to hell for treating Data the way he did, but she thought better of it and then just looked at them thoughtfully "Well... it's worth mentioning that there is a surveillance system in operation all over the colony. That is apart from the fact that the people are very suspicious by nature and are encouraged to report everything out of the ordinary to the police. The apartments are bugged, most probably the rooms in the residence that we will be assigned to will be bugged too. If you go out, you'll certainly be followed. You may not notice it, but it will happen. If you want to visit any place that you don't want others to know about, you'll need to beam to the exact coordinates. As far as I know, they don't have the technology to track that."
"When do we arrive at Epsilon Four?" Picard asked Data.
"22 hours 16 minutes, Sir."
"Data, I'd like you to show the findings of the probe to Ms. Tainer in the remaining time. Perhaps she might notice something in the data that would prove useful to us."
"Yes, Sir."
"Captain," Beverly spoke up on a soft voice "I'd like to volunteer to be part of the away team. I'd like to see the level of medical technology the colony is at. Perhaps I could advice them within the given circumstances on more effective methodology."
"Very well." the Captain nodded his assent "If the Admiral has no objections of course."
"None at all. Medical improvement might be a negotiation point as well."
Emma turned her head away so as they would not see her scepticism. She spent years with trying to convince the people about the need to loosen the rules at least in medical technology. And failed. But it would be comforting to know that Bev was with her down there, so she decided to be selfish enough not to say a word of objection.
Riker spoke up counting down the people in the away team so far "So that means Ms. Jones, Data, Ms. Tainer and Doctor Crusher will consist the team including Admiral McKinnley and myself."
"No, Number One." the Captain spoke up.
"But Captain..." Riker started to object - why did they have to do this EVERY singular time?
The Captain cut in "This time, I'll need to go. Your responsibility is the Enterprise. Make sure to keep a lock on us at all times. I don't want any surprises on a planet with a population as hostile as Ms. Jones described it."
Riker let out a long breath and nodded "Understood, Sir."
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