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“In this particular instance, Captain, the only other choice was to do nothing. Among the many observations I have made over the course of my Starfleet career is that doing nothing is rarely the right choice. It was not the right choice in this instance. Had the captain not acted, those twenty-seven people would have died from exposure to a vacuum. By attempting to transport them, he was giving them a chance to survive.”

“But they lost that chance.”

“Yes. Captain Picard once said to me that it is possible to do everything correctly and still lose. That was the case on Dokaal.”

Go made some more notes. “On Delta Sigma IV, Captain Picard had the option to declare martial law and take over from the planet’s ruling council. Do you think he should have done so?”

“The option was never discussed.” Data spoke truthfully. Jean-Luc Picard was not a person who would even consider such an action, based on Data’s observations of him over the fifteen years, eight months, and four days since they met on the EnterpriseD.

“Really?” Go made a few more notes. “Why do you think that was?”

“Had the captain done so, it would not have changed any of the rescue and repair activities that Enterprise personnel were engaged in on the planet. The Bader and Dorset were already viewing Starfleet’s presence with hostility. Had we, in essence, usurped their government, that would have only, to coin a phrase, made a bad situation worse without giving us any concomitant advantage.”

Go made more notes on the padd, then set it down and picked up another one. “Very well, Mr. Data, thank you for your time. That will be all.”

“Thank you, Captain.” Data rose from the chair to return to the bridge. He still had four hours, two minutes, and seven seconds left on watch, and Lieutenant Commander Vale had wanted to run a security drill before alpha shift ended. As second officer, it behooved Data to be present to supervise the drill and aid Vale in the evaluation of it.

Before departing, he realized a discrepancy in Captain Go’s questioning. He stopped, turned, and asked, “Captain?”

“Yes, Mr. Data?” Go did not look up from her padd.

“You questioned me about the two missions that occurred after Rashanar. I am curious as to why you did not question me about Rashanar itself, especially as it was based on my word that Captain Picard accepted the existence of the so-called demon ship.”

Now Go looked up. “That’s not your concern, Mr. Data. My job is to ask you people questions. I’m under no obligation to answer yours. You’re dismissed.”

Recognizing the commanding tone, Data turned and took his leave.

“First officer, you say?”

La Forge stared at Scotty from across the table in Ten-Forward. The old engineer was drinking scotch, of course—Scotty seemed to live on the stuff—while La Forge nursed a synthale. He had just informed Scotty of Riker’s offer from the day before. The question of whether or not to say yes had kept La Forge from getting a decent night’s sleep and from focusing properly during alpha shift. On the one hand, he was flattered and excited. He’d known Riker on and off since they were at the Academy, and they served together briefly on the Hood before coming to the EnterpriseD. There hadn’t been a significant period of time in the last sixteen years when La Forge wasn’t serving under Riker. Not accepting the post would put an end to that association.

Not that that was a good enough reason. If he just went by friendship, leaving the Enterprise would mean being separated from Data, who was remaining on the Enterprise to take Riker’s place. La Forge didn’t relish that possibility, but he didn’t want to judge a professional decision on such personal criteria.

Normally this kind of dilemma would drive him to Troi’s office or to talk to Data—but, since he had Scotty here anyhow, he decided to go to him for advice for the simple reason that, unlike anyone else on the ship, he knew what it was like to be the chief engineer of a ship called Enterprise. In fact, like La Forge, he’d run the engine room of two different vessels with that proud