Articles of the Federation - Keith R. A. DeCandido [94]
“Fair enough. Speaking of the council, several items are on the agenda before the council goes into recess at the end of the month. One of those is a case for the judiciary council involving the Daystrom Institute, where one of the institute’s scientists is petitioning to have an android under the institute’s care dismantled. Others are insisting that the android, which is called B-4, has the same rights as any other living being. Artrin, you’re no longer on the judiciary council, but surely you have some opinions on this?”
“I do, yes, Velisa. First of all, it should be pointed out that the jurisdictional issues are still being worked out. Daystrom is jointly operated by the Federation government and Starfleet. There has been some question about who should hear the dispute-Starfleet’s Judge Advocate General or the judiciary council.”
“But in the past, hasn’t it been Starfleet?”
“It’s not that simple, Velisa. The last legal issue surrounding Daystrom was a similar case to this one, but it was also a purely Starfleet matter, as both parties in the legal dispute were Starfleet officers-a Commander Bruce Maddox and an android officer, Lieutenant Commander Data, since deceased. In the end, Data’s sentience was made into law.”
“Excuse me, Artrin, but isn’t B-4 a prototype of Data?”
“Yes, Gora. B-4 was also constructed by Noonien Soong.”
“So if it’s the same thing, why is there a jurisdictional issue?”
“It isn’t the same thing. To begin with, in the previous case, all those involved were Starfleet, as I said. In this case, the complainant is a civilian, who is not under Starfleet’s jurisdiction. Ironically, Maddox, who’s a captain now, is now arguing the opposite side. Plus, B-4’s status is as yet undetermined.”
“Wouldn’t this be where it was determined?”
“Yes, Gora, which is one of the reasons why it’s taking so long.”
“And people wonder why there are complaints about government not getting anything done.”
“Turning to foreign policy for a moment, Secretary Safranski, can you tell us anything about the investigation into the destruction of Klorgat IV’s moon?”
“Well, Velisa, the Starfleet Corps of Engineers’ preliminary report was inconclusive, though the evidence seemed to point to it being an accident.”
“Do you think this will finally be the straw that breaks the back of the peace between the Klingons and Romulans?”
“Actually, as someone who served on ships that patrolled both empires’ borders over the years, I’d like to answer that, if I may.”
“Of course, Commander.”
“The Klingons live for conflict, but not for stupid conflict. One of the reasons why they haven’t gone into all-out war with the Romulans is because there was no guarantee that they would win, and the entire Klingon population would fly into a supernova before they’d subject themselves to Romulan rule. Now, though, thanks to Shinzon’s coup, the Romulan Empire isn’t a quadrant superpower anymore. They’re in almost as bad a shape as the Cardassians. So the Klingons may well be gearing up for a war that they’ve been itching for ever since Narendra III.”
“Speaking of which, the aid to Cardassia is up for renewal this session. Despite the many setbacks they’ve had since Cardassia Prime was decimated at the end of the Dominion War, Federation aid has continued. Gora, what’s your sense of how the council will go on this?”
“Well, you wouldn’t think that it would be an issue, but there are rumblings around the Palais that helping Cardassia is putting good resources after bad, and that it’s taking away from other postwar relief efforts, not to mention other efforts that were curtailed before the war and really do need to be gotten back to. Still, I’m sure the opposition will be token at best.”
“Do you think that- “
Silence.
“Hey! I was watching that!”
Lagg rolled all six eyes at her husband’s words. “You were asleep.”
His tentacles flapping in denial, Rakos said, “I was not asleep, I was just resting my eyes. Put it back on.”
Sitting down in the acid pool, Lagg said, “I could hear you snoring.”
“I was just muttering about the weak