Immortal Coil - Jeffrey Lang [52]
Barclay blinked and sputtered. “P-Professor Vaslovik? But why?”
Riker seemed to share Barclay’s surprise. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to make this clear to me, too, Data. If this was a conspiracy, then Vaslovik overlooked one of the prime rules: Avoid getting vaporized in your own trap.”
“But was he really vaporized, Commander?” Data asked. “That, like so much about Dr. Vaslovik, cannot be truly substantiated. DNA traces alone are not proof of a death. Vaslovik himself, as others have acknowledged, has been something of an enigma. In the course of our investigation, we found a long and detailed record of his work in neurocybernetics, but virtually nothing else about him.”
“He was a very private individual,” Barclay said, though he seemed to recognize the argument’s weakness.
“One might go so far as to say obsessively private,” Data replied. “And here is another intriguing fact: Admiral Haftel, did you know that Professor Vaslovik was a guest lecturer at the Daystrom Institute approximately seventy years ago?”
The long pause eloquently answered the question before Haftel even spoke. “We have no record of that, Data. Otherwise, I’m sure it would have come out in the course of the investigation … or when Commander Maddox brought him onto his research team. What evidence do you have for this?”
“There is a reference to Vaslovik in one of Dr. Soong’s earliest journals,” Data explained. “Some of the substructures I saw in the holotronic android reminded me of references to my creator’s earliest experiments. He had ideas for systems—particularly emotion emulation and information absorption subroutines—that he was never able to successfully develop.”
“But you saw them in Maddox’s android?” Picard asked.
“Yes, sir. When I checked Dr. Soong’s journals, I found references to a ‘Professor V.’ After reviewing these entries, I have no doubt that he was speaking of Vaslovik. Apparently, my father met him at a seminar when he was an undergraduate. They must have exchanged ideas concerning artificial intelligence at that time.”
“Why didn’t you check for this earlier, Data?” Haftel asked.
Data raised an eyebrow, seemingly caught off guard by the question. “My apologies, Admiral, but my storage systems have not been designed in such a manner that I have simultaneous access to every one of my files. I periodically archive files based on an algorithm that examines—”
Picard waved his hand for Data to stop. “It’s all right, Data. I think the admiral understands. If your information is correct, it could answer a great many questions.”
“Such as,” Geordi inserted, “how Vaslovik was able to use the trapdoor. If he was working at the DIT seventy years ago, he could have inserted the code easily enough.”
“All right,” Haftel said. “That makes sense, but it doesn’t address the most important question: motivation. Why would Vaslovik want to steal the android? And if he’s still alive, what has he done with it?”
“I cannot be certain about this, Admiral,” Data admitted, “but I have begun to form a theory. The only way we can test it is to continue the investigation. Lieutenant McAdams and I have decided our next step should be to search Professor Vaslovik’s home and ‘toss the joint.’ “
Everyone regarded Data quizzically, except for Picard, who was slowly rubbing his forehead and staring at the tabletop.
“Have I mishandled the slang, Captain?”
“No, Data. It’s just … cultural illiteracy. No offense, Admiral.”
“None taken, Captain.”
“Mr. Data,” Picard said, “assemble an away team. I want you there too, Number One.”
“Aye, sir.”
“Dismissed,” Picard said.
Riker looked at Data and McAdams. “Transporter Room Three in ten minutes?”
Data nodded, and as everyone started to file out, Data turned to Barclay. “Would you join us as well, Lieutenant?”
Obviously still reeling from the day’s revelations, Barclay nodded. “Absolutely, Commander.”
Data found Rhea holding the turbolift for him. “Going my way?” she asked as he entered.
“I am going to Transporter Room Three. Is that not where you were going, too?”
“Well, yes. But the question