Regarding Androids

Regarding Androids by Pope Torak title by Arales Bloodmoon(Me duh lol)

To: Starfleet Command

As per my instructions, I have conducted an extensive review of the work of Captain Bruce Maddox, as well as a complete review of the service records, and personal logs of Lieutenant Commander Data (Decd.). I have also conducted interviews with several of LCDR Data’s former shipmates and reviewed their testimony on his behalf.

Recommendations

As a result of my investigation, I feel compelled to make the following recommendations:

Henceforth no remaining Soong-type, or any future Maddox-type Androids, are to be assigned to serve on Federation Star Ships.

Henceforth no remaining Soong-type, or any future Maddox-type Androids, are to be assigned to serve on any Starbase with a crew of less than 200 individuals.

Henceforth no remaining Soong-type, or any future Maddox-type Androids, are to be assigned to serve on any Starbase, or Federation Outpost that is more than 48 hours (standard warp) away from a Star Base/Outpost.

Henceforth no remaining Soong-type, or any future Maddox-type Androids, are to be assigned to serve on any Starbase, or Federation Outpost within 24 hours of the border of Federation Space.

In addition to the exclusions above, I recommend immediate implementation of the following security procedures for any facility at which a Soong-type, or Maddox-type, Android does serve:

Permanent restriction to the rank of Ensign or below.

Prohibition of any Security Clearance above Delta-Two

Prohibition of any duty assignment that requires Command-Level access.

No unsupervised access to any sensitive area of the Starbase/Outpost.

Immediate two-step verification for all officers with Beta-One clearance or above.

Supporting Arguments

It is the opinion of this officer that the dangers posed by Soong-type, and Maddox-type Androids (herein Androids), are simply too great to allow continued service in their current capacity. While I fully support Starfleet’s previous findings that Androids are sentient beings, one cannot ignore the fact that Androids pose a unique threat to, not only Starfleet, but to the Federation itself. As the records show, on Stardate 44085.7, while serving aboard the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D, LCDR Data was able to, in a matter of mere minutes, seize control of the ship.

After initially altering ship’s course and speed without authorization, he then overrode the multiple independent safety functions of the ship’s Atmospheric Controls, causing the life-support for Deck 1 to operate in negative mode, making it uninhabitable for the rest of the crew. After the rest of the bridge crew was forced to evacuate, he established a perimeter of security force-fields around the Main Bridge.

Using his security authorization as ship’s Second Officer, he was able to disable all sub-space communications, and place the ship on auxiliary power. Then, using his ability to not only mimic, but to actually recreate voice patters, posed as the Captain to restrict computer access, and localize all command functions to his location on the Main Bridge.

Upon arriving at his destination, Terlina III, LCDR Data locked out computer access by establishing a 52 character security code, making it essentially impossible for anyone to regain control of the Federation’s Flagship.

While Captain Picard’s report of the incident makes it clear that LCDR Data was not acting on his own accord, and as such, bore no responsibility for his actions, it was this incident that served as the basis for my investigation, and the resulting recommendations.

That one individual could, so rapidly, and so completely, seize control of a Federation Star Ship is nearly unthinkable; the fact that it was the Enterprise makes even more so.

While in this instance, it is true that LCDR Data’s intentions were relatively benign, the fact remains that his abilities posed a dire threat, and to any who would argue that point I simply offer this: Imagine the result had his program ordered him to terminate life-support for the entire ship.

Captain Maddox has assured Starfleet that future Androids will possess no such homing program, but that does nothing to mitigate their danger. LCDR Data was unique, and therefore easy to “keep track of”, imagine the difficulty in keeping track of an entire production series of Androids.

Suppose one of them is captured by a hostile force? Imagine an entire fleet of Cardassian Androids, or Romulan, or Ferengi.

Summary

While I recognize the difficulties that my recommendations will place on Androids who chose to serve in Starfleet, I feel that they are a vital and necessary precaution, representing only the bare minimum of security protocols.

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