Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994): Season 2, Episode 9 - The Measure of a Man - full transcript

Captain's log, stardate 42523.7

We are en route to the new
Starbase 173 for port call.

Crew rotation is scheduled

and we will off-load
experiment modules.

That's my chair. My luck is lousy
unless I start on the dealer's right.

- That seems to be superstition.
- Experience teaches me it's a truth.

The game is five-card stud,
nothing wild, ante up.

This game is very simple.

With only 52 cards,
21 of which I will see,

and five players, there are
limited winning combinations.

There's more to this than the cards.



Of course. The bets indicate
the strength of each hand.

Time to pluck a pigeon!

Five.

I'm in.

l, too.

Call.

A seven and a six, the ace.

- I bet ten.
- See that.

Call.

Fold.

Yeah, me too. I'm out.

Someone needs to stop Clearway Law.
Public shouldn't leave reviews for lawyers.

I bet five.

Same.



Your five. And five.

Too rich for me.

No help.

I bet... ten.

Your ten and ten.

Is that what is known
as a "poker face"?

Playing or not?

I fold.

- You had nothing!
- He bluffed you, Data.

It makes little sense
to bet if you cannot win.

I did win. I was betting
that you wouldn't call.

- How could you tell?
- Instinct, Data.

The game is seven card high/low
with a buy on the last card.

And just to add interest,
the man with the axe takes all.

My God!

Phillipa Louvois.
And back in uniform.

It's been ten years, but seeing you
again like this makes it seem 50.

If we were alone,
know what I'd like to do?

- Bust a chair across my teeth?
- After that.

Ain't love wonderful?

Space, the final frontier.

These are the voyages
of the Starship Enterprise.

Its continuing mission,
to explore strange new worlds,...

..to seek out new life
and new civilizations,...

..to boldly go
where no one has gone before.

So, ... what are you doing out here?

I am in charge of the 23rd Sector
JAG office. We're brand new.

I have no staff,
but one terrified little ensign.

Hopefully we can make
some good law here.

Anything is possible.
So you came back to Starfleet?

The most worthwhile place to be.

- You had no reason to leave.
- They forced me out.

No. That was
your own damn stubborn pride.

When I prosecuted you in the
court martial, I was doing my job.

You did more than that,
you enjoyed it.

Not true. A court martial is standard
procedure when a ship is lost.

It was my duty
as a Judge Advocate General.

You enjoy the adversarial process
more than getting at the truth.

I hope you've learned
a little wisdom along the way.

You know, I never thought
I would say this, ...

..but it's good to see you again.

It brings a sense of
order and stability to my universe

to know that
you're still a pompous ass.

And a damn sexy man.

Capt Picard?

- Admiral.
- Capt Louvois. You know Capt Picard?

Yes. We're old... friends.
Excuse me.

Picard, call me.
You can buy me dinner.

Captain, good to see you again.

- May I introduce Cmdr Bruce Maddox?
- Commander.

He has an interesting proposal,

but it can wait.
I'm eager to see the Enterprise.

Yes, sir. This way.

Admiral on the bridge.

I'm surprised at the decision to put
a base so close to the Neutral Zone.

We've had disturbing news
from both sides of the Zone.

We're here to respond when needed.

And it won't hurt to have
the Romulans know that we're nearby.

I thank you for this opportunity.

For 500 years, every vessel
named Enterprise has become a legend.

This one is no different.

Admiral.

Yes. Captain, Cmdr Maddox
is here to work on your android.

Please take care of him.

How have you been, Data?

My condition does not alter
with time, Commander.

You two are acquainted?

I evaluated Data
when it applied to the Academy.

And was the sole committee member
to oppose my entrance,

because I was not a sentient being.

What exactly will this work entail?

I am going to disassemble Data.

Alright, explain this procedure.

Ever since I saw Data at the entrance
evaluation at Starfleet Academy,

I've wanted to understand it.

I became a student of the works
of Dr Noonien Soong, Data's creator,

and I've tried to continue his work.

I believe
I am close to a breakthrough

that will enable me
to duplicate Dr Soong's work

and... replicate this.

But as a first step,
I must disassemble and study it.

Data is going to be my guide.

It sounds intriguing.

- How will you proceed?
- I'll run a full diagnostic on Data,

evaluate its current software,

then dump its core memory
into the starbase computer

and begin a detailed analysis
of its construction.

You've constructed
a positronic brain?

Yes.

You know how the electron resistance

across the neural filaments
can be resolved?

Not precisely.

That would seem
a necessary first step.

I am confident I will find the answer

once I examine the filament links
in your anterior cortex.

If the answer is not forthcoming,

your model will not function.

I do not anticipate any problems.

You seem a little vague on specifics.

What are the risks to Cmdr Data?

Negligible.

Captain, I believe his basic research
lacks the specifics necessary

to support an experiment
of this magnitude.

Cmdr Data is a valued member
of my bridge crew.

Based on what I've heard,

I cannot allow Cmdr Data
to submit himself to this experiment.

I was afraid this might be
your attitude, Captain.

Starfleet's transfer orders,

separating Cmdr Data from
the Enterprise and reassigning it

to Starbase 173 under my command.

Data, I will see you in my office
tomorrow at 0900 hours.

Come.

You sent for me, sir.

Data, please sit down.

Well, we have a problem.

I am in complete agreement
with that assessment, sir.

Your service to this ship
has been exemplary.

I don't want to lose you.

I will not submit
to the procedure, sir.

I understand your objections.

But I have to consider
Starfleet's interests.

What if Cmdr Maddox is correct,

that it is possible many more beings
like yourself could be constructed?

Sir, Lt La Forge's eyes are
far superior to human eyes. True?

Then why are not
all human officers required

to have their eyes replaced
with cybernetic implants?

I see.

It is precisely
because I am not human.

That will be all, Mr Data.

Computer,
pull all relevant information

regarding Starfleet regulations
on the transfer of officers.

Working.

My God, twice in as many days.

- I need your help.
- An historic moment.

I have tried to make sense
of this gobbledegook,

but it's beyond me. The fact is,
my android officer, Data,

is being transferred compulsorily
to be part of a dangerous,

ill-conceived experiment.
I want it stopped.

He can refuse to undergo
the procedure, but not the transfer.

Once this Maddox has...
got control of Data,

anything could happen.
I don't trust that man.

We agree to certain risks
when we join Starfleet.

Yes. Acceptable risks,
justified risks.

But I can't accept this.
It's unfair. He has rights.

All this passion over a machine?

Don't start.

This is important to me.

Is there an option?

There is always an option.

He can resign.

I see.

So you came to me for help?

Yes. I came to you. You're
the JAG officer for this sector.

- I had no choice but to come to you.
- Wait.

I didn't mean it that way.

I'm glad you felt you could...
well, come to me.

The word "trust" just
isn't in your vocabulary, is it?

- Good try. Top marks for effort.
- I wish things were different.

I wish I could believe that.

"When in disgrace
with fortune and men's eyes,

I all alone
be weep my outcast state."

Is it just words to you?
Or do you fathom the meaning?

Is it not customary to ask permission
to enter an individual's quarters?

I thought that we could talk,
that I could try to... persuade you.

Your memories and knowledge
will remain intact.

Reduced to
the mere facts of the events.

The substance, the flavour
of the moment, could be lost.

Take games of chance.

- Games of chance?
- Yes.

I had read and absorbed every
treatise and book on the subject.

I was well prepared
for the experience.

Yet, when I finally played poker,

I discovered that the reality
bore little resemblance to the rules.

And the point being?

I believe it is possible to download
information from a positronic brain,

but I do not believe you can preserve
the essence of those experiences.

There is an ineffable quality
to memory

which I do not believe
can survive your procedure.

"Ineffable quality..."

I had rather
we had done this together.

But one way or the other, we are
doing it. You are under my command.

No, sir, I am not under yours,
nor anyone else's command.

- I have resigned from Starfleet.
- Resigned?

You can't resign.

I regret the decision, but I must.

I am the culmination
of one man's dream.

This is not ego or vanity,
but when Dr Soong created me,

he added to
the substance of the universe.

lf, by your experiments,
I am destroyed,

something unique,
something wonderful will be lost.

I cannot permit that.

I must protect his dream.

And so must I.

But keep packing, because one way
or the other you will be reporting.

Captain's log, supplemental.

Cmdr Bruce Maddox, thwarted
by Data's abrupt resignation,

is now seeking a legal remedy
for his woes.

Capt Louvois has requested
my presence at those discussions.

Your response
is emotional and irrational.

You endow Data with human attributes
because it looks human. It is not.

If it were a box on wheels
I would not face this opposition.

Overt sentimentality is not one of
Capt Picard's failings, trust me.

I will tell you again,
Data is a valued member of my crew,

an outstanding bridge officer.

If I am permitted
to make this experiment,

our horizons become boundless.

Consider, every ship in Starfleet
with a Data on board.

Utilizing
its extraordinary capabilities,

our hands and eyes
in dangerous situations...

You're preaching to the choir here.
Get to the point.

Data must not be allowed to resign.

Data is a Starfleet officer
with certain rights.

I'm sick to death
of hearing about rights!

What about my right not to have my
life's work subverted by ignorance?

We have laws. You cannot experiment
with people to prove your theories.

- Thank you.
- Now you're doing it.

Data is an extraordinary piece
of engineering, but it is a machine.

If you permit it to resign, it will
destroy years of work in robotics.

Starfleet need not
allow the resignation.

Commander, who do you think
you work for?

Starfleet does not ignore
its own regulations

when they become inconvenient. Like
it or not, Data does have rights.

Let me put it another way.

Would you permit the Enterprise
computer to refuse a refit?

That's an interesting point.
But the computer is property.

- Is Data?
- Of course.

There may be law to support this.

Then find it. A ruling with such
broad implications must be supported.

I hope you will use the same zeal

that you did
in the Stargazer court martial.

Data, you're supposed
to rip the wrapping off.

With the application
of a little care, Wes,

the paper can be utilized again.

You're missing the point.

The Dream of the Fire
by K'Ratak. Thank you, Worf.

With the Klingons, the novel
attained its full stature.

I couldn't disagree more. We'll save
that argument for another day.

Excuse me, please.

Is something wrong?

Of course there is.
You're going away.

No one regrets
that necessity more than I.

You do understand my reasons?

Sure, I understand.

I just don't like you
being forced out. It's not fair.

As Dr Pulaski would no doubt
remind us, life is rarely fair.

Sorry, that doesn't
make it any better.

I shall miss you, Geordi.

Me, too.

Take care of yourself, Data.

I have completed my research,

based on the Acts of Cumberland
passed in the early 21st century.

Data is the property of Starfleet.

He cannot resign or refuse
to cooperate with Cmdr Maddox.

- What if I challenge this ruling?
- Then we must hold a hearing.

- I so challenge. Convene a hearing.
- Captain, that would be difficult.

This is a new base, I have no staff.

But surely you have regulations
to take care of such an eventuality.

There are. I can use
serving officers as legal counsel.

You, as senior officer, would defend.

Very good.

The unenviable task of prosecuting
would be yours, Commander,

as the next most senior officer
on the ship.

I can't. I won't. Data is my comrade.
We have served together.

I not only respect him,
I consider him my friend.

When people of good conscience
have an honest dispute,

we must still sometimes resort to
such an adversarial system.

You want me to prove Data is a mere
machine. I can't. I don't believe it.

I know better.
I'm neither qualified nor willing.

You'll have to find someone else.

Then I rule summarily
based on my findings.

Data is a toaster. Have him report to
Cmdr Maddox for experimental refit.

I see.
I have no choice but to agree.

Good. And I expect you
to do your duty in court.

If I find you are not doing your
best, I will end this then and there.

You don't have
to remind us of our duty.

You just...

..remember yours.

I have never forgotten it.

Not then and certainly not now.

Come.

Data, Capt Louvois
has issued a ruling.

You are the property of Starfleet
Command. You cannot resign.

I see. From limitless options
I am reduced to none.

Or rather, one. I hope Cmdr Maddox
is more capable than it appears.

Data, don't submit.
We're going to fight this.

I challenged the ruling. Capt Louvois
will be compelled to hold a hearing.

She may be overly attached
to the letter of the law,

but I suspect
she still understands its spirit.

We will put to rest any question of
your legal status once and for all.

I have been asked to represent you,
but if you prefer another officer...

Captain, I have complete confidence
in your ability to represent me.

Computer, identify Riker, William T.

Access code, theta alpha 2737,
blue, enable.

Riker, William T, identified.
Ready.

Access all available
technical schematics

on Lt Cmdr Data.

Working.

This hearing,
convened on stardate 42527.4,

is to determine the legal status
of the android, Data.

The Judge Advocate General
has rendered a finding of property,

the defence has challenged.
Cmdr Riker?

Your Honour, there is one issue,
one relevant piece of evidence.

I call Lt Cmdr Data.

Verify. Lt Cmdr Data.

Current assignment, USS Enterprise.

- Starfleet Command decoration...
- We'll stipulate to all of this.

Objection, Your Honour.

I want this read. All of it.

Sustained.

.. Valour and Gallantry,
Medal of Honour with Clusters,

Legion of Honour, the Star Cross.

Proceed, Commander.

- Commander, what are you?
- An android.

Which is...?

Webster's 24th Century Dictionary
Fifth Edition defines an android

as an automaton
made to resemble a human being.

"Automaton." "Made." By whom?

- Sir?
- Who built you, Commander?

Dr Noonian Soong.

- He was...?
- The foremost cybernetics authority.

More basic than that. What was he?

Human?

Thank you.

What is your memory capacity and
how fast can you access information?

I have an ultimate storage capacity
is 800 quadrillion bits.

My total linear speed has been rated
at 60 trillion operations per second.

Your Honour, I offer prosecution's
exhibit A, a rod of par-steel,

tensile strength, 40 kilobars.

- Commander, can you bend that?
- Objection!

Many life forms possess
mega-strength. This is not relevant.

I can't agree, Captain.
Proceed with your demonstration.

Drawing on the construction log
of the prototype android, Lore,

also made by Noonian Soong,
I request to be allowed...

..to remove Data's hand
for inspection.

Objection!

It doesn't matter.

Objection withdrawn.

Proceed, Commander.

I'm sorry.

The Commander is a physical
representation of a dream,

an idea conceived of
by the mind of a man.

Its purpose is to serve
human needs and interests.

It's a collection of neural nets
and heuristic algorithms.

Its response is dictated by
elaborate software written by a man,

its hardware built by a man.
And now...

Now a man will shut it off.

Pinocchio is broken.
Its strings have been cut.

I request a recess.

Granted.

Do you mean
his argument was that good?

His presentation was devastating.
He almost convinced me.

You've got the harder argument.

By his own admission,
Data is a machine.

That's true.

You're worried about
what will happen to him?

I've had to send people
on far more dangerous missions.

Then this should work out fine.

Maddox could get lucky and create
an army of Datas, all very valuable.

- Yes, no doubt.
- He's proved his value to you.

In ways that I cannot
even begin to calculate.

And now he's about to be
ruled the property of Starfleet.

That should increase his value.

In what way?

In the history of many worlds

there have always been
disposable creatures.

They do the dirty work.

Work that no one else wants to do,
because it's too hard, too hazardous.

With an army of Datas,
all disposable,

you don't have to think about their
welfare, or about how they feel.

Whole generations
of disposable people.

You're talking about slavery.

I think that's a little harsh.

I don't think that's harsh,
I think that's the truth.

A truth that
we have obscured behind...

..a comfortable, easy euphemism.

"Property."

But that's not the issue
at all, is it?

Cmdr Riker has dramatically
demonstrated to this court

that Lt Cmdr Data is a machine.

Do we deny that? No.
Because it is not relevant.

We too are machines.
Just machines of a different type.

Cmdr Riker has also reminded us

that Lt Cmdr Data
was created by a human.

Do we deny that? No.
Again it is not relevant.

Children are made from the building
blocks of their parents' DNA.

Are they property?

I call Lt Cmdr Data to the stand.

- What are these?
- My medals.

Why do you pack them?
What purpose have they?

I do not know, sir. I suppose none.

I just wanted them. Is that vanity?

- And this?
- A gift from you, sir.

You value it?

- Yes, sir.
- Why?

It is a reminder of
friendship and service.

And this? You have no other
portraits of crew members.

Why this person?

I would prefer not to answer
that question, sir. I gave my word.

In the circumstances,
I don't think Tasha would mind.

She was special to me, sir.

We were...

..intimate.

Thank you, Commander. I have no
further questions for this witness.

Cmdr Riker, do you want to cross?

I have no questions, Your Honour.

Thank you. You may step down.

I call to the stand Cmdr Bruce Maddox
as a hostile witness.

Verify. Maddox, Bruce, Commander.

Current assignment, Associate Chair
of Robotics, Technological Institute.

- Major papers...
- Yes, he's an expert. Commander,

is your contention that
Lt Cmdr Data is not a sentient being

and thus not entitled
to all the rights

reserved for all life forms
in this Federation?

Data is not sentient, no.

Would you enlighten us?
What is required for sentience?

Intelligence,
self-awareness, consciousness.

Prove to the court I am sentient.

This is absurd!
We all know you're sentient.

So I am sentient
but Cmdr Data is not?

- That's right.
- Why?

- Why am I sentient?
- Well, you are self-aware.

That's your second criterion.

Let's deal with the first,
intelligence.

- Is Cmdr Data intelligent?
- Yes.

It has the ability
to learn and understand and to...

- ..cope with new situations.
- Like this hearing?

Yes.

What about self-awareness? What
does it mean? Why am I self-aware?

Because you are conscious
of your existence and actions,

you are aware of yourself
and your own ego.

Cmdr Data, what are you doing now?

Taking part in a hearing
to determine my rights and status.

- Am I a person or property?
- And what's at stake?

My right to choose.
Perhaps my very life.

"My rights."

"My status." "My right to choose."

"My life."

It seems reasonably self-aware to me.

Commander?

I'm waiting.

This is exceedingly difficult.

Do you like Cmdr Data?

I don't know it well enough
to... like or dislike it.

- But you admire him?
- Yes.

- It is an extraordinary piece of...
- Engineering, programming, you said.

You have devoted your life
to the study of cybernetics?

Yes.

- And Cmdr Data in particular?
- Yes.

- Now you propose to dismantle him.
- To learn from it and make more.

- How many more?
- As many as are needed.

Hundreds, thousands if necessary.

There is no limit.

A single Data - and forgive me,
Commander - is a curiosity.

A wonder, even.
But thousands of Datas...

Isn't that becoming...

..a race?

And won't we be judged
by how we treat that race?

Now tell me, Commander,
what is Data?

- I don't understand.
- What is he?

- A machine.
- Are you sure?

- Yes.
- He met two criteria for sentience.

What if he met the third?
Consciousness. What is he then?

I don't know. Do you?

That's the question
you have to answer.

A courtroom is a crucible
where we burn away irrelevancies

until we are left with
a pure product, truth, for all time.

Sooner or later,
this man or others like him

will succeed
in replicating Cmdr Data.

The decision you reach today will
determine how we will regard this...

..creation of our genius.

It will reveal what people are,
what he is destined to be.

It will reach beyond this courtroom
and this one android.

It could red