Spoilers for TNG S04E14 Clues
!The Enterprise encounters a planet inhabited by an isolationist species who uses a fake wormhole to knock people out so they can somehow mask their presence. OK, I'm with it so far.
This trap fails on Data who revives the crew and the aliens say they need to destroy the Enterprise to stop people finding out about them. Picard points out that if the Enterprise is destroyed Starfleet will come looking for them. Again, so far so good.
The aliens agree to let the crew live if they can wipe everyone's memory and order Data to never say what happened. This memory wipe takes 24 hours so they modify the computer records to make everyone think a day hasn't passed and they were actually out for 30 seconds. Then they do it again when the crew realises after finding some unforseen clues, so now at least 48 hours has passed. This is where it lost me.
I can understand them not realising straight away if they're in deep space and not communicating with Starfleet, but surely they're going to figure out their chronometer is 2 days off eventually and go back to try and figure out what went on?!<
I don't know how military trials are usually held in modern navies (where Star Trek obviously take ispiration from) but arranging Piker vs Picard is not only an asshole move (for the two, not only for Data) but also a clear conflict of interests and there's no way the judge gets a fair representation of both sides.
Also, this episode has a very good theme, but onestly falls flat for a very simple reason: Data is already a starfleet member, he presumably applied to starfleet academy, graduated and got enrolled on a ship. He is part of a crew, has had promotions and is capable of taking command. Doesn't that mean he is already recognized as a sentient being? Or do they give ranks to computers as well?
Yeah that's always been my issue, if he's property why did he go to officer school and hold command positions on multiple ships? It's absurd.