Valued Intelligence Plot . William T . Riker is flying a World War II era plane when Data contacts him and tells him that the captain is expecting them . He saves the program as " Riker 1944 " , climbs out onto the wing and approaches the archway exit to the holodeck . They head to meet Picard who tells them that he wants them to visit Daystrom One , the Federation ' s new information archive . The engineers there are having issues with the artificial intelligence in charge of the installation . The artificial intelligence there is based on the same technology as Data ' s positronic brain , and the directors of the project hope that he can help . Data confirms that he was consulted during the design of the system . Upon their arrival , they are taken to meet Admiral Kebal and told that the aim of the project is " " create a secure archive of the accumulated knowledge of the Federation " " and that it is a prototype for more such facilities . The project manager , a Benzite named Mendock , tells them that they ' re using holodeck technology to create an extra - dimensional tesseract and that the AI began behaving erratically almost two weeks ago . An Andorian informs Data that they need his expertise to regain control and that Data is authorized to shut down the AI if that is required . Data expresses his reluctance , especially if it has achieved sentience . Riker and Data are then taken to the tesseract gateway to get into the archive , an area called the " data landscape " by the Bynar s . As Data and Riker take an access pod through the archive , they discuss what they might do if the AI has , indeed , achieved sentience . Their discussion is interrupted by the sight of what appears to be a large crystal . Data checks the schematics and manifests and can find nothing like it whatsoever . As they change course , the structure changes course to match them . They extend the pod ' s arm and the structure explodes , destroying the arm and knocking the pod about wildly . They get back on course and encounter several more mines are quickly detected . A strange humming noise comes into range , they discover that they are caught in a tractor beam . Back on board the , Reginald Barclay brings some unusual sensor readings to Geordi La Forge ' s attention and speculates that it might be some sort of subspace communication carrier wave due to the fact that it is too unnatural and irregular . He has had no luck in decoding or translating it though . La Forge contacts Picard and informs him of the find . Picard , worried that they ' re in secure Federation territory and that they ' ve found an unfamiliar encrypted signal , has Worf give them access to the Starfleet Intelligence encryption database . Inside the archive , a second tractor beam locks onto Data and Riker ' s pod and begins dragging them in range of the two craft . They discover that all communication has been cut off inside the archive due to the nature of the tesseract . They quickly plan to use the damaged arm of the pod and direct power through it so that it will disrupt the tractor beam once they approach close enough . It works and they turn and begin to head back toward the entrance . On the " Enterprise " , La Forge races onto the bridge and informs the captain that they ' ve decrypted the signals and that " " whoever they are , they ' re after Data . " " He continues on , noting that Barclay had managed to trace the transmissions to a spot in stationary orbit . " " Romulan s , " " is Picard ' s immediate response . He thinks for a minute and has Worf fire a volley of photon torpedo es near where the vessel should be . As they explode , a warbird shimmers into view , its cloaking device disrupted . Inside the archive , Riker and Data are now being fired upon by disruptor s , obviously with the intent to stop the pod ' s progress rather than destroy it . They appear to have two choices , continue with their escape , or turn back and engage the enemy , neither of which are appealing . Data suggests hitting one of the craft into a data transmission beams with their own pod , and indicates that it might knock out the other craft ' s propulsion . Riker likes the idea , comparing it to bumper cars and proceeds to do just that , ramming one of the other craft , and its engines fail entirely . Data and Riker hurry to the gateway . Riker report to Picard that security captured four Romulans inside the tesseract , and Picard lets him know that the warbird made a swift departure on its discovery . It appears that the Romulans were trying to make the station staff think that the archive had gained sentience in order to draw the " Enterprise " there . A transmission from the fleeing Romulan craft comes in , and it is Tomalak . Picard tells him that he thought Tomalak better than a mere kidnapper . Tomalak retorts that the Federation isn ' t above such tactics and mentions their acquisition of the Romulan cloaking device . He notes that it was a worthy effort and that Picard cannot begrudge them wanting such a wondrous gift as the android , one that the Federation is not taking full advantage of . Later on , Riker and Data discuss their interrupted conversation inside the tesseract with Riker apologizing for his comments if he ' d offended Data . Data responds that he knows that Riker would have acted in the most appropriate manner . Memorable quotes . " " Sir ? May I ask a question ? " " " " I would be disappointed if you didn ' t . " " " " Is it not incongruous to find relaxation in a simulation of war ? " " " " It ' s not the war I find appealing , but the romance : A man in control of his destiny , fighting for what he believes , one battle at a time . Life these days , Mr . Data , is " rarely " that simple . " " " " Don ' t make this so personal . " " " " As I am not technically a person , I shall try not to sir . " " " " Doesn ' t this thing have phasers or anything ? " " " " Think of where we are commander . This is for all intents and purposes little more than a turbolift . Equipping it with armaments did not likely seem a priority . After all . . . who would have expected they would be needed ? " "