Fabula
Object
Object

Data's Time-Shift Device (Horseless Carriage Cover)

A sleek, futuristic machine housed in Data's quarters, initially presented to Samuel Clemens as a 'horseless carriage invention equipped with a time shift gearing system'—a cover story for its true purpose as a time-travel and temporal communication device. Clemens, upon inspection, immediately recognizes its advanced design as 'futuristic and infernal,' accusing Data of using it for time travel. The device becomes a focal point of scrutiny from Clemens, Guinan, Judge Truman Williams, and Ches Whitley, who suspect it of being a tool for timeline sabotage. Its anachronistic design (clashing with 19th-century surroundings) and Data's evasive handling during the confrontation fuel Clemens' outrage and accusations of introduced dangers. The device is mission-critical for the crew's temporal operations, enabling communication with the USS Enterprise and facilitating time shifts. Key Detail: The device is also referred to as a 'compact 24th-century transceiver' in some contexts, reinforcing its advanced nature.
3 appearances

Purpose

Enables time travel, disguised by Data as a horseless carriage gearing system

Significance

Serves as key evidence in Clemens' probe into the crew's temporal interference, heightening standoff tension and exposing the crew's high-stakes mission to preserve the future against 19th-century skepticism

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

3 moments
S6E1 · Time's Arrow, Part II
Clemens exposes Guinan’s fabricated identity

The time-shift device—or what remains of it—serves as the focal point of Clemens’ accusations, the 'infernal technology' he claims will harm the 19th century. Though physically intact (minus its stolen transceiver), its presence in Data’s room is damning evidence. Clemens circles it like a predator, his finger hovering near its gears as he demands an explanation. Data’s desperate rebranding of it as a 'horseless carriage' gearing system only fuels Clemens’ skepticism, as the device’s advanced design clashes violently with the era’s technological norms. The object’s role is twofold: as a MacGuffin driving the confrontation and as a symbol of anachronistic danger, embodying Clemens’ fear of progress and the crew’s desperation to conceal their origins.

Before: Partially dismantled (transceiver stolen), sitting in Data’s room as a half-functional prototype.
After: Physically unchanged but now explicitly labeled as 'infernal' by Clemens, its true nature nearly exposed.
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S6E1 · Time's Arrow, Part II
Clemens accuses Data of time-travel conspiracy

Data’s time-shift device is the central focus of Clemens’ accusations, though it is not physically interacted with during this confrontation. Clemens references it indirectly as 'this contraption' and 'your infernal technology,' framing it as proof of the crew’s time-traveling agenda. The device’s advanced design—clashing with the 19th-century setting—becomes a metaphor for the anachronistic threat Clemens perceives. Its implied presence drives the tension, as Data’s evasive explanation ('a horseless carriage') only fuels Clemens’ outrage.

Before: Housed in Data’s room, partially dismantled (missing its transceiver, stolen by Clemens earlier).
After: Still in Data’s room, damaged and non-functional, but its existence remains a point of contention.
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S6E1 · Time's Arrow, Part II
Guinan orders Clemens to leave

Data’s time-shift device is the focal point of Clemens’ accusations, serving as the physical manifestation of his fears about futuristic technology. Clemens circles the machine, his skepticism hardening into moral outrage as he declares it 'futuristic' and demands to know if it has 'something to do with time shifts.' Data deflects with the 'horseless carriage' cover story, but Clemens sees through the lie, calling it an 'infernal' contraption. The device’s advanced design—clashing with the 19th-century surroundings—fuels Clemens’ paranoia, making it a symbol of the crew’s hidden agenda. Its presence in the room is a ticking time bomb, as Clemens vows to expose it, threatening to derail the mission entirely.

Before: Intact but sabotaged (missing its transceiver assembly), sitting in Data’s room as a half-built invention. Its futuristic design is immediately recognizable to Clemens, who uses it as evidence against them.
After: Still sabotaged and in the room, but now explicitly tied to Clemens’ threat to expose the crew. The device’s condition remains unresolved, and its presence continues to implicate the crew in Clemens’ eyes.
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