Stolen Enterprise PADDs

Multiple Personal Access Display Devices stolen from the USS Enterprise-D sit exposed in trays aboard Rasmussen's time vessel, alongside tricorders, medical equipment, Geordi's visor, and Ten Forward barware. Data identifies them at once upon entry, using their presence as proof of Rasmussen's theft. Rasmussen keeps them for transport back to the 22nd century, but the discovery corners him and triggers his desperate phaser draw.

3 appearances

Significance

Data spots these PADDs as the first clear clue of Rasmussen's looting, shattering his historian cover. They anchor the collection of pilfered tech that exposes his plan to claim 24th-century inventions—and Data himself—as his own, heightening Picard's timeline dilemma and the crew's resolve.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

3 moments

S5E9 · A Matter of Time

Data discovers Rasmussen’s stolen technology

The stolen PADDs (Personal Access Display Devices) are critical Enterprise technology that Rasmussen intended to ‘invent’ and sell in the 22nd century. Their presence in the exposed trays symbolizes his systematic raid on the ship’s digital infrastructure, as PADDs are essential for crew communication and data access. Data’s identification of these items exposes the scale of Rasmussen’s theft, as they are not just personal items but operational tools whose loss directly impacts the Enterprise’s mission. The PADDs’ functional importance makes them key evidence in Data’s confrontation, as they undermine Rasmussen’s historian act and reinforce the severity of his crimes.

Before: Stolen from the Enterprise and placed in Rasmussen’s collector trays, intended for resale as ‘portable computers’ in the 22nd century.

After: Remain in the trays but are now incriminating evidence. Their recovery by the Enterprise crew is implied, as Data prepares to expose Rasmussen.

View full event

S5E9 · A Matter of Time

Rasmussen’s True Intentions Exposed

The stolen PADDs (Personal Access Display Devices)—multiple slim, rectangular Enterprise tablets—lie exposed in Rasmussen’s trays, mixed with tricorders, medical equipment, and Geordi’s visor. These essential crew tools are now contraband, part of Rasmussen’s eclectic haul of 24th-century technology. Their sleek design and Enterprise insignia make them immediately recognizable as stolen property, and Data identifies them at once upon entering the pod. The PADDs’ practical value—for data access, communication, and ship operations—contrasts with Rasmussen’s frivolous intent: to pass them off as his own "inventions" in the 22nd century. Their theft represents a direct threat to the Enterprise’s efficiency, as crew members would be hampered without these devices. When Data calls them out, Rasmussen’s phaser draw reveals his panic at being exposed, while the PADDs’ presence damns his fraud.

Before: Functional and stolen: the PADDs are fully operational, removed from Enterprise crew members and placed in Rasmussen’s trays. Their screens and Enterprise branding are visible, confirming their origin.

After: Recoverable and incriminating: the PADDs remain in the trays, but their discovery by Data ensures they will be returned to the crew. Their theft highlights the scope of Rasmussen’s raid and the urgency of neutralizing him before he can escape with more stolen goods.

View full event

S5E9 · A Matter of Time

Rasmussen’s phaser fails exposing his desperation

The stolen PADDs (Personal Access Display Devices) are part of the incriminating haul of Enterprise technology arranged in Rasmussen’s collector trays. Data immediately recognizes them as property of the Enterprise, and their presence—alongside tricorders, medical equipment, and Geordi’s visor—confirms Rasmussen’s theft. The PADDs symbolize the breadth of Rasmussen’s avarice, as he has not merely stolen high-value items but has raided the Enterprise for anything of potential use in the 22nd century. Their inclusion in the trays serves as physical evidence of Rasmussen’s crimes, accelerating the unraveling of his lies.

Before: Functional and fully operational, stolen from the Enterprise and placed in Rasmussen’s collector trays aboard the time-pod. They are part of a larger collection of pilfered items, including tricorders, medical equipment, and Geordi’s visor.

After: Remain in the trays, now exposed as stolen property. Their discovery by Data ensures they will be reclaimed by the Enterprise crew, serving as evidence of Rasmussen’s theft. The PADDs’ status as contraband is confirmed, and their recovery becomes a priority for the crew.

View full event