"That's largely how it's interpreted for civilizations that haven't achieved interstellar travel. Covert observation only. With civilizations that have interstellar abilities it gets more complicated. We try not to pressure them into compliance but given all the advantages we offer to Federation members there's unavoidable influence in those cases."

And how do you interpret that for universes in your computers, he wants to ask?

... but he's not going to say that.

"I'm sure you have a lot of people biting at the bit against the policy - both traders and altruists, just to start with... and if they're near someone outside the Federation, it'll only get more complicated; I don't see how anything like that could've been held to where I'm from."

"We have enough monitoring stations to track the movement of civilian ships through our space. At least at warp speed. Some Starfleet ships are equipped with systems to mask their warp signature but the technologies to do that are highly regulated and tend to be classified.

"There's still incidents that slip through the cracks though and sometimes Starfleet captains break the law and have to explain themselves to a board of inquiry. It doesn't happen often but it's one of the more common reasons for captains to be stripped of their rank and removed from Starfleet. Though just in general that doesn't happen very often."

Jerach nods thoughtfully.  "Not surprised Starfleet captains don't do it so often themselves.  Others, though..."

He shakes his head.  "Not that I'm thinking of doing it myself, at least until I get a much better picture of this Federation and I've talked with a lot more people aside from just you and walked around some cities or whatever you do here."

"It's a very old law and one that not everyone agrees with. And there are various exceptions some explicit in the law and more in the jurisprudence. You won't be particularly unusual if you end up opposed to it. Personally I don't have strong feelings toward either extreme but some of the ways people try to apply it get quite silly." 

He nods.  "Not surprised.  About you, or about the exceptions..."  Maybe he shouldn't have said that about her...?  Well, he guesses he'll see how she reacts to that.

"And what do the Federation's enemies think of that?  Oh, and - did you reach into my old universe to set up things like how we didn't have that rule?"

"Well they notice the exceptions so the mostly see us as hypocrites. Though they do also see it as a weakness to exploit and occasionally succeed at using it against us. As for your 'universe,'" her voice takes a slightly different tone when pronouncing the word, "It wasn't one of aspects I specified. Like I said I commissioned it from someone else and creative types get annoyed when you specify too much."

Jerach hadn't thought about using that term, and tries to hide his wince at her response.

"So... what now?  Sit and study and wait for the android body?  Or sit back and try to talk with people on the computer?"

"That's largely up to you. If there's people you want to talk to I can probably make that happen or if you want to take some time to yourself and do research that's fine too. I can also switch your current body to simulating what your new one will be like so you can get used to it. I have some compatibility layers written to make it feel more like you're used to but I'll leave it up to you how many of those you keep."

Jerach shivers.  It's a conscious act, but more consciously letting through his feelings.  "Please don't just leave me by myself here!  If this was a new planet, I'd be heading out soon as I could to see the city and talk with folks.  That's what I was doing in Alorica right before you grabbed me.

"Compatibility layers -" He frowns.  "Sure, why not?"