Headscratchers / Star Trek: Strange New Worlds S2E2 "Ad Astra Per Aspera"

• Why is the Starfleet Uniform Code of Justice presented in the form of a paper book that Neera has to ask for, rather than a searchable computer file? One could maybe imagine Neera obtaining a copy of the book to brandish during the trial for the theatrics of it, but it doesn't make sense for La'an to drag her a big fat book rather than hand her a PADD or, better yet, show her how to call up the code herself. For that matter, these are foundational Starfleet regulations we're talking about: as statute law, they're presumably accessible to the public. It's hardly some obscure, ancient code they had to dig up out of a dusty law library. Considering that Neera has "kept herself informed" of Una's case despite the proceedings being sealed, it seems very strange she wouldn't have been able to obtain a digital copy of the statute Una's being prosecuted under before even leaving her office.
  • Neera asks for library access when she first settles in. Presumably, she wanted the physical volume as a prop.
  • Presumably, the ship has a form of (what we would call now) secured wireless network for those onboard to use. As a civilian, she may have only have limited access once she was aboard, hence why she would ask La'an to bring her a copy (basically getting a copy on disk instead of opening a website with it written out). The paper copy, as previously stated, was just a prop for her big moment in the courtroom.
• If Una were an unaugmented Illyrian, would there be any issue? The trial is presented as her lying about being an Illyrian, but the problem is actually that her parents gave her genetic modifications. The Illyrians as a whole are stated to have been granted provisional Federation membership on condition of discontinuing genetic augmentations, so if her parents kept that, it seems Una would have been a Federation citizen in good standing.
  • There are really two issues at play. The first is being an illegal genetic augment, the second is lying on her application to Starfleet. Even if she was an unmodified Illyrian, if she put down "human" instead of "Illyrian," that's still illegal (though probably to a much lesser degree). Given the she lied about her species as part of concealing her nature as an illegal genetic augment, that's two crimes and both are probably increased in severity. It's a common tactic to charge a defendant with as many different crimes as possible, so even if they are acquitted on some counts you'll likely get them with something.