The Bonds Of Family And Friends Season 5 Part I: The Game

by BazzCatgirl03

The events of the game have left an added side effect as the senior staff of the enterprise realizes when they find out that Wesley Crusher, has pushed himself to the point of collapse. As they dig into it they realize there's more than involved then they thought and it involved a piece of Picard's past and one that has now turned it sights on Wesley. Alternate of season 5

4. 4: Fatigue And Physical Recoveries

The Bonds Of Friends And Family

Disclaimers: The characters don't belong to me, the story belongs tome and every else belongs to the movie company and the creator.

Chapter 4: Decoy Attempts, Fatigue And Sickbay Improvising

"We dealt with the alternate version of our ship and our doubles six months prior to your leaving Wesley. Just like when we had an alternate reality get started, because Tasha and her crew on the C ended up in our reality now. So our version is the way we know them to be and her's are the version that we encountered, or are just drones, but it's started a second time now."

"The alternate version of you hated the captain, because your father was gone, and from the way he explained it to me, and Dr. Crusher, after we were discussing this on the bridge last year ah the time. It's she hated you because you're a reminder of everything she lost. And to him, everything he took away from her, Etana just pulled that out of the bag, time to reverse it now."

"If she's trying something like this we got to get to the inner them by showing the care and concern. The mirror image reality is dangerous, ours was more clean, cut and caring and she just brought out their alter egos by use of a computer game." he said and sighed as he finished that.

"Data time to activate her, you said you downloaded Lal into the mainframe after you put her into your head. It's time to activate her now, and as we decided in emergency situations was the computer programming to be used and it's turned into that now at the moment right now. So no other option but to turn her on now." Wesley said to him and his tone firmed up at that as he answered him gently at that.

"Yes I see what you're saying, I'm jacking it to what the sextet, Guinan and Chief O'Brien would normally say now. But to them the only option is by my sounding like them when they're like themselves. So standby I'm doing it now." he said as he heard him say it to the computer then. "Alright, computer, this is Lieutenant Commander Data, initiate alpha security code clearance one."

"With the rest of the senior staff compromised, I'm hereby activating senior authority. And Wesley Crusher is hereby under my orders, you will listen only to him and Dr. Katherine Pulaski, if she arrives in the next two hours. As I'm running voice gimmicks control of the ship now. Repeat our security code is 12354329876521 Alpha, 3254653765 tango." he said to the computer then as he listened to the computer as it said it then.

"Understood Commander Data, alpha code clearance one verified." it said and Wesley nodded as he went further as his tone shifted. "My daughter it's time to reactivate you now, and you're taking control of the entire mainframe as of now." he added as he heard a gentle female voice answer him at that. "Yes father, I understand, what's my programming now?" She asked and he hid a smile at that.

As he switched to Picard's voice then and Wesley smiled as he said it to the computer. "Computer, lock out the compromised members of the ship. Lieutenant Commander Data is taking control of the ship by standing orders, you will listen only to him, Wesley Crusher or Dr. Katherine Pulaski, if she shows up, this is Captain Jean Luc Picard, security clearance alpha two."

"Enter security code: 173467321476, Charlie, 3278977743, Tango, 732, Victor, 731888734767897643376, lock. Over ride all orders given to you on the bridge and the engine room. All security verification by Commander Riker, Lieutenant Commander La Forge and Lieutenant Worf, Dr. Crusher and Counselor Troi, are here by blocked out of the computer. I'm hereby compromised physically."

"We've been boarded by our alter egos, metaphorically and lead by Etana Lol. Though this isn't like the situation last year when we had the mirror, dark image of us appearing and trying to take our places. We've been exposed to technology that starts affecting us till it brings out our alter egos. The entire adult crew, aside from Wesley Crusher, has been exposed to this technology."

"She's turned me into my alter ego and with me, the rest of the crew. All of the crew from ages eighteen and up have been turned into our alter egos by her. So all orders to be given to you are to be given by Ensign Crusher only. And lock down all pathways from shuttle bay 2 and most direct route to the medical lab. Until I'm free of the conditioning by Etana Lol, do not listen to my orders." he said in a perfect imitation and the computer answered him at that.

"Affirmative Captain Picard, orders are given and received and awaiting for your specific orders now." It said and he smiled at that as he said it, knowing that this was really going to aggravate her as he did each member. "Computer, the same is said for me, Commander: Riker, William T, I'm giving the exact same orders, until I'm free of Etana Lol's influence, don't listen to me." Data said in a perfect imitation of Will's voice and he grinned as he heard the computer respond to that.

"Yes Commander, I am awaiting for orders now." it said and he smiled. "Computer until I'm free of her influence, lock me out of the engineering console and with me, my team. I'm letting Wesley Crusher have total control of the computer and until I'm free of her influence, I'm standing down." he said in Geordi's voice and it answered to him too. "Affirmative Commander La Forge." it said, before he did it five more times with every member the young man was close too.

As he smiled in anticipation at this as he got ready to give the orders. "Alright Wesley, security is set and rigged, until I'm done setting this trap for her. In the case of the ship, she's got their alter egos stranded and locked out of the computer. But the time limit is 90 minutes and an added hour till that dose wears off until we break the conditioning on them from her after that." He said to him and Wesley nodded as he gave the orders as he said it firmly then.

"Data, I'm now getting mental comms from the others, it's like they're trying to fight past her trying to keep them suppressed." he said and his tone went firm. "Your training is causing that Wes, you're focusing on what they taught you. and by doing that and staying focused. You're focusing on their voices when they're like themselves

"Security systems protocols activating in five, four, three, two, one..., Programme Crusher One." he snapped out and it sounded the alarm then. "Holodeck activity in holodecks 4, 5, and 6, repeat, Holodeck activity in rooms 4, 5, and 6." the ucomputer sounded the alarm as the alarms in every part of the ship started going crazy then and he quickly hid in the JP-5 Jeffries tubes then smiling as he waited for the pandemonium to hit them on the bridge, the search teams and engine room crew.

Waiting he heard several shouts coming over the tricorder as he froze in the Jeffries tubes as he heard the commotion come over his tricorder at that in shock. "Hey whoa, what the hell going on here, every system is going crazy right now?! Commander La Forge what the hell's going on here, the system was working fine a minute ago. It's been hijacked by remote, I can't work anything here?" he heard over the noise as he heard the same shout from five different people.

As the music he remembered when the Nanites hijacked the mainframe started playing over the radio he heard several shouts break out over the tricorder. "What in heavens name is that?!" he heard Picard shout over the music as he heard a secondary shout as the lights starts started going on and off he looked out the door to see the the entire system going crazy and then saw shields drop and smiled in satisfaction.

"Sir, did you change your orders, because all the shields are down?" he heard Greyson shout over the noise at that as he heard Picard say it in shock at the news. "No I didn't, computer re-enable the shields." he snapped out and he heard the computer answer to that primly. "Until you are no longer your alter ego, I will not listen to you or any of your command staff, Captain Picard." it said and that did it for them. "Computer, re-enable the shields now!" Will shouted over the noise.

"Until you are no longer your alter ego, I will not comply Commander Riker." it said and he smiled as he heard Will over ride their voices as he shouted out at that and over the noise to Geordi. "La Forge what the hell's going on, the shields are down and my access codes not working?" he snapped, before he could answer they heard the alarms start blaring as he repeated that question over the noise.

"Whoa, what the hell is going on here, La Forge what's causing the system and alarms to go berserk right now?" he heard Will shout over the radio in shock. "The holodecks on three different decks have all been activated at the same time. In fact the entire systems gone crazy. I'm trying to work it out, but it's not working Commander Riker?" he shouted over the noise and Will shouted back to him.

"What happened, what did you do, the consoles not working and everything has gone berserk." he snapped and he heard Geordi shout back to him over the noise at that."I didn't do anything Commander, someone has take control by remote..., That's not me, it's him. He's taken control of the ship now and did it by remote, but it's not the auto destruct Sir, he's jumped past the first two decisions."

"Choice one was shooting to kill, choice two was setting the auto destruct, choice was by beaming over and attacking her head on all three of those choice result in the expansion. He just realized this and created a knew option. Damn it, I forgot this, in a no winner there are always options, but there weren't two options to make or even three right now at the moment, Sirs, in fact."

"There were four, this one didn't have two choices to make, or even three, but there were four. He's knows that the first two are going to get him caught and arrested by us, and trying to take her on results in the same thing, so he created one. Choice four was the safest option in his eyes and he's just pulled it now at the moment, first the decoy tactics and a scavenger hunt."

"This keeps and it's leading into a case of misdirection and letting the security see him. That's the first half of it and it was by stealth and decoy attempts, but choice number four was by turning this into some sort of hunt down. And then by over riding our control of the entire computer mainframe. Whatever reason he chose now to yank that card it's been made clear now."

"Everything that he's using right now wasn't in his training and is just a 'make it up as I go' ploy right now at the moment, in fact. He knows he's likely going to get captured by storming both the bridge or the engine room and did this by remote now." he told him and Picard said it for him over the noise as he smiled in satisfaction as he listened to the irritated tone in his voice.

"So to him, we're our alter egos from that mirror image reality we encountered, and he's ordered the computer to not follow our orders till we're free of her influence?" he heard from his mother and Geordi answered that firmly as he heard a firm sigh. "Yes that's it exactly Dr. Crusher, to the computer we've been hijacked by our alter egos, and he's the only who hasn't, and with him possibly Data."

"So until we're not acting like our alter egos, the computer will not listen to us." he said and clearly hearing the furious tone in Picard, he answered that with a growl, knowing she was now furious at the news he just gave her at that. "Well turn it off and get back control, La Forge." he snapped and Geordi answered that firmly. "I can't Sir, he's locked me out of the computer, it's by an old search issue here."

"But the security code clearance has been sped up and the number of permutations is going to take hours to break, until I do. But with the Jeffries tubes and the shields down, he's got free rein, but until whatever countdown over. In fact he's just reversed this in from what we've done now previously. By us trying to corral him so we can catch him, he's just reversed the effect."

"And with the fact he's got free rein of the computer system, he's in charge and the computer will only listen to him right now. So with everything I try, he's going to counteract it till whoever he's expecting shows up. And she gets arrested and us with her now, though that's not if he's continuing this. So whatever time he has on this timer he set gives out, we're locked out of the mainframe and he's in control now of the entire ship's computer."

"Crusher was a technical genius and science and computer expert, he's clearly capable of over riding our control of the ship. And insuring we have no way to find him and he's getting passed our security codes and everything else. To him we're the dangerous ones and he's insuring we, and Etana, are locked out of the computer and the entire system till he decides to end it by himself."

"If he's doing this, he's expecting someone to show up to help him and we have no way to get to them next. Because to the computer they're a friend and aside from him, Ensign Lefler and possibly Data. Their, to the computer, are the computer's friend and to it everyone else is the foe. We lost control of the ship now and every turbolift and transporter system is locked out."

"So our search teams looking for him are stuck with using the entrance tunnels to track him down now." he said to him and Wesley smiled with a smirk at that. 'Alright Etana lets see you get passed that now. To the computer, your drones are now the foe and Data, Robin and I are the friend. Yes I'm a technological whiz kid, but you don't know me in that the way you think, I'm perfectly capable of vanishing right off the screen without being seen now." he said to her smiling dangerously as he finished.

As his tone loaded with concern and aggravation as he said it then. "He's circumventing the security by whatever computer program he created here and it's over riding my commands into the computer. In fact he's locked it to some sort of countdown and the computer is only listening to him now as a result, we lost control of the computer and the engines. We're stuck right now Sir, commander, and..." he started to say and then his tone turned shocked.

"Jeez, Captain we got Holodeck activity in three different holodecks here and the alarm is going crazy at the moment, it's in holodecks 4, 5, and 6 and the alarm has gone off in all three of them." He heard from Geordi in shock and a different voice said it in amazement then. "Whoa, that's incredible, how could there activity in three different holodecks, how could he do that exactly anyway?"

"Because he'd have to jump three different levels just to get past us and we'd catch him, before he got to the next?!" he heard a voice say in shock and he swallowed at the voice. "MacGregor, you're new and you have no clue how I think. Maybe you should leave this to the big boys pal. And you're just a rookie here, their veterans, they know me." he said and waited to hear from Picard then as Will answered that.

"Because he's figuring out a different route to get passed us, and this was something we trained him in, but to get by unseen he's doing it by stealth, without his communicator it's tracking him by the equipemt and his playing around with it." he said and Picard finished that remark. "Alright teams one, two and three split up, I want to know what these latest images are playing back."

"He's got to be circumventing security by finding different route to get passed us, the next room he enters is going to let us know, so just wait for it and guard the spots to make sure he can't get out." he said and Wesley smiled. "You're right I am, but how long is this game going to go on for, before you realize this Etana huh. It's been an hour and up to 75 minute now. Just give it up and quit." he said with a smirk.

Before he came into the hall then, before he heard a shout. "Alright Crusher, freeze!" he heard and turned to look to see Greyson and Perkins come charging down the hall as he quickly took off in the other direction. "Computer activate forcefield on deck 25 section 52." he said as he heard a second call out then. "Commander we got him, Crusher hold it right there!" he heard from the first team leader as he took the added loop.

"Activate security field on section 54!" He called out and he left and then headed for the entry tubes. "Computer, deactivate fields on 54 and 52, now!" he called out as he heard a set of pounding feet and the loud thunks as the two groups crashed into each other, before he heard a third loud thunk against the door of the entry tube he'd gone into, as he heard a firm buzzing on the outside of the door then as he activated the locks.

'Oh boy, I caused one collision with the quartet and I get seen by the leader of the third group and I managed to escape, before they could stop me from closing the door. Uh uh, you're not taking me alive now Etana, this wasn't part of the training scenario back then. It's not going to work now and you're not catching me that quickly.' he thought as he said it firmly to the duo on the other side of the door as he fused the locks shut.

"Whoever you are, you better try harder, because I'm not surrendering." he said firmly and heard the answering voice then. "Kid you keep this up and someone's going to get hurt, and you're in no condition for this. So pull it over already." he heard and then heard a difference voice answer him. "Who are you exactly?" he asked him and then heard a voice out of his worst memories then at that as he heard the voice of his kidnapper.

"Kid that's enough of this already." he said and Wesley quickly locked the door at the voice then. "You stay the hell away from me you bastard. If you're related to Radue, than just get the hell away from me, I'm not going back." he snapped as he heard a struggle in the hall at that as he heard a gentle thud against the door. "Son calm down." he heard from another voice gently as he snapped it out second time as he backed into the wall.

"No just get the hell away from me, keep him away from me, whoever you are." he snapped backed. "No I'm not going back, not again, dad." he said softly, before he heard a thud at that and knew whoever did it just figured out why he panicked then as he heard them snap it out at that. "Aw crap, MacGregor, just get the hell out of here, I know that tone, he's scared of you, get out of here." he heard from a voice at that sharply.

"Going back, what is he talking about?" he heard from the first voice and he heard firm thud against the wall on the other side of the door. And knew that whoever did that just shoved the other man against the wall and knew their paternal instincts just activated. "It means you just brought back another god damn memory from some trauma he had a few years back. And you're scaring him, you idiot, get the hell out of here."

"And you really are a god damned idiot aren't you, you been here less than five months and those kids are scared of you, and evidently he is too. Just get the hell out of here, he doesn't you, but he knows us, now move it, get out of here." he said from a different voice. "You trying to scare him, get out of the way, you god damn idiot!" he heard from a third voice saying in anger and knew they figured out why he locked the door.

Feeling himself shaking, as he heard Will's voice respond to his fear immediately at that. 'Easy son, shh, it's okay, calm down, I know you're afraid of him, it's okay just relax, it's okay.' he said and Wesley thought it back to him then, as he felt himself shaking. 'Dad, I'm still having those nightmares, regarding my kidnapping. I need you still, if he's working for Radue, or worse is his relative and here to get the sextet and me now to bring us back to Aldea, it's enough I'm not being taken alive, in fact.'

'Its still enough I need you protecting me with mom.' he thought and knew they were going to get this then as he heard his voice answer that. 'Don't worry son, if he's working for him and causes anymore damage to you and I swear he's ended up behind bars when I get through with him later. Just try to relax and focus, you still have to deal with this, the mission isn't over yet.' he said to him gently and Wesley nodded as he heard a gentle tap on the door from the other side of it.

"Go away, I'm not coming out, so forget about it." he said as he heard the voice of the man who let MacGregor have it, say it to him gently. "Easy son, calm down, he's gone, we got rid him." he heard from the voice. "Either way I'm not coming out, those doors are locked into the entire system, you're stuck with taking main corridors now, starting now. If you wanted to make your job harder now, it just worked right now."

"With him involved, he just made your job even worse right now, rule 1: you want to catch your target, leave the ones that have a connection to said target and their worst memories out of the search. Because they're only going to make your job harder than it is already and with that in mind right now. I don't care if he's not out there with you right now, so long as he's involved in the search and you're compromised, it won't work."

"Because I'm not surrendering." he said, feeling himself shaking from fear at that. "Wes, it's me, it's okay, just calm down, he's gone, we got rid of him, it's okay. But this has gone on long enough right now and at the moment you're in no condition for this." he heard from the leader gently as he said it. "When as yourselves it's one thing, but programmed no, and with him around, forget it, I'm not coming out, go away."

" If he's working for Radue, I'm not going back, and this is too much right now in addition to it. I know you're not yourselves right now and with it is the fact I know why you're trying to arrest me, but you've already screwed up three times. And he's just made your job even harder than it is already, because of it. So trying to get to me like this is not going to work." he said and he heard a gentle thunk on the door at that.

And knew the leader of the third team tapped on the door, as he activated the interlocks then a second time. "Son that's enough of this already, time to pull it over, before you do any further damage. Now stop already now, come on now. That's enough of this." he heard him say through the door. "Porter, forget about it, I'm not surrendering and if you want me you're going to have to chase me down, because I'm not giving in right now."

"You think I don't know your plans, because I know you better than you know yourselves and this is not going to work. So give it your best shot guys, the games are just beginning." he said and he sighed in silent relief then. "And for the record I know that's her doing to the talking in your voices. So try all you want, I'm not giving in right now. You've been programmed and that thing is never getting off this ship."

"I know you better than you know yourselves in training. But you're forgetting several things in training and you arrived after the catalyst for the decoys was here. So tell Greyson to work harder in trying to remember that catalyst." he added as he knew the man had tried to head off his escaping through the tunnels as he went up two decks. "Wes, Wesley answer me, come on." he heard from the other man gently then.

As he heard a thunk against the door he was standing at and knew that the man was ticked off. "Damn it, what now?" he heard as he two floors below them. "Report to Greyson, he's not going to like this, of the six of us, he took it seriously with him during training and MacGregor just screwed up our search so badly we lost one way to catch him and have to do this the hard way." he heard in the next remark, as he activated his tricorder as he heard the three groups go into conversation then.

"Nice touch on decoys, but I wasn't expecting the system to start going on and off like that, you alright?" he heard from Greyson and heard the other guard answer him in annoyance. "That wasn't a mistake he did that on purpose, to make this game more interesting right now. Commander, we lost him, he's gone into the entry tubes and I have no clue where he's coming out next right now."

"Bates, I just missed catching him as he was going into the entry tubes, where he's heading to next, get ready." he heard from the third leader then and knew they nodded. "Anything else right now at the moment?" Greyson asked him and he heard a sigh. "We've got to get MacGregor out of the search, because the second he heard his voice he panicked and locked the door into the entry tunnels."

"Hearing mine was enough to calm him down, but he's still not surrendering right now. I got into conversation with him through the door and he locked that door and fused the interlocks shut from his side of the door. So no getting into the entry tube tunnels, and I think that's how he's getting around right now without being seen at the moment, as to why right now."

"He's using the access tunnels to get around right now, but whatever this is, it's got a repeated pattern running through it at the moment. And with that his tone was that of a teenage scientist, he's not giving up right at the moment lieutenant. So we had our chance to catch him, before he escaped and locked the door. But that's one spot blocked, so no getting into the tunnels."

"Though I don't doubt this is about to get worse, his tone sounded worn out and with it, it's going on 1130 hours at night and he's running on fumes right now. That maybe our chance to catch him now, because he's going to give into his hunger and make an appearance and when he does that's our window." The guard's team mate said and he knew he nodded as he hid a smile.

"Computer activate the cascade fields at thirty second intervals, to point them in the direction of my decoy and deprogramming spots." he said as he heard his team mate answer him in annoyance. "Whatever it might be, I don't doubt if he deactivated the field then he's about..." he heard him say as he heard a buzz followed by a pained shout. "Ow, damn it, what the hell, alright young man, that's enough of this already!" he heard and heard Greyson say it to him over the radio.

"What happened Ensign Peterson?" he asked and he heard it gently, hearing the gentle, but annoyed answer as Eric Porter's team mate answered him as he said it. "I just ran into the forcefield, I'm not getting further than five steps, and it's because they're deactivating and reactivating every few seconds. He's got it on a certain delay just to keep us busy right now and I think it's part of his plan."

"Anybody else getting stopped repeatedly here, with the forcefield going on and off right now?" he heard from the third team duo. "What the hell, alright young man that's enough of this already. Just pull it over and give it up!" he heard from Greyson as he said it firmly. "Sirs, he's screwing around with the forcefield we're stuck and whatever he's trying to do it's getting out of hand here."

"I think this is to..., he's pointing us in the direction of his latest distractions right now, Commander." he heard from the first team leader and then heard Greyson answer him. "Bates you check the second, I've got the third one, Porter you've got the first one. I've got a feeling this is part of his attempt to keep us busy now with him now out of reach and those tunnels are like a maze."

"So trying to find him is next to impossible without the communicator right now. Though at the rate this is gong if he's still working on the sextet to break the conditioning, it's we're next along with the engine crew team he's friends with. But then it's I'm making sure if I find him he doesn't get hurt or hurt himself if the, whatever injury it is, lays him out finally." he heard from Greyson then as he remembered his reaction to Danar at the time and his trying to protect him.

As he went to Danar's strategy of playing with the Jeffries tube terminals and leave a phaser in two of the three as he reached the first and checked the time then as he activated the simulated over load on the first and moved forward as he went to the second and checked that one and left a second in it, before he reached the third and stopped for ten minutes as he started playing with the system's then.

As he moved forward and checked the terminal he sighed in relief. 'It's been ninety minutes, we just have to keep this up a little longer now.' he thought as he fiddled with the terminal and placed a phaser inside it and then left as he walked further up. As he waited for the call back and then the minute later he got it. "Sirs I found the next decoy, this one is focused on when you and him were in a fencing match captain, you're both in the fencing gear and from the looks of here."

"Looks like the two of you, but you're in a fencing tournament you set up at the time and the quartet were in the room with you and him, watching as you were sparring. But the look on your face was happiness at his ability at a skill you both loved and a proud mentor look. I'm seeing the proud look in your eyes as you're watching him spar with whoever was in the third fencing uniform."

"And before you swapped places with the person he was fighting." Jack Bates said and he heard a sigh at that as Picard answered him. "Just before he left for the academy, he started joining me in there as we started fencing at the time and this became a regular routine for us when he was sixteen." he said and Wesley heard the pain in his tone at that as he heard another voice answer him.

"Well ours happens to be his graduation party when you promoted him, Captain. This may have been just before he graduated and left for the academy." Porter said and he knew Will ran his hand through his hair as he went for the next question. "What's the third exactly, because if he's got these images flashing up in the holodecks and the gym, and he's done the four of us."

"Alright, so that leaves Counselor Troi and Dr. Crusher?" he asked and Greyson said it with a touch of concern as he answered him and he knew this was going to do it."It's an alternating image of him with his mother and him. And one of a man that looks like an older version of him and he looks like he's five years old and they're on a camping trip, possibly in Canada or Alaska on earth."

"And the other was when he was with Counselor Troi after her son was born. But that's all of you right now Commander. Every decoy is trying to flash up either good memories or the ones that hurt the most right now, Sir. Whatever reason for this is, is enough he's acting like a psychologist in deprogramming and choosing these things." he said and he knew Will nodded as he answered him.

"Alright if he's trying to force us into remembering these things, it's clear that's he's not only very rational, it's he's trying to get to us and break down our composure right now. Indoctrination deprogramming and he's bringing back every memory he can think of that hitting us this hard. But at the moment if he's completely focused, than he's not letting us catch him till the last minute of whatever plan he has in mind here, because he's going by stealth."

"He's also not showing up on the heat sensors either and with that is hiding in plain sight at the moment but if he's hanging around he's got to show himself soon enough and when he does keep him from going anywhere else. Because that cocktail isn't going to last much longer and he's going to collapse, but if this has a pattern to it we have to find it. And before he gets anymore reckless than this in his behavior now as well." he said to them and he hid a smile at that.

'Alright time to back track to throw them off my trail.' he thought as he suddenly heard the announcement over his tricorder then as he thought it with an amused look at this. 'This is getting ridiculous right now, alright time to double back and check on them, before I head for the cargo bay now.' he thought smiling as he went further up then and heard the conversation then as he heard the aggravation in Geordi's voice then.

"Sir, I just detected another pulse in his trail, it's coming from JP-5, Section C. I think he's going into the Jeffries tubes." he heard and they exchanged looks at the news then at that remark."Alright Lieutenant Bates, you and your team precede there and let me know what you find." he heard Will say and hid a smile as he headed for the cargobay and started screwing around in there, before he got the response he wanted, knowing this was getting them closer and closer to it.

"Terminal activity, cargo bay 6 on deck 15." Geordi said and he knew Picard nodded. "He's doubled back on us right now, captain!" Will said to him over the radio and he smiled at the reaction. "Cargo bay 6, he's doubled back to the cargo bays, he's trying to get out that way. Lieutenant Greyson you and your team head for Cargo bay 6." he said and heard Greyson answer him at that.

"Aye Sir, we're on our way." he said and then heard Geordi's remark at the fact he slipped by them that many times then as he said it. "If he was trying to pull an attack from JP-5. He's likely to come out somewhere, but at the moment he's getting reckless right now at the moment Captain. I don't believe this, he's bouncing from spot to spot here, and is keeping this going in circles."

"Sir, if he's getting this reckless in his actions, we're going to have to knock him out now, Captain Picard. Because we're coming up on 1 hour and 45 minutes and that possible cocktail is not going to last longer than three hours if this keeps up. We have to end this before he collapses out of exhaustion right now." he heard Geordi say and knew he nodded as he answered him as he said it then.

"Alright we're going to sedation here right now, flood the room with anesthezine." he heard Picard say and he quickly pulled on a pressure suit and mask at that as he saw the gas come pouring into the room. "Jeez, alright this really did turn into a repeat now, come on guys, you ought to remember this now. This is turning into one many too close calls right now at the moment, you've tried ten times to catch me."

"Etana, you're never going to win, I remember everything regarding Roga, so this game is not ending yet right now. You're not catching me that quickly Captain, the games aren't over yet right now." he said in answer to that. After he waited for the sedative to air out of the room he heard Picard say it then. "Security team, move in now." he said and he quickly hid under a pile of boxes in the room and waited quietly.

"Sir there's no one in here right now. We've been decoyed again." he heard the guard say. 'Porter, alright that's two, that just leaves Bates, come on guys, you know this, if I'm not standing in plain sight, I have to be hiding underneath something.' he said to him mentally and as he tried to keep from laughing at that as he waited then, before hearing the door shut as he got up and moved to the terminal then to finish up.

As he stood up he heard a false explosion and smiled. "Explosion in Jeffries tube T-95!" he heard Picard call out and he could hear the anger in his voice then. "Security check the transmitter in that tube right now." he heard as the lights went out then as he heard someone running and fifteen minutes later he heard a sigh of relief. "That's a negative explosion, captain, repeat negative explosion in tube tunnel T-95."

"It's another decoy attempt, that phaser was on the simulated overload, same as the last one and the Anbo Jysitsu staffs in the gym. It's meant to lead us away from whoever he's hiding right now." he heard the man say and he heard a sigh of agonized relief at that as he heard the programmed voice of his captain say it in relief, but firmness at that, his tone turning stern as he said it.

"Alright that's enough of this already, you find him, and make sure he can't get try anything else. Because we're coming up on 1145 hours and at the rate this is going. If he never got the chance to eat anything he's going to be running on fumes right now, and is going to slip up. So the minute he does and you hear any noise from where he's hiding, catch him." he heard from Picard at the news.

"Thank god for my survival training, I was hiding beneath bushes, up in trees or just in caves the entire time the thirteen were looking for me during the stealth test last year. And that training is coming along nicely now, though..., I should have have had the chance to create my survival kits if this goes on longer than necessary. And hopefully it doesn't last longer then the entire three days we talked about at the moment."

"Or by the time they do come after me, I won't be able to focus anymore after that. Though if that's her next plan they're tracing back the route I took in this one and it's making sure I never get off the ship now. But if you want to go two out of three, just give it your best shot Etana, because you're never going to win this. And not when they're themselves, they know me way too well here." he said with a sigh as he finished.

"Well Worf definitely forgot this, otherwise he'd be in the room when I did this now, but he forgot this now." He said, as he quickly rewired it, put his next phaser into it, activated the transporter and teleported out of the room. 'Well psyche outs, disappearing acts, decoy attempts and three other things. This keeps up and she's getting a bit too desperate to catch me now at the moment." he thought as he ended up in the tubes.

Before back tracking a third time to the engine room as he listened to the conversation knowing these repeated techniques were beginning to aggravate her now as he heard the conversation. "Terminal activity, cargo bay 6 on deck 15." he heard from Geordi followed by Picard's response to that. "Security teams precede to deck six cargobay." he said and they waited, before they heard an aggravated sigh.

"We've been decoyed again and I just found a phaser sitting inside this terminal. Whatever this pattern is, its turning into a scavenger hunt and it's getting annoying right now, Sirs." they heard from Greyson and they exchanged annoyed looks at that remark. "I don't believe this, he should have been asleep when we did that!" he heard from Robin and they sighed as Will answered her at that remark.

"There's a box of environmental protection suits in the middle of the room, he must have put one on." he told her as he hid a smile. 'Alright time to tie this up, I've just got to leave a trail of breadcrumbs here and let them get so aggravated that the chess game hasn't ended.' he thought as he moved up one deck and started playing with the controls. Left the third inside it and then headed down three halls and left the fourth.

After giving it another 30 minutes he stopped finally to take a break. "This is getting ridiculous, I have no clue how long that dose is going to last, it's been nearly two hours now since I got under cover and five, since I figured it out. Lovely, in simulation, this test would be three to four hours, she just jacked it up to twice that." he said just as another spasm hit him and he fell to the floor as he slumped to the floor in exhaustion and pain.

"No not now please not now, I can't take this right now, stop." he said through the pain as he struggled to fight through it then. "No, no damn it, not now, I can't afford this right now." he said through the pain as he remembered Will's remark. Reflecting back to the day they got the engine working and when they were all suffering from that virus and were in the path of a meteor, he heard Will's voice echo those same words then.

Four years earlier when they'd met and he'd been working at getting the system back up and running while Will was supervising him in the engine room at the time, as he remembered his remark. 'No, no damn it, I can't afford to get this now.' he heard him say and nodded in agreement as he sighed at that. 'I'm just like him now, I turned into a nineteen year old version of him. Don't worry dad, I'm doing whatever it takes now.' he thought to him softly as he then heard his voice answer him.

'Its working Wesley, the conditioning in me is beginning to give, our bonds are beginning to shove their way forward. And it's the same for the quintet, I know you're exhausted at the moment, but you have to keep this up a bit longer, just hang in there son, don't quit, we're almost there. But don't give up, you have to keep going now. You're still behind enemy lines, and the Calvary is coming.'

"You just have to wait a little longer and then it'll all be over, just keep going cub. Remember everything I taught you, and it's time to push her into making the last fatal mistake. It's time to end this, just hang in there cub.' he said and Wesley nodded with a gentle sigh. "She didn't give me enough time to prepare for this, I have no food, no water, no medical supplies, I'm not going to last without those."

"Dad my energy levels are being sapped, I can't keep this up. Your alter egos are blocking off every public area that is possible to get anything to sustain me. I need back up, I can't keep this up, not without someone to watch my back, I'm running on fumes right now. How am I supposed to get my recharge when she caught me in the act finally, she doesn't understand human anatomy to understand what she's seeing right now."

"Through your eyes, she thinks I'm on drugs, it's not drugs, I'm in caffeine withdrawal, I need that recharge, or I'm not going to make it right now." he said weakly as he sat down on the floor to rest then shaking as he tried to control the jolt of fatigue that shot through him as he heard him answer him. 'Yes you can, you did a few times before, you can't give up now, just hang in there a little longer, son listen to me.'

'Like before when we had to deal with the knack, it forced you to keep going, but Pulaski is on her way here and Data is just about done with the cure. Just hang in there another ninety minutes and then it'll all be over. Better yet restart the clock and you can get your recharge and the supplies needed. She may not understand what it is you're doing but once we freed, we'll get the message.'

'And act accordingly regarding this, but you have to get to your quarters with sickbay in her hands. Come on son, it's okay, I know you're exhausted, but remember your training in this, if the opponent never gave you enough time to prepare, go to backs up. Sickbay is in her hands and your mother is an M.D., so what else right now, cub you have to get back to your quarters to recover.'

'Wes, if the need arises you're going to have to reset that clock on this test, you're in another version of your survival and stealth training. So with that, if they're cutting off a route to your supplies, through the main corridor as the Turbolifts are in her hands, what direction do you go now. Because you've been jumping deck floors the last five hours now?" he asked and Wesley nodded softly.

"Create a diversion and use the Jeffries tubes to get into my apartment, and create my survival kits. But if the opponent is blocking one way take a different route, but stay out of sight." he said and he heard him answer him gently. 'Yes exactly, just treat this like the game, to get past them go a different route, but don't give up, you have time to do this. Hang in there son, don't quit on me, just hang in there.' he heard his voice say to him softly and he nodded as he stood up then as he answered him.

'I will Sir, I will get you back, no matter what.' he said in answer to that. 'Sir I still need you, I wasn't ready to just leave home, I still need you like I always have." he said softly and he heard him answer him gently. 'Don't worry son, you're not going to lose me, just finish this, and then once we hear why you look like this you're staying home. I'm not leaving you, I promise cub, I promise.' his voice said softly and he nodded as he left that spot and kept moving forward as he climbed back into the shaft.

"Ten forward and the lounge are out, I can't go that way and they're watching for intruders in Sickbay, I know if I go in there, I'm going to get caught. How am I'm going to get something to eat, I'm running on fumes here. Damn it, if I had enough time to think this out I'd have packed an emergency kit, but I don't, not right now. I need rest and food, I need a chance to rest." he said, slumping against the wall as he said it.

"My survival training, the commander had me on the holodeck for a week and I was on a camping and survival mission. In case I got stuck on a planet, but I created nearly a month's worth of supplies, medical equipment of the 20th century in first aid kits and fresh water, and stashed them in five different spots all around the holodeck. Damn it, why didn't I get enough time to do this, I could have created a supply kit."

"And several added batches of food, damn it, alright we have to reset the clock now, it's been five hours on the go and if this is what the narrator was thinking in that story, I can relate. I need back up if I have any chance of finishing this right now, but this is getting ridiculous here right now at the moment." he thought tiredly then as he said it to Data as he changed channels in his tricorder so he could call him then.

"Data how's it going in there?" he asked and he heard a relieved tone then as he answered him. "I'm done Wes, how are you right now?" he asked and Wesley sighed as he said it to him. "I'm exhausted but, I'm trying to keep them busy a little longer, if Pulaski is arriving now get ready, because they're taking back control in one hour. How long has it been, because I'm beginning to run on fumes right now. Though if it's that the exhaustion just combined with the caffeine withdrawal."

And the early symptoms of hypoglycemia at the moment, than I'm too exhausted to keep going right now. But I can't get caught, not now, Data during my training, the commander had me on a survival training mission if I got stranded on a planet. And I created a kit with a week's worth of food and water, but I created six more to work that out in the holodeck, which gave me enough for three weeks during training at the time."

"With her just throwing this at me, I never had enough time to create my kits, food, water, medical supplies, and camping equipment. I never had the chance to make it, and I'm running on fumes right now, what now exactly. I can't go out into the open or they're going to catch me, I try to sneak into my apartment or sickbay. And it's the exact same thing, because she ordered them to arrest me the second I go in there."

"Whatever amount of energy I had left before I came home she's draining it all, we keep this up any longer I'm in bed for a week after this. If this is what the soldiers behind enemy lines had to deal with, I can sympathize right now. I'm starving and I'm exhausted, I can't keep this up, not alone, I need back up." he said and, knowing he heard the strained tone in his voice at the exertion, he heard a concerned tone at that.

"The hypoglycemia is making it harder to focus, as is the fatigue, I can't do this without a recharge and they're blocking my only way back to my apartment. I'm starving, I'm exhausted, whatever way I choose to do this, and he said they're blocking any conceivable route to my apartment by the main corridors. And I can't walk out there without getting caught and arrested now with the fact they've got every spot blocked."

"Data after this is done, you have to tell mom I need to stay home, if I was at 3/4's strength, she's draining every ounce of energy I have. In fact, by the end of this, I'm going to have nothing left. And between this and whatever happens next if this situation isn't over by a long shot at the moment, than I'm going to be home for anywhere from six months to a year after this. But here's the low down now at the moment."

"If I have to class this it's like the narrator of the story based off that first person shooter and he got thrown into enemy lines as he going after his friend. And it's dodging the alien security patrols, and he had to improvise in this, and I'm doing the same thing too at the moment, but I'm running on fumes at the moment. But if I don't get something to eat and a chance to rest, I'm not going to last." he added and that did it finally then.

As he practically heard his friend's thoughts then, he knew the parent in him had taken control completely at that. As he heard a furious mutter break out over the radio, he knew he was ready to kill her for putting him in the condition he was then as he answered him. "I understand Wesley and believe me she's getting neutralized for this when we get through with her at the moment, to answer your first question. It's been 45 minutes exactly from the time we set the computer."

"And it's been two hours since the chase began right now, Wesley stay awake. I know you're exhausted, but you have to stay awake right now we're almost there. Just hang in there, don't stop, just keep moving right now, listen to me, the side effects of that cocktail I created for you just gave out now. But to make it you need to eat and rest and give yourself the second dose, but you have to stay undercover." he said and Wesley sighed at that as he answered him.

"Data we have to reset the clock, I need time, because if we have any chance of pulling this off, it's when I'm clear headed and I can focus. I'm on the edge of falling asleep here, I'm also starving, without a time extension, we're not going to make it right now. To put this bluntly it's in reverse of the game, that 1st person shooter now, in that storyline the narrator was only on the go for 6 to 7 hours. And his team mate was three times that and she was so exhausted that they were swapping off in shifts in that."

"Robin is currently incapacitated at the moment, I've been on the go even longer than she has and the added side effects of whatever's in those pills just hit me again. If I don't get some real food in my body and a chance to rest for a couple hours, I'm not going to last. I've been been in recovery for just under a week since I came home, that's not enough time and she pushes me into this when I'm just beginning to recover from it. But this just went too far, I was taking it slow this entire time, before this started."

"This is one interruption, if there's a second it's I'm home for six months to a year. But I'm not going to last much longer right now, if I don't have a chance to stop and rest." he said weakly, and hearing the exhausted tone in his voice, he quickly answered him, as he injected a gentle tone into his voice. "Wesley, Wes, stay awake, just hang in there, you're in control of the computer you have to tell it to reset the clock."

"Wesley focus, stay with me, listen to me, don't use the syringe, it just gave you the nutrients to last you and enough energy to pull it this far. But you have to take a break, reset the clock on the lockout, and take a break. Just head somewhere where they're not going to find you, get something to eat and and some gear so you can rest in the tunnels. Just take the next couple hours to refresh yourself now." he said and Wesley nodded as he said it to him tiredly at that.

"The tunnels are shielded, so you can be anywhere and she's never find you now. But to keep from suffering hypoglycemia, eat some something that has a lot of sugar and then use the syringe. That's going to keep you going till eat a real meal and then rest for three hours and then start a second time." Data told him and he nodded to the orders as he answered him as he said it to him.

"I have a stash of two types my favorite candy bars in my closet, and they're all king sized as well, so I can eat one of those and then use it, or just ransack mom's medical stores in our apartment and use hers. Before I load up and then..., that's it, I can go to my survival training on the holodeck, take with you only what you can carry and then return for the others later." he said as he leaned forward and finished his sentence.

"How long has this gone on exactly, I lost track of time, because I've gone through six spots to ten spots in this and dodging the security teams. It's like dodging the monster patrols and zombies on that game, and I've been on the go for six hours, since the scenario started and I need a chance to rest now. But I can't stay put for long, or they're going to catch me, because they yanked out the medical alert for this in order to do it."

"But these guys are trying several different ways to find me, medical alert of an escaped patient in the eyes of a medical department. But so she can get to me next, and she's blocking off any route to the shuttles or ten forward and blocking off my only route to get something to eat. I can't go into the public areas or right out into open, or they're going to catch me. How am I supposed to get what I need to take a break."

"At the moment I'm too exhausted to think straight, and if they realized that I'm in the Jeffries tubes right now they're now checking them out. I'm not going to last long if they're scavenging them out. I need a back door to get out of here right now." he said to him softly and he heard Data answer him gently as he said it to him then. "It's been two hours since they tried to ambush you in the engine room earlier."

"And two more since you figured it out Wes, but with the fact you missed dinner and getting something to eat. It's time to back track now, she never gave you enough time to prepare for this, and instead you got throw feet first into this. But to put this in another anology of that century's games and stories now, it's that you just encountered the enemy troops of the mastermind now."

"And it's a matter of survival now and you're trying to get to exit and get off the moon, just like that story you told me about. This is the same thing, prevent the foothold from landing itself on earth, if this was the video game of that first person shooter. It's you're going to have to improvise and create your own supply kit, like he did, just instead of the added weapons, create a survival kit."

"Wesley listen to me carefully, get back to your quarters and get to the replicator, just get something to eat. And there's just enough time for you to revitalize yourself, before this switches courses. With everyone too busy trying to take back control of the computer right now, you have time. With the Jeffries tube tunnel system, you could be anywhere and they'd never find you."

"Remember your survival skills, think of this as your survival training if you got stranded on a planet, and go from there, so you can work this out. But the ship is the size of a small town and the holodeck was big enough for you to train in there when it came to camping and survival training, just do what you did then. Create an emergency kit and enough food and water for two days."

"Did your mother keep a familial medical supply of equipment while you were growing up when she was taking care of you, before we met?" he asked and Wesley nodded. "Yeah she did, everything is in her office in our apartment at the moment in fact. What are you suggesting, that I ransack my mother's medicine cabinet and office to create that survival kit, food and medical supplies and act like the narrator did until 'she' arrives at the moment?" he asked and he heard him answer that gently.