The Bonds Of Family And Friends

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

Warnings: This story is going to be alternate reality from the end of this episode and forward, as what if the game had far reaching consequences than they were expecting and as time went on the bonds between him and the sextet had deepened even further, as this reaches season seven and his future.

If he'd been part of the enterprise for a following few months and the repeated traumas effect him enough he's choosing to stay longer. But in this story Journey's End to Nemesis never happens and the stories leading into Nemesis never happen and he, the O'briens, Riker, Worf and Deanna never transfer off the enterprise as they stay with the crew and Starfleet after things end.

All characters named that were not in the show, are members of the un-named members of the crew in each episode, but the ones named the most are part of the engineering crew and Geordi's team and the ones Wesley spent the most time with. Aside from a guest appearance from the duo in 'The Naked Now.', and the duo that are his age, next to Robin Lefler.

For this chapter there's going to be an alteration in chapter sequences, before they get him in sickbay. As they deal with the jealousy that Hanson is showing and the quartet's training in that. As things continues in the case of training here with Pulaski and Kyle Riker on board the ship. And as the security switched courses, before the conclusions end with finding their mole on board.

Chapter 9: Medical Theory, Friendship And Bendii Syndrome Side Effects

"I don't believe this, what was that he just pulled with the computer mainframe exactly and when did he put it into the computer?" the young acting ensign asked and Geordi explained that to him. "I created it the week before Willie ended up in the E.R., and Soong hijacked the ship Derek, but the captain ordered that he it got out among you and Rick and they were getting thrown off the ship for it." Wesley said and Geordi finished it.

"That program that was used after Lal passed and Serek was board the ship, it was a security over ride we had inputted into the computers. Just after we had the homing beacon in Data hijack the ship last year, the added finishing touches to it were done after your friends lost their chance to continue. To answer your second question he did it after you and your parents left the room at the time, while we were talking it over."

"Knowing you and your friends were going to keep up with this nickname you're calling him, he waited till you out of earshot to give it to us and the added back up plans. Commander is he okay?" he asked and Wesley looked at him and shook his head. 'I'm wiped out dad, I'm not going anywhere for a while right now.' he said to him softly and Will sighed as he got the remark as he was too exhausted to get up then.

Looking up at him as he answered him. "What strength he had before this started at the moment this morning. I think she just drained it all by that flight through the ship after the epinephrine cocktail quit finally. Though back tracking three times is going to do it every time here too. And he's so worn out he's not going anywhere for a while till he gets the next dose, though I'm guessing that's what this hypospray syringe was for."

" To keep him from passing out from exhaustion, I know we sometimes went to general stimulants to stay awake. But that's possibly why he didn't want to risk it, before eating something, but taking them on an empty stomach is going too far right now. And I know for a fact he didn't have access to a food replicator to get something to eat." he said and Wesley answered him as he said it to him at that remark as he looked at him.

"Right after getting into transporter room 3, I ended up at your quarters, took the next dose and ate something. Just after wrapping my ankle, but that one was meant to be the decoy dose, making her think that's the only one I had, when I created 28. In both versions last night, but seven packs and six stops here last night and this morning." he said and Will finished his explanation to them at that statement as he said it.

"But then he didn't need one with the fact he created those bags and if the first two were stashed in the Jeffries tubes after she caught up to him finally. Than he had lunch and a snack in one of our quarters, before we found him a second time. But he ate first, took that with the painkillers and anti-inflammatories. Before he left wherever in our rooms he was hiding and as to why he did it at the time, he was running on fumes a bit ago."

"Before he did this at the moment, though with the fact he possibly sprained his ankle in the landing and he's down for the count. Because he's too exhausted to get out of that chair for the time being." he told him and he nodded to that firmly as the quartet exchanged looks. "God I swear he keeps this up, I'm going to have a heart attack." Beverly said and he nodded in agreement to that remark as he looked at her at that.

"Mom at this rate, it's best if we do this medical check up tomorrow, because the added side effects with all of you being exposed for a week." he told her and she sighed. "In your case, once I do yours, you're sleeping this latest dose off and I'm not kidding right now. If I have to have Will checking on you, I will, but you're the one who needs that medical exam right now anyway." she said to him firmly then and he sighed at that.

"She's right Wes, with you in this condition we have to see if these diagnostics are the same as the ones you ran last night, or they just shifted course and got worse right now." Deanna said and he nodded with a sigh as Beverly gave him the next dose as they got watched him refocus as she looked at him watching her friend and hid a smile. As she looked at Will who was thinking the same as he watched them together.

Looking at him gently, he watched as Deanna took the seat next to him and rubbed his shoulder and he leaned into her touch and he smiled as the young man rested his head against her shoulder. 'God I missed this, it's good to be home, a year's separation, I missed them more than I thought and that planet nearly took them away from me. Not on my watch, you hag.' he practically heard the younger man thinking then.

Already knowing the 'them' he meant, he hid a nod at the remark. 'The seven of us, his mother, the quintet and me, yeah we know you miss us, that's understandable now. But pushing yourself into a position as dangerous as what you just pulled is not going to help us at all. Wes, you mean a lot to us and we're not losing you to your ego, let alone your fears of losing us, we'll be fine, but you took care of us and now it's time here.'

'To take care of you, so no debates over this.' Will said in answer to that thought gently as he looked at him as Deanna answered him with a bemused look on her face. "At least it's not Q this time, because us winding up on that planet and getting the attention of whatever those things are still remains in my memory. But this is getting ridiculous lately." Deanna said and he smiled at her and she smiled softly, seeing the relief.

As well as the happiness in his eyes that the six of them and his mother were back to normal. "Well we're down to eight, but the routine is still the same for us." he said smiling to her and she smiled softly at him at that as the conn officers looked between the eight then. "Wait, eight?" the new officer said and Will smiled at he got the reference. "Yes, with his mother part of the senior staff we spend a lot of time together."

"To the point he's a acting member of my away team and part of the command deck staff, though he's on vacation at the moment, but this was normal for us. As for the other half of that a friend of ours was our ninth when he was fifteen, before she was killed by a oil slick like character by the name of Armus. So what's left of the original staff was us, the seven of us here." he said smiling and the conn nodded as he got it.

"I take it you just got added to the crew, because this was common knowledge for every senior officer here, 80% of the crew was senior staff, ranging from two to five years aboard this ship, if you're one of three new crew members we had in the last ten months. Though that virus that was mentioned was part of it, and she was our security chief." Wesley asked and the duo both nodded as the one on the left answered him.

"Yes we are, and where was the starting point if it brought you this close together at the time?" he asked and they smiled as Wesley explained that to him. "Back then at that time we were ordered to go to Farpoint, and we encountered Q, who was an annoying member of the Q continuum. And one the captain hated dealing with, because he doesn't know when to quit, reason being whoever his people were, before they became the Q."

"They hated the act of violence threat and force with a passion and the captain had to prove not all of us earth himand were like this. With half the team on Farpoint station and the other in the battle bridge. While Lieutenant Worf was in the saucer section we were tried for crimes against humanity and this was a test. Though Q wasn't playing by his own rules at the time in that test, and since then at the time here."

"It was two encounters our first year, one in our second one in our third, and again when I left last year. But at the moment, I don't know if he's making another visit this year, now that I came home for the next year. As he and Guinan hate each other for some strange reason at the moment. And as to why it's when he's not annoying us he's driving the other captains crazy." he said and Picard chuckled at the way he said that.

"And it was a test we passed, but that first mission unlocked the door and we've been friends and team mates ever since. I've lived here on the ship for four years, before starting my training. The sextet are good friends of my mother and the captain was a friend to both my parents?" Wesley asked and the officer nodded to him. "Nice touch, I see why they were looking forward to seeing you, because they watched you grow up."

"To answer your question though, yes I did, I take it this isn't the first emergency situation you've had since you and your mother were assigned here? Because your reaction was almost like you knew what was coming?" he asked and the sextet chuckled as Wesley shook his head as he exchanged smiles with his mother as he answered him. "One of the big ones we dealt with had to do with was an entity we had on board."

"Hold on a second, guys with the amount you created get ready in case the computers start going haywire here, and Lieutenant that goes double for you at the moment. Last thing we need is you getting it a second time, after you got electrocuted when we had the entity loose in the computer system." he said and the klingon nodded with a bemused smile on his face as the trio hid a chuckle at that as he explained it to them.

"Speaking of which, if there's several surges in the power supply stay from the computer you guys in case it starts going crazy. You especially Worf, because that reaction I'm not forgetting after four years, though today is the same day, just close to under four years apart it doesn't matter. After we all got hijacked, again and I'm not seeing you have another over reaction here." she said and he nodded as he looked between then.

"The entity, yes that's a memory I won't soon forget at the moment." he said to them gently and he nodded in agreement. "And to answer the unasked question this was a few weeks after that story of Konsinski and the traveler we told you about. That's what the trio and I were discussing, what Lieutenant Worf meant when he said that. It's because he was turned into a host was the entity jumped into him after it got into the computer."

"And through the computer screen and the jolt was like getting electrocuted, I mean a real case of electric shock. The blast hit him so hard he got thrown into the opposite wall and Commander La Forge had to get my mother in there. Just so they could get him to sickbay. Having a Klingon getting hijacked by another entity, the reaction is something you can never forget, which is why my mother said that remark to him."

"As for the added catch, we've had to arrest or relieve a member of the team from duty on more than one occasion that day. And at this rate Commander Riker was ready to shoot the ambassadors for getting into several games of cat and mouse in the hallways down on the engineering deck that night." he said and the duo nodded as Robin started laughing at that. "For gods sakes, I wasn't expecting this many issues in this here."

"Is this normal for you guys, because to a new member of the crew, this is beyond ridiculous right now?" she asked and the eight veteran members of the crew all nodded to her. "Yeah it is, but that story regarding the virus I told you about is just the very beginning, and it wasn't a memory any of us could forget. But the entity, that's when we started coming into our own as a crew and it results in several issues falling into it."

"In fact this one happens to be of the big ones and it was when we had two groups of ambassadors running loose and the computer mainframe got hijacked. The ambassadors were turning the corridors into a deadly game of hide and seek and we wind up with the computer exploding while this is going on. Knocking Lieutenant Worf into the wall, followed by the entity running amok." he said and Will covered his eyes at that.

"Yes just bring up my annoyance with the continuum why don't you Wes, because that annoyance has turned into a running gag ever since we encountered that charlatan, four years ago, but he just does not know when to quit." Will said to him smiling and he chuckled. "I think that's why Guinan hates him so much, because he just doesn't know when to take a hint Sir." he said and Picard smiled and nodded in agreement to that.

As he answered that gently. "If it wasn't a need to be the straight man when we see him, I'd be finding that amusing right now. But after two encounters in one year and three more the following three years, including us coming into contact with the Borg. I'd tolerate him, but that character is an annoyance, that I just want gone right now." he said to answer his thoughts then as he looked at the quartet and hid a smile at that.

Hearing that remark, the junior crew and the trio started laughing at that. "What, whats so..." Beverly started to ask and as Robin started laughing. "Think about it Doctor, why is he so obsessed with our ship exactly. I can think think of only one reason for why he's constantly annoying the heck out of you and the captain." she said though her laughter and Wesley nodded in agreement to that as Picard got it and answered that remark.

"Nice try young man, this is not the time for jokes like that right now, and you're not getting me into a debate either over this." Picard said with an amused smile on his face. "Yes Sir though at the moment here." he started to say as the turbolift door opened and the youngest member of his group ran into the room and up to him. "Alex, Alex, shh, shh, it's okay sis, calm down, what's wrong?" he asked, before he got the answer then.

Looking up, Wes saw the guard, who'd been tailing him ever since he came home walk in then. And, at that, as he pulled her against him tightly. 'Just what is your problem exactly, leave me alone, stay away from me. Just stay away from us right now.' he thought and shifted position in his seat and moved closer to Will then as that got their attention, as Beverly looked at the way the girl was clinging tightly to her son.

As he pushed himself into Worf and Worf rested his hand on his shoulder at that as he looked at him gently as he saw the wary look in his eyes narrowed at that. 'If you're the other host, you're never taking me alive, MacGregor.' he said to him mentally, as he pushed himself closer to the quartet as he was holding her tightly then. 'The Puppet Masters chapter one just ended, chapter two is just getting started.'

'They arrested their team mate, but the parasite has jumped hosts now. If you're the host they will find out and when they do you're screwed.' he said firmly as he stayed put between Worf and Will. "Just get away from me, stay away from me, I'm not going back, I'm never going back." Alexandra snapped at the man as she was clinging to Wesley. "Get him out of here, he's scaring her." Robin said quickly and the trio surrounded them.

"She's having a flashback to our kidnapping by the Aldeans, she's the youngest of the seven of us, but that's why she came to me, she needs to protect her right now." Wesley said, before the door into the conference opened as well and two more girls moved to them along with his surrogate younger brother. "Kate, Tara, Harry, you guys all have a flashback to that and where's Rosie?" he asked and Harry Bernard Junior explained that.

"Mace locked the darn door into his quarters and Rose is with him right now, Wes, but this guy's been following us around all afternoon since you broke control on our parents. So we decided to come right to you at the moment, Alex had such a flashback, she's scared of him and she's not going back and neither are we." he said and they nodded as the trio pushed the younger trio behind them as Wesley pulled the Alex into him gently.

"What's happening here?" Evans said quickly and Wesley answered him firmly. "To the sextet he's Radue, just twenty years younger and wearing a Starfleet uniform. To them I'm their big brother, with her and Tara possibly going to their quarters, she saw him and decided it's never mind her quarters she's coming right to me, and took the turbolift all the way to the bridge here, she's scared of him." he said as he rocked her gently then.

Seeing that reaction Will looked up and saw the guard standing in the corner of the room then looked at the way Wesley moved closer to him then. And seeing that, Will's eyes narrowed at the way the young man shifted position and moved closer to him and Worf. 'Whatever that's about I bet it has to with Aldea. Alright I better take care of this, if he's shifted position closer to me and Worf now.' he thought and looked at the guard then.

"MacGregor, could you do a headcount, see how many of these headsets we created and round them up. We're going to destroy them all, aside from the one the kids are using for study." he said and the other man nodded and the sextet watched as Wesley relaxed as soon as he left the room as the sextet exchanged looks. "Shh, it's okay baby, it's okay, you're safe now." Wesley said to her and she looked at him gently at that.

"I'm glad you're home Wes, we've been scared out of our minds since he showed up, we we're not sure who he is for real. But his voice and face, I see Radue every time I look at him, and I just wanted you home to protect us. Once was enough, to us the thought of being stuck on that planet after Radue shot our parents out of orbit, no not again. If he's here, because they want us back, no I'm not going." she said and he nodded to her.

"Yeah I know and I'm home now you're safe, it's okay, you got me and the trio now, but I'm home for the next 18 months, so you guys have your big brother back again." he said and she nodded as she buried her head into his shoulder as the senior staff exchanged concerned looks at the reaction. "You're staying, you mean you're not leaving until next year?" Katie asked and he nodded as they smiled in delight at the news.

"Yeah I'm not leaving for another 18 months guys, but I have my own squadron up here and you have us looking out for you, baby sister." he said and Harry smiled as he answered him. "Good to have you back bro, I'm glad you're home again." he said and Wesley nodded to him as the seven exchanged looks. "I sense uneasiness, that guard makes you uncomfortable Wesley." Deanna Troi said and he sighed, as he said it to her,

"I'll tell you later Deanna, but at the moment, I'd rather explain things to the trio here, first and right now. Though with the fact the quartet came to me, I get the feeling Mace and Rose are next, dad." he said and Will nodded to him gently. "I take it that's one of the scenarios that you mentioned if you feel safer around the duo, Wesley?" the conn asked and he nodded to him as he was holding her gently then as he answered him.

"Yeah and it's long story at the moment, but the quartet are the rest of the sextet I was with when we were taken by Radue, of Aldea. To them, he's here, and he's here to kidnap us, and the only thing they needed as, with me back, was me protecting them. To change subjects there were a few that had to do with having our minds toyed with. Let alone Q, this happens to be one of them and it's a long story at the moment here too."

"But to explain that right it was because we were enroute to parliament as we dropping off the Anticans and the Selay. But enroute the computer got hijacked and the entity jumped from the lieutenant, into my mother, when still in the computer it also killed Lieutenant Signh and then jumped into the captain. But we've dealt with viruses, mind manipulation and the holodeck acting up, and it was all three in year one, alone."

"This is centered between the first two and the captain happened to be the victim of the second, before I cracked it and Tasha figured it out, by dragging up the trunk we salvaged from the stargazer." he said and the trio nodded. "Tasha, I thought it was just the eight of you, if there was another person involved here, who was it then. Who was the ninth exactly?" the conn asked and he sighed and the seven knew he missed her.

"Her name was Tasha Yar, she was head of security and did what Lieutenant Worf does, and she was a good friend." he said and the man thought it over as he remembered the photograph on the wall in Beverly's office and looked at him gently then. "The blonde haired woman standing next to you with her arm around your shoulders in that photograph, is that her?" he asked and they nodded to him as he answered him.

"Yeah that's her, she used to hold the position Lieutenant Worf holds, but she was good friend. But the first ten months after becoming senior staff results in bonds of being a team and a very strong bond. And I spent 80% of my time with the sextet in between missions at the time. And I was involved in this long enough to realize that our unknown entity was trying to get out of the ship, by using the nebula we found to do it."

"My expertise was science and machinery and it took fifteen minutes to dig up a way out of this, while we're trying to find the person the entity hijacked this time. After it killed a member of Commander La Forge's team, I was helping him and Lieutenant Worf in the engine room and we were going over diagnostics when things switched courses and the two representative races decided on wargames in the residential living quarters."

"Though the ending results are they ended up catching the commander while they were hunting each other in the hallways, as to why. It's because the hunting got out of hand at the time, because these species evolved from a hunter/prey issue on earth that we're used to and it's reptile and rodent. Till the commander confined them back to their quarters, under guard." he said and the conn nodded as he started laughing at that.

"Well that's one way to end the debate." he said laughing and they chuckled and nodded. "Yeah that was my thought when the commander walked in with a beyond irritated look on his face as Jenson asked what happened and he told us what was going on out there. Before I gave him my report and we got the lights back on, before the entity hijacked the captain next." he said and he nodded as Will tried to keep from laughing at that.

"Yeah I remember that, one species like a bunch of two legged snakes and the other like an oversized mouse. I felt like I was in the middle of a hunting expedition between these guys and after seeing Geordi stuck in that tree, getting caught by a bunch of snakes was too much at this point and I wasn't in the mood for it. Alright don't tell them everything or we're going to be in here all night son." Will said and the sextet started laughing.

As Beverly answered him through her laughter as they exchanged looks at the memory of everything the eight had gone through together. "God the first six months after we started working together was a bit of a fiasco here. Though we tended to wind up with some interesting scenarios. And at times it's funny after the seriousness of the situation is over, though this is one that I wasn't expecting and I hate either species on earth."

"Though this was taking the predator verses prey thing just a little too far and we're enroute to Parliament while this is going on." Beverly said to him smiling as he nodded as Wesley smiled at the older man as he started teasing him. With seeing the sextet back to normal he relaxed completely as he started joking with the older man smiling then. "I think if I hadn't been that testy, I'd probably would have stunned them both."

"For that, but that was ridiculous here." Will said to her smiling and Wesley smiled at him. "Yeah and I've never seen you so irritated at the time, Commander. Because the last time it was due to the reactor going crazy, this time it's these two races and you're playing the referee in a wargame that night." he said to him and he chuckled. "Having to take charge for the second time with our computers and the captain compromised."

"What with the fact Worf was recovering from having his body hijacked, followed by Beverly getting it. And the entity killing Lieutenant Signh, I was so annoyed that I was now being called to the engine room because the entity was screwing with the power after the senior staff meeting when the captain got hijacked. And that I was now the one acting on being in charge by this point in these things and I didn't have any help."

"That having to make the command decisions regarding our crew getting hijacked repeatedly, technical malfunctions and the computer going haywire. That I wasn't in the mood to wind up in the middle of a game of hide and seek. And when I'm trying to get to the engine room so we can get the power back on. That I reached the limit of my patience after that with the ambassadors." he said and the conn looked at him.

"I can take a guess that Wes was in the engine room when this was going on if he heard the comm to Lieutenant Yar when you called her?" the conn asked, bemused and he nodded. "Yeah I was, but seeing the annoyed aggravation on his face at that that I knew it got worse. That was enough to tell me that he wound up in the middle of it, with Worf getting blasted, my mother getting taken next, followed by Lieutenant Signh gone."

"And now Captain Picard getting hijacked by the end of this, the situations were fast going from concern to threat. And having these two trying to hunt each other in the halls wasn't being tolerated at the time, by him or the rest of us. With what we dealt with so far at the time with that in mind it working through the added problems." Wesley said and Will smiled as he finished that remark as he looked at the nineteen year old smiling.

"Though that brings back the saying never let nature loose in an enclosed area or you're going to get caught in the middle." Will said and Wesley smiled at him at that. "Like I said, you let your guard down too soon, on planets like this it's going to throw some sort of surprise at you when you least expect it. Though that situation was just another reason not to do it." Wes said to him playfully and he chuckled and nodded to him.

As he thought it over then and grinned as he started teasing him. "I think Tasha would have found this funny though, if she was still here, because almost every situation we get into starts with a matter of girl trouble and they always seem to be focused on you Sir." he said and Deanna tried to keep from laughing at that. "He's got a point Will." Beverly said as she started laughing at that as she and Deanna exchanged smiles.

As he looked at them with a bemused smile on his face as he answered her remark gently as he said it to them with a bemused smile. "Alright laugh it up girls, now isn't the time for this right now." he said and every woman in the room started laughing at the remark. "He just spoke my thoughts out loud and while I can't get away with that, he's able to Sir." Geordi said as he and the new conn officers also started laughing at that.

"Alright that's enough of that you guys, cool it already." Will said and looked at Wesley with a warning smile on his face. "Alright you little wiseacre, you, kid, better watch it now, because I still know where you're vulnerable buddy. And you know the consequences of your getting smart with me when off duty. And after our second year together and I took over guardianship after your mother left, kiddo, don't you."

"And I mean it, just keep up the wise guy responses with me, and you're really going to get it buddy." he added with a playful warning smirk, smiling gently and he nodded smiling to that as he knew the translation of that remark. 'Uh oh, alright, I better cool it now, because I know that tone, he knows I'm ticklish and from the way he said that..., oh boy, here we go again, these guys know I'm ticklish and this time..., oh boy.'

'The few times I was working in my bedroom on my homework and he snuck up on me and let me have it for being up past my curfew. He was my guardian up to when mom got back and it was twenty times in a one year basis that year. With him, and just as many with the quartet. If it's back to that again, then they still see me as my 16 year old self and it's back to our bond then.' he thought and quickly looked up at him at that.

'God sir not again, you let me have it once too often after mom left, come on, not again.' he thought as he tried to keep from laughing at that as Will smiled at him as he thought it to himself. 'Oh yes that's right, you want to get smart and you're getting it again buddy and it's coming when you least it expect it to, tonight. So if you continue getting smart with me, now watch it pal.' he thought as they looked at each other then.

Watching them, Beverly hid a smile at the connection her son had with the quartet, knowing he was closest to them after they got to know each other. 'God if only Jack was here, our son would be with his entire family and his bonds with the senior staff would still be there. I'd better check to see what that remarks about later, but if their bond shifted directions, it's the only way now.' she thought softly, smiling then.

"What's that about exactly?" The conn officer asked and Will quickly answered that. "I'll tell you later, that is if he doesn't choose to do it now, though he's asking for it if he does. Our bond shifted directions in the four years we were together, and I've been acting like his father and mentor the previous few years at the time. And to the point that in training it didn't matter he was our student, we'd taken all areas here."

"Regarding being a father figure to the point now that it doesn't matter he's nineteen, to me he's still the young man I met in our first year." He said to him gently and the conn nodded as he looked at the way Wesley was standing next to him. "Yeah alright, I promise, just not again, I'll stop, just not tonight please. "Wesley added and he nodded as he gave him a warning smile and he nodded as he looked at him as Geordi hid his.

"Yes and in five years it's always you who winds up in the middle of it. Though at this rate, at least it's not another situation like the two warring species we had running loose on our ship. When they, Worf and the captain, got hijacked." Geordi said to him. "Just goes to show you let your guard down too soon and you wind up getting caught in the middle." Wesley said and they chuckled as Worf answered him at that with a smile.

"Morbid jokes now, at this rate, if they had further plans I'm sure there's more than added trouble to go with it, when the only teenager on our team is trying to prevent her plans from escaping our ship." Worf said amused and Will nodded as the quintet smiled. "Yes and days like this it doesn't pay to let your guard down till you're back on the safety of your own turf." Wesley said and they both nodded in agreement.

"Yes, you're right son, I should have remembered that when she got one on me at the time, before you came home. But having you land in the middle of it, only ticks me off at the moment. You're the youngest of the senior staff and frankly they want to mess with you, they got a furious father bear on their hands now." Will said to him and he nodded as Beverly hid a smile at the wording, knowing he was right on that remark.

"No kidding, at the moment she crossed the line between attempted incursion and possible assassination of the youngest member of the senior staff crew now. Though if that's true she's getting blasted if this leads to something else now." Wesley said and he nodded. "And the first away mission I brought you on resulted in the first. Though this is the tenth time in five years we've had these issues crop up Wes, and with that."

"You keep this up I'm not going to make it by the time you reach twenty one kiddo." he said and rubbed his back as Geordi looked at his young team mate gently as the duo looked at them. "I take it something changed between you two, when the doctor was gone that year?" The conn asked and they both nodded. "Yes, during that year, I decided to take paternal responsibilities for him while Counselor Troi acted like his mother."

"And leading up to when Doctor Crusher returned, our bond deepened so much we were acting as if we were that entire time. Which is why I lost temper with her a bit ago, to me, he's like my son and anyone wants to mess with him. That is if they're not a crew member, had better watch it now, because they got a father bear. And his pack, who are ready to do some damage, if he gets hurt." he said and Geordi finished that remark.

"It's the same for Data, Worf and me, like Commander, we too were members of the away team and he spends and spent 80% of his time with us. To the point that we decided to have him helping us and the results were our bonded deepened to parental/offspring and mentor/student stage and none of us are letting go now. With over three hundred kids on board this ship, since we had several spots for them set up."

"So making sure none of them did anything crazy was our concern at the time, it was after a mission to a planet called Aldea that we went from a normal crew to extended family with each other. Wes was one of the kids taken and we were determined to get him and the others back." he said and Worf crossed his arms as Will finished his remark. "And that only made it more clear, though if that remark and the other ones get involved in this, I'm not taking it well if that's the reason for that dizzy spell right now."

"But his training was because he was preparing to go into Starflet at sixteen, before he decided to wait two years and I'd decided to train him myself. When Beverly left, the captain decided he was getting hands on training and he was working at the console, where you're sitting, as an acting ensign and decided to fill in for her till she got back, with helping Pulaski at the time." he said and the trio all nodded as he looked at Wesley.

"Well that's a relief that this is over now. What the heck was this about exactly though anyway?" Geordi asked and he explained that to him. "Foothold situation Geordi, she was intending to spread these from our ship to every Starfleet base and planet connected to us. And get a foothold to the academy while doing it, though we prevented that by delaying till the last." he said and they nodded as Will looked at him with amusement.

"Though at the moment with what you told us earlier, you're staying home till you're fully recovered from this, in both ways now." he said as the sextet nodded in agreement to his thoughts and Wesley nodded to their decision. "I can't believe this, when were you setting up for that test at the time exactly?" Geordi asked and he sighed. "I was on the edge of taking it, just before going on leave here at the time guys."

"Having it switch from a simulation in the academy to the real thing, and the ship and ship crew in question happens to be my own. Well this is one area that having two decisions is enough to make the victim beyond sick emotionally and not without being given a third option to head it off. And said option being given to you by the third in command of the senior staff Sir, Geordi." he said and they both nodded to him softly.

"Alright what's with the first name basis between you and the trio, though you call the commander by rank?" the conn asked him and Geordi answered that question. "With us working in the engine room, I decided to just drop the formality in his case, with him and me knowing each other for five years, and it's the same for the duo. While in the Commander's case he's been calling him by that title since our deployment."

"The five of us: that is me, him, Worf, Data and Tasha went by name with each other by the start of our fourth month together and that was the entity. Though by month number seven the six of us were completely comfortable to the point we dropped the barriers. And went by our first names with each other after that, including Beverly, although she calls the captain by name, as for why, it's because they've known each other 25 years."

"Jack was his first officer and he was my rank at the time, so to them it was being friends and we've been like this. And ever since with each other, to just drop the boundaries and enjoy time together as a team. And we'd been training him ever since, so no need for barriers, though with you or the other crew members not here for more than a year he's going by our ranks, in private by name." he said and the conn nodded gently.

"What was month number six exactly?" he asked and they chuckled. "It's that joke I dragged up, we were dealing with the bynarrs and they were running diagnostics on the ship. But the ship got hijacked and by that point the six of us decided to drop the barriers and we were going to studies of everything we learned by that point. It was after an admiral boarded the ship that it switched courses here and with that."

"He's right, ever since the entity we started dropping boundaries in ranks and our bonds deepened further to the point we're the team that every Starfleet officers thinks us to be and why we matched up to James Kirk and his crew's reputation. Though this results in joking around with each other and we work as one, it's enough that someone starts something we have to deal with it as a team." Wesley said and Will smiled at him.

"And of all the days that she could try this its when you return home kiddo, well the first week of this trip home just came with a bang. Well this just made it clear, don't mess with the only teenager on the senior staff or you're getting burned when he and the only android on the team figure it out." Will said with a gentle smile as he nodded. "Does this seem strange though, we've had two situations regarding the captain and his feelings."

"And just as I'm coming home we have this one, and it's a repeat performance of our issue with the virus running loose on the ship. So what's that say exactly, if there's a mole in Starfleet?" he asked and the sextet nodded. "This was an inside job, but we ended the situations regarding the captain already and going by the looks of you, he's not the only one." Geordi said and he nodded as he answered him as he said it.

"I just get back and suddenly we get one reminder of our first year together and of why we can't let our guard down on these planets, and if this keeps up. I'm looking at multiple references of that year and they're all compiled to having our minds screwed around with or repeated conspiracies, and I'm not naming any big ones here. But I bet we get the entity and the Stargazer next if this keeps up." he said and looked at the duo as he said it, knowing they were going to be thinking the same thing he was then.

"I don't think this was a coincidence, but completely intended Sir, if she had this planned down to when I came home..." he said and he nodded as Will said it for him. "Than you're the intended target if it has you this exhausted right now. What's going on here?" he asked and he sighed. "I think we have another reference back to that year actually, and it's regarding the Stargazer." he told him and he nodded to him as he said it.

"If you're looking like this, I'm guessing you fallen asleep at the lab table repeatedly and forgot to set the alarm here, though if anything it's ending up in the midst of another battle between us and whatever perp tried to board us at the time. If that's what you been dreaming about lately and they keep getting worse." he said and finished that remark as he looked him over then, feeling his concern growing by the minute.

"But if that's true, I find the other conspirator and it's a man and he's in serious trouble with me, because you've been through enough the last four years." Will said and Wesley nodded with a worn out look as he looked at the younger man as he said it then with a caring, paternal look. "Whatever they're trying to pull here is not happening if I have anything to say about, especially if it has to do with you now."

"You really thought I wouldn't remember son, especially when you're looking like you're ready to fall asleep on your feet, it was always the only way to get you to quit at times. Especially when I was the one who had to check on you every night when your mother was off the ship." he said gently as he ran his hand through the hair at the back of his head as he looked at him gently as he saw the look on Hanson's face then.

"Don't start with me and again Derek this is not the time or place for this, the four of us are exhausted. And if you're jealous, that's no excuse to be creating lies like this, let alone drinking, drugs or breaking direct orders given to you by three superior officers." Wesley said and that did it as the other boy lashed out. "Aw crap here it comes, Captain the effects of that mind meld just started." Geordi snapped as the boy snapped at him.

"You call me arrogant and look at you, you're acting like you're a big shot, because you're the son of the CMO. I heard what the other recruits consider this regarding your family and your position. And your scores at big ideas here, and I heard what those other officers were calling you before, the think tank, the brain trust, if anyone is arrogant it's you right now." Derek Hanson said and Wesley answered that firmly as he looked at him.

As he crossed his arms as Robin, Jake and Dayton put themselves on both sides of him then. "Don't start with me right now, and we got four kids in the room as well Derek, after what I heard from Charlie and Robin about that. You can forget about trying to start a altercation in front of my little brothers and sisters, I'm not falling for it. So 1) it's non voiolence and the mind games and whatever this is about can be touched on."

"And when you're sober right now and did you forget that this time it's not complete chaos in here right now. Just try it and the sextet are arresting you, and speedballing and starting an altercation, so again, with the fact you're drunk and you're surrounded. And by the security teams, the security chief and the rehab Doctor. One violent move and its landing you in a detention cell until you're sober, and 2) it's mind games here."

"Well nice try, but you're not getting me into a debate over this if you're using that stupid nickname with your friends and everyone not listening like my clique right now. Because this is something the senior staff never wants to talk about for personal reasons. But this is something I risked just to prevent a bloodbath, tell me: could you do this. And by dragging up as many reminders of your time with the senior staff crew as possible."

"When you don't know them as well as I do, in fact, every distraction was a reminder of our time together as a crew. What significance it holds to them is something you can't understand. Because these things were either an inside joke or personal, the reason the conditioning hit them, O'Brian and the others so hard. Was because my leaving left a massive hole in their hearts, it's the 'oldest leaving the nest' syndrome here."

"And it's one I had to over ride to pull this off, they understand what it was I was doing, but you can't, because you just started training. And if Katherine Pulaski over heard this conversation she'd agree with my idea, like Commander Data did. It's called the deprogramming by going to the most memorable moments on board the ship. She's a medical doctor, if he was human, he'd be a psychiatrist and this would be the result."

"With my training as the son of a medical doctor, this was something no other cadet or recently arrived ensign could do, unless you know the people that you're doing it for. But you spend as much time together as we have, you see past the surface, see their personalities, likes, dislikes. And emotional pains and it's taking a degree of skill to remember the pieces that are the most memorable to them at the time in their eyes."

"And are the ones that hurt the most now that the person they're thinking the most about is now removed from their life by either work, school or something far more painful. As to that, that's how I knew what to do, because every piece used was another memory they missed the most." he said and the other boy snapped at him at that. "How did you know what she wanted you to do exactly, she's not even in here."

"And if this is about what happened in second year I'd say it's as much emotional recovery for you as it is them. How do you know that she'd suggest this exactly?" he snapped and he explained that, before he could say it though he heard a firm call out then. "Because he's right on every count, as a doctor skilled in indoctrination and mind control techniques, it's making sure to knowing where and when to counteract it."

"One of these aliens happens to be the Selelvia and their version of persuasion happens to be the knack. And for someone who's never dealt with this it hits you like a ton of bricks, over riding your nervous system doing what you want them to do. Now with that in mind here. The only way to block out mind control, if you'd been through a version of it is if you suffered through it once, for something such as this at the moment."

"If the victims were suffering some sort of emotional pain prior to the sudden indoctrination attack and if I just arrived at the time this was going on, it's going to strategies between him, me and Data regarding the best way to do it. If there was a virus making everyone act like their intoxicated. And that makes you more pliable to it no less it's by being the rational one in the entire group and you're trying to focus."

"While staying clear of the ones that are indoctrinated at the time, you're the only one who's rational and evetyone's behavior is beginning to scare you so with that in mind. One option to make to protect yourselves and it's by acting like everyone else now. And secondly once the word went out from the lead from and straight to the others in the hive, and I'm phrasing this like one of a dozen science fiction stories."

"That the brainwashed had to get to the last few members of the crew, it's by deflection techniques such as creating the weapon meant to prevent themselves from getting caught, once is lucky, twice is pushing your luck. And third you're going to have to go to deprogramming by using the reminders of what you'd gone through together at the time. Wesley didn't have to appeal to me, because he knows I'm an indoctrination expert."

"As a medical doctor skilled in deprogramming and slight depression of separation anxiety at the time, I'd suggest bringing back the memories that were the most memorable. The items that had a connection to when we were together, memories of everything we did together, talks of memories, having the situation. And get it re-enacted as a reminder, and are the keys to breaking through brainwashing as is doing it."

"And in a mixture of subtle hints, memories and a few other things as the countdown starts. He chose my ideas and though he didn't have to have my opinions in that he knew what he had to do, because I'm a senior-programming expert. And when it comes to mind control plays and as a result, this was based on the fact, now. That they were lost their focus because of the first born cub syndrome and it's makes it easier too."

"And it's enough that where deprogramming is concerned it's by choosing things that had a significant connection to them and with it. Is the know how in how to do this is by carefully knowing each victim's place in the connection. And the bond you have with them, knowing where and why the person affected is hit this hard. After examining that you go to subtle reminders of these things by clues involved in that and these things."

"The know how in how to counteract the brainwashing is by forcing the person that is to remember the good times. The good memories, the bad, the way you were together, the bonds of trust, of friendship, it's that simple, but only the person that's the catalyst can do this and do it by reminding them of these things. No first year ensign, just arrived can do this, oh no, it takes the catalyst, the person that is the source of all the pain to do it."

"And with those words in mind now, you're right Wesley I do agree with your idea and it was a perfectly thought out plan as well, you certainly pulled this off. By reminding them of the most memorable moments of your, and our, lives togethers as a crew and team, before you left for the academy. Not many could think up that on the fly and not when they haven't been here from day one and lived on said ship at the time."

"And with those words in mind Mr. Hanson, I suggest you watch the attitude. So could you rephrase that young man, and not in a way that is enough to get you kicked off the ship for insubordination. And that's exactly a memory I don't need right now where he's concerned, when I was still the CMO of this ship at the time. If you're trying to provoke him into a fight it's not going to work, and I suggest you watch the language right now."

"If you don't want to get thrown off this ship for insubordination I'd suggest you rephrase this now. So if I were you, I'd choose my words wisely, for they maybe your last in this ship regarding your parents. A field officer never treats his superior with disrespect, nor do they throw barbs like this at them. You're just a civilian, he is an officer and he's your superior, and with those words in mind now, choose your words wisely right now."

"Because this attitude of yours is enough I'd put you on stand down till you stopped acting like a spoiled little brat and act your age." he heard and broke eye contact to see Dr. Katherine Pulaski walk into the room and smiled happily at her. "Nice timing Katherine, you chose the perfect moment to arrive." Picard said to her in relief and she nodded as they saw Wesley smile at her and the quintet sighed in relief at that.

"Doctor Pulaski, it's good to see you again, and you just chose the right moment to confirm my thoughts now, regarding that attitude problem." he said smiling and she moved to the eight of them smiling as he stood up and gave her a hug. "Added side effects and a slight emergency maybe, but at least I get to see you guys again. And we spent another 10 to to 18 together." she said and he smiled as he looked at her

"I missed you Doctor." he said to her softly and she smiled at him as she hugged him while tightening her arms around him as the sextet smiled at the response in relief. At that and that she broke the effects on him that quickly as she answered him then as she looked at him, before the sextet. "Nice timing Kate, we're glad to see you back on the enterprise." Picard said and she nodded as she looked between the sextet gently.

"You too Wesley, Jean Luc, Deanna, boys it's good to see you again." she said and the sextet smiled at her gently as Picard said it for all of them gently. "You too Katherine, what can we do for you." Picard asked her and she smiled as she answered him. "Morrison and Quinn sent me Jean Luc, that portion of crimes against the federation just revealed we had something going on in the medical department at the moment.'

"Someone is forging signatures of every secondary CMO on board every class ship we have and the signatures are for every cadet who's parent is working on board the ship's at the moment. Beverly, you and Eli are the latest ones on the list. The latest victim on the list is Eli Anenzi, I'm here to help out right now till we catch the person causing it." she said and he nodded as she looked between Wesley to the other boy.

"Dr. Pulaski this is Charlie Dayton, Charlie I'd like you to meet Dr. Katherine Pulaski, she was our CMO in year two after mom left that year. And was around for my first full year of training at the time." he said and Charlie nodded as he smiled at her. "Nice to meet you Doctor." he said before they heard a secondary call out. "If you're trying to scare us out of our wits right now you're doing an awfully good job of it right now, Wes."

"Was that really necessary at the moment?" they heard and Dayton looked up and saw a white haired man walk into the room and then looked at Will and the bemused look on his face. "That same thought shot through me when I heard that clang in the extension shaft dad." he said and the man nodded as Dayton hid a chuckle. "I know, but when it comes to deprogramming..." he started to say and Kyle Riker nodded, bemused.

"You have to get a bit more reckless then we'd have liked, I get that, but don't try that twice or you're going to scare us into a heart attack next." Pulaski said with a bemused tone as she looked at him, before she looked from the quartet to Hanson and back again. "What may I ask is going on around here?" she added to him gently and he sighed. "I just reactivated my JCL position, I'm in charge, and Charlie made 2IC of the team."

"But the reason he's throwing a hissy fit here is because he and Charlie were competing for 2IC position of the junior crew. And Charlie was given it to him because we pulled it off together while Robin was playing the bait. But Hanson is our alter ego, he's jealous here that Charlie and I are getting so much attention by the captain. Along with it, is that the senior staff crew is keeping me home for the next 18 months too."

"As to why mom decided to keep me home from the academy to recover from what just happened earlier. My simulation run of the Koyobashi Maru test got turned into the real thing right now. And I just barely managed to keep these from getting off the ship and infecting the federation. Added side effects, relapse." Wesley told her passing the headset to her and Beverly sighed in relief as she finished that as she looked at her.

"You couldn't have picked a better time than that to let us know you were coming back to visit Kate. Because he's on the edge of losing his temper and the side effects of the mind meld just started up again. You just broke him out of it now to prevent him from draining himself further." she told her and Pulaski nodded to her as she looked at him. "For gods sake, now you really look like you did after we had Jaan on board the ship, Wesley."

"The mind meld, the knack, you have two things coming at you from two different directions and both were screwing around with your health at the time. What's the prognosis Beverly, if he's staying home indefinite now exactly right now?" she asked and she sighed. "I'm looking at a classic case of sleep deprivation, malnutrition and stimulate abuse, and the last is because of whatever nightmares he's having right now."

"Enforced insomnia to block them out, and if I have to guess the nightmares are focused on me and the sextet, as well as everyone he's friends with here right now. Do you know what he means by that nickname?" she asked and Pulaski nodded in annoyance. "Yes, it was after we were dealing Okona that it started, Jaan was here at the time. And he was getting annoyed at every kid his age, like Hanson, and a few from Marks's age group."

"Because they were throwing the fact that Jean Luc appointed him to the crew and he was listening to him where solutions were concerned. When getting us out of the dangerous obstacles at the last minute for the last two months. Till finally he had enough of it, the fact that Jaan was suffering his species affliction was enough to push it too far. And he became determined to find some way to create a vaccine regarding it."

"It's the no win scenario here and it's one that ticked me off at the time, because he was looking like this when Jaan took a phaser blast for him at the time. But seeing what that did to him physically I removed him from active duty for a month so he could recover from it and whatever amount of weight he lost. Put him on a specific diet and partial light duty so Geordi and him team could watch over him." she said and looked at him gently.

Before Robin saw the line down his hand and looked at him. "Sarah said you staged act that, but was that faked. Or genuine, if Porter found that bloodstain on the wall in your room?!" she snapped and he sighed. "Stage acting, but mom had a skin knitter in the cabinet of her office, so you connect the dots, because I replicated two units in my blood type." he said and Charlie covered his eyes at that as he answered him in exasperation.